EU should use Google fines to cut member state contributions to budget, France says
France's Europe Minister Benjamin Haddad said the EU should use €4.6 billion in Google fines to automatically lower member state contributions to the bloc's budget.
1. France's proposal
Haddad said the €4.6 billion in fines represents a new EU revenue source that should automatically reduce contributions from all member states. EU capitals are divided over the budget's size and spending priorities.
2. EU budget negotiations
The EU is negotiating its 2028-2034 budget, with summits scheduled in October, November and December as governments seek a deal before year-end. The European Commission has proposed a €2 trillion budget, equal to 1.26% of EU gross national income, including €168 billion to service borrowing for the post-pandemic recovery fund.
3. Google penalties
Google was fined €890 million in July for violating EU rules aimed at reining in Big Tech. Recent fines brought the total EU penalties against Google for anti-competitive practices to €10.38 billion over nearly two decades.
