France proposes using Google fines to reduce EU budget contributions

French Europe Minister Benjamin Haddad has proposed that the European Union use the proceeds from billions of euros in fines imposed on Google to reduce the financial contributions required from member states to the EU budget.

Haddad stated in an interview with Franceinfo that these penalties represent a new revenue source worth approximately €4.6 billion, which should “automatically lower the contributions of all member states.” This proposal arrives as EU governments are currently negotiating the budget for the 2028–2034 period, with discussions expected to continue through summits in October, November, and December.

Google was fined €890 million in July for violating EU rules regarding Big Tech dominance. This recent penalty brings the total amount of fines imposed on Google by the EU for anti-competitive practices to €10.38 billion over nearly two decades. The European Commission has proposed a budget of €2 trillion for the upcoming period, which includes €168 billion designated for servicing debt related to the post-pandemic recovery fund.