The European Commission has rejected Google's allegations that EU rules restrict business for American companies, stating that the European Union's digital legislation "is not a subject of negotiations" with the United States.
This was stated by EC spokesperson Thomas Regnier at a daily briefing in Brussels, commenting on statements by Google and US administration representatives after the announcement of a nearly €900 million fine against the tech giant.
According to Regnier, Brussels maintains regular contacts with the US administration on a wide range of issues, including the digital sphere, but does not base its decisions under their influence.
"We make decisions when they are ready to be made. We have solid evidence (of legal violations). During the investigation, there were 80-90 meetings with Google, and now we have reached a well-founded conclusion," he said.
Responding to Google's claim that EU actions worsen service quality and hinder American companies from working and innovating in Europe, Regnier said the situation is the opposite.
"It is large digital platforms that hinder European innovation and prevent EU companies from competing on equal terms. We only require Google to bring its activities into compliance with the DMA and ensure fair competition conditions in the European Union," he said.
EC representatives also confirmed that both the company and the US administration were notified before the fine decision was published, but declined to disclose at what level the contacts took place.
At the same time, Brussels emphasized that the upcoming EU-US dialogue on digital issues will focus on topics such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and semiconductor supply chains, but not on revising European legislation.
"Our digital legislation is not a subject of negotiations. We will retain the sovereign right to adopt our own laws," Regnier stated.
According to him, the DMA rules apply equally to all companies regardless of their country of origin and are not directed against American tech giants.
Another European Commission spokesperson, Olof Gill, added that there is "no misunderstanding" between the EU and the US regarding the essence of the DMA, as Brussels regularly explains the content of European rules to partners. He stressed that the single market is open to all companies if they comply with the rules established there.
The EC emphasizes that its goal is not to impose fines but to ensure compliance with legislation. According to Regnier, the fine amount for Google is about 0.22% of the company's global annual turnover, significantly below the maximum possible level provided for by the DMA.