Google has introduced a new proposal to European regulators aimed at resolving long-running concerns over conflicts of interest in its digital advertising ecosystem.
The submission challenges pressure from the European Commission, which previously signaled that a structural breakup could be necessary to address Google’s control of tools used by advertisers, publishers and its central exchange, AdX.
The Commission fined Google 2.95 billion euros in September, saying the company favored its own display technology services and hurt competitors. Regulators set a November deadline for Google to present remedies and highlighted the possibility of ordering divestitures if behavior does not change. Google’s latest proposal aligns closely with what it offered to U.S. authorities investigating similar issues.
The plan includes immediate updates to Google Ad Manager, such as allowing publishers to set different minimum prices for different bidders, and enhancements to interoperability across Google’s platforms. The company argues these changes address the Commission’s concerns while avoiding a forced sale that could disrupt advertisers and publishers across Europe.