Google Weighs New Search Layout for Vertical Search Players to Avoid EU Fine

Core Viewpoint - Google is planning to test displaying competitors' search results alongside its own in Europe to mitigate potential fines from the European Union related to antitrust issues [1][2]. Group 1: Regulatory Context - The European Commission has accused Google of prioritizing its own services in search results for hotels, flights, and restaurants, which could lead to fines of up to 10% of the company's global revenue under the Digital Markets Act [2][7]. - An investigation was launched in March 2024 to determine if Google violated the Digital Markets Act by favoring its own vertical search engines, such as Google Shopping, Google Flights, and Google Hotels, while discriminating against third-party services [7]. Group 2: Google's Response - In June, Google submitted a proposal to modify its search engine results presentation to address EU antitrust concerns, suggesting that vertical search services (VSS) would be selected based on objective and nondiscriminatory criteria and displayed in a dedicated box at the top of the search results page [8]. - Despite Google's efforts to modify its search result format, competitors expressed that the changes did not comply with the Digital Markets Act, leading to expectations of regulatory consequences for the company [9].