Finance
Belgian watchdog opens probe into Google's online ad price practices
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on February 27, 2026
2 min readLast updated: February 27, 2026
Quick Summary
Belgium’s competition authority has opened formal proceedings against Google over suspected abuses in online ad intermediation, citing “serious indications” the firm may be violating dominance and/or economic-dependence rules. The probe is preliminary, but adds to growing European scrutiny of Google
Belgium watchdog opens probe into Google online ad pricing practices
Investigation and wider EU antitrust context
Belgium competition watchdog opens investigation
Feb 27 (Reuters) - Belgium's competition watchdog said on Friday it had opened an investigation into the sale of online ads by Google.
Key allegations and status of the probe
Serious indications of potential antitrust breach
* The competition authorities said they had "seriousindications" that Google's model for selling online ads was inbreach of antitrust rules, as the company appeared to be abusingits market power.Preliminary phase and uncertain outcome
* The investigation is in a preliminary phase and theoutcome is unclear, they said.Broader European Union scrutiny of Google
Existing EU investigations and past fines
* Google is already the subject of several European Unionantitrust investigations and has been fined billions of euros inEurope for antitrust violations in recent years.Potential additional European Commission investigation
* Earlier this month, in a letter to advertisers, Googlesaid it also risked another antitrust investigation by theEuropean Commission over concerns it may be unfairly drivingonline advertising prices higher.Google's response on Search ads and market impact
* Google, which dominates the multibillion-dollar onlineadvertising market, said at the time that Google Search ads helpsmall businesses to compete with the biggest brands and keep theweb free for everyone.(Reporting by Bart Meijer. Editing by Mark Potter)
Key Takeaways
- •Belgium’s BCA says concerns center on Google’s ad-tech intermediation stack (including AdX and ad buying tools), and alleges potentially discriminatory terms and treatment that could harm users and rivals; the case is CONC-RPR-26-0004 and is at an early stage. (belgiancompetition.be)
- •The BCA is assessing potential breaches of EU abuse-of-dominance rules (Article 102 TFEU) and Belgian competition law, including Belgium’s “economic dependence” provision—an extra legal hook beyond classic dominance abuse. (belgiancompetition.be)
- •The Belgian action lands as the European Commission is also testing complaints about Google Search ad auctions potentially “artificially increasing the clearing price,” according to a February 2026 letter to advertisers (feedback due by March 2, 2026), suggesting price-setting mechanics are becoming a central regulatory focus. (spokesman.com)
References
Frequently Asked Questions about Belgian watchdog opens probe into Google's online ad price practices
1What did Belgium’s competition watchdog announce about Google?
It said it opened an investigation into the sale of online ads by Google.
2Why did the Belgian authorities open the investigation?
They said they had serious indications that Google’s model for selling online ads was in breach of antitrust rules and appeared to abuse its market power.
3What stage is the Belgian investigation in?
The authorities said the investigation is in a preliminary phase and the outcome is unclear.
4Is Google already under antitrust scrutiny in Europe?
Yes. Google is the subject of several EU antitrust investigations and has been fined billions of euros in Europe for antitrust violations in recent years.
5What did Google tell advertisers earlier this month about EU scrutiny?
Google said it risked another antitrust investigation by the European Commission over concerns it may be unfairly driving online advertising prices higher.
