Google’s latest offer to the European Commission reads less like a concession and more like an attempt to steer regulators away from the structural remedy they clearly prefer.
Rather than selling part of its advertising stack, the solution Brussels has openly floated, the search giant is pushing a package of interoperability tweaks and pricing options that it says would curb the conflicts of interest created by its control of both the tools advertisers and publishers use and the AdX exchange sitting between them.
The strategy is obvious: avoid a breakup that could fundamentally weaken Google’s dominance in online advertising while signalling enough flexibility to delay tougher action.
Yet the Commission’s recent €2.95 billion fine, coupled with parallels to the US Department of Justice case, shows regulators are increasingly sceptical of behavioural fixes.
If Google fails to convince Brussels, the precedent from the Microsoft era suggests a structural order could still follow, especially if the US court leans towards a divestment.