Spain: Competition Authority accepted Google's commitments towards transparency in publisher remuneration negotiations

On 17 December 2025, the Competition Authority (CNMC) accepted Google's commitments towards ensuring transparency in remuneration negotiations with Spanish publishers and news agencies. The investigation concerned Google's possible abuse of a dominant position in the market of press publications to impose unfair commercial terms on publishers in negotiating and concluding licensing agreements, as well as its possible distortion of the normal functioning of the market. Google advanced a number of commitments, including informing publishers about the methodologies for calculating remuneration and advertising revenues, the establishment of clear negotiation procedures, and a commitment to non-retaliation. The CNMC accepted Google's commitments, which are valid for five years, with a possible renewal of a further five years, and thus closed the case without a finding of infringement or financial penalty.