European Commission to Google: Allow third-party ​search engines to access Search data; company responds

The European Commission has asked tech giant Google to allow third-party search engines to access Google Search’s data, reports Reuters. According to the new agency, the shared data will include that of AI chatbots with search functionalities. The commission said that the directive is to comply with the Digital Markets Act. Google has responded to the proposal saying it will jeopardise users’ privacy. The report quotes Google's senior competition counsel Clare Kelly who said that the tech giant will fight against these “overreaching” measures."Hundreds of millions of Europeans trust Google with their ⁠most sensitive searches - including private questions about their health, family, and finances - and the Commission's proposal would force us to hand this data over to third parties, with dangerously ineffective privacy protections," Kelly said in a statement to the news agency.The European Union’s proposed rules explain what kind of search data Google must share, how it should be shared, and how often. They also include steps to keep personal data anonymous, rules on who can access the data, and guidelines for deciding how much the data should cost, the Commission said."The ⁠aim of the measures is to allow third party online search engines, or 'data beneficiaries', to optimise their search services and contest Google Search's position," the commission said.Interested parties have until May 1 to submit their views on the proposed measures, with a final ⁠decision to be made in July, Reuters report added.Google, the world's most popular search engine, has given 9.71 billion euros ($11.43 billion) in fines since 2017 over ⁠various antitrust infringements in Europe. Fines for Digital Markets Act breaches alone can amount to up to 10% of a company's global annual revenue.The company was charged in March 2025 with breaching the Digital Markets Act.