France Pushes EU to Use €4.6B Google Fines to Cut Budget Contributions

France wants the European Union to redirect €4.6 billion in Google fines toward cutting what member states pay into the EU budget. Europe Minister Benjamin Haddad made the case on Tuesday, saying the fines represent a new revenue source that should automatically lower contributions across all 27 nations. The proposal comes as EU governments negotiate their 2028-2034 budget, with France facing pressure from rising payment obligations and deteriorating public finances.

What France is asking for

Benjamin Haddad told Franceinfo TV on September 29 that the €4.6 billion in Google penalties should reduce member state contributions. Under current EU rules, final fines are already included in the general budget and reduce national payments. France wants a firm commitment that Google’s money will be treated this way. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu wrote to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen earlier this month requesting the same assurance.

Google’s mounting penalties

The EU has fined Google €10.38 billion over nearly two decades for anti-competitive practices. The largest recent penalty is €4.125 billion for Android, confirmed by the EU’s highest court on July 2 after an eight-year legal battle. With interest included, that fine reaches approximately €4.7 billion. In July, Google faced an additional €890 million penalty, the first under the Digital Markets Act, for favoring its own services in search and blocking app developers from directing users to cheaper alternatives.

France’s fiscal strain

France is pushing the proposal partly because its own finances are deteriorating. According to INSEE, France’s public debt ratio stood at 119 percent of GDP at the end of the second quarter of 2026, up from 117.5 percent in the first quarter. Total gross public debt reached €3.5 trillion by June. France is currently under the EU’s Excessive Deficit Procedure because its borrowing and spending breach EU fiscal rules, which limit public debt to 60 percent of GDP.

Budget negotiations heating up

EU governments are negotiating the 2028-2034 budget with summits planned in October, November, and December to reach a deal by year-end. The European Commission’s draft proposes a €2 trillion budget, equal to 1.26 percent of the bloc’s gross national income. Under that plan, France’s average yearly payment would rise from €26 billion to €36 billion, according to the French Senate. EU capitals remain divided on both the budget’s size and spending priorities.

Google’s legal pushback

Google is fighting back against EU enforcement orders. The company appealed an EU decision requiring it to share search data with rival search engines and open Android to competing AI services. Google’s senior director for competition, Oliver Bethell, cited privacy concerns, saying the company must protect people’s personal search history and security protections on Android. The appeal was filed with the Court of Justice of the EU. The EU’s July order under the Digital Markets Act requires Google to begin sharing search data from January 2027 and make Android changes starting July 2027.

Final Thoughts

France’s proposal to use Google fines for budget relief reflects the EU’s fiscal tensions as member states negotiate their largest budget in years. Whether the Commission backs the idea will become clear during October-December negotiations.

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