Google offers a “less disruptive” fix to EU ad-tech showdown

Google submitted a compliance plan to the European Commission that proposes changes to its ad-tech operations — but rejects calls to break up its business

How it works:

• Google is offering product-level changes — for example, giving publishers the ability to set different minimum prices for different bidders in Google Ad Manager.
• It’s also proposing greater interoperability between Google’s tools and those of rivals, in order to give publishers and advertisers more flexibility.
• The company says these tweaks would resolve the European Commission’s concerns without a “disruptive break-up.”

Why we care. Google’s proposed “non-disruptive” fixes could preserve platform stability and avoid the turbulence of a forced breakup — but they may also shape future auction dynamics, pricing transparency, and access to competitive tools. In short, the outcome will influence how much control, choice, and cost efficiency advertisers have in Europe’s ad ecosystem.

Between the lines. Google is leaning on technical fixes rather than major structural overhaul — but critics argue that without deeper reform, the power dynamics in ad tech may not fundamentally shift.

The bottom line. Google is trying to strike a compromise: addressing the EU’s antitrust concerns while keeping its integrated ad-tech business intact. Regulators now face a choice: accept the tweaks — or push harder for a breakup.

Dig Deeper. EU fines Google $3.5 billion over anti-competitive ad-tech business