Judge Leonie Brinkema has rejected a request to force Google to divest its advertising business, leaving the European Commission as the sole regulator still pursuing structural remedies.

Key Points

• Judge Brinkema ruled against a forced sale of Google’s ad tech assets following her April 2025 liability finding.
• The European Commission remains the only regulator seeking a breakup, despite facing significant logistical challenges in enforcing such a mandate.
• Google submitted a compliance plan in November 2025 focusing on operational changes rather than divestiture, which the Commission is currently reviewing.
• Complainants in the case have increasingly shifted their focus from structural divestment toward stricter non-discrimination conduct rules.
• The European Commission previously issued a €2.95bn fine against Google for monopolistic practices in the digital advertising market.

Why it Matters

The shift away from divestiture signals a broader move toward regulating corporate conduct rather than forcing structural breakups in the global tech industry. This transition highlights the practical difficulties regulators face when attempting to dismantle integrated digital systems that operate across international borders.