The deadline for Google to find out whether the EU is going to force it to turn over search data, even those created by AI chatbots, is July.

Thursday's proposal by the European Commission is the most concrete step toward breaking into Google's domination in the world of search with the use of the Digital Markets Act.

What is EU actually proposing?

The Commission's proposal covers the scope, frequency, and technical means by which Google would share search data with third-party engines, referred to in the document as "data beneficiaries".

It also sets out anonymisation requirements, access governance processes, and a pricing framework for the data transfers.

Critically, the proposal extends to AI chatbots with search functionality, a direct signal that regulators view large language model-based search as part of the same competitive landscape, not a separate product category.

However, Google is not backing down. The Google competition counsel Clare E. Kelly made her case on Thursday, stating that the proposal would necessitate sharing sensitive user queries on matters such as health, financial, and familial concerns with third-party companies with dangerously ineffective privacy protections.

Google has presented some of its proposals to appease its rivals and EU authorities; however, competing search engines believe that they are not enough for significant changes. Google received charges of violating the Digital Markets Act in March 2025.

The controversy does not emerge out of thin air. In the past five years alone, Google has been fined €9.71 billion, or about $11.43 billion, for breaches in various European antitrust laws. This case is all the more critical, as Digital Markets Act violations are subject to penalties amounting to 10 per cent of annual global income.

Interested stakeholders will be able to comment until May 1, and the commission will announce its decision in July.

© The News International