Key Takeaways
- The European Commission adopted binding search-data sharing measures for Google on July 16, 2026.
- Eligible search engines, including qualifying AI chatbots with search functionality, can potentially access anonymised Google Search data.
- Google and Alphabet have filed a challenge before the EU General Court, with related interim proceedings pending.
EU Orders Google to Share Search Data
On July 16, 2026, the European Commission adopted binding specification measures under the Digital Markets Act covering Google's search-data sharing obligations.
Article 6(11) of the DMA requires Google to share anonymised ranking, query, click and view data with eligible online search engines on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms.
The Commission said the measures are intended to help competing search services develop and improve their own technologies by giving them access to data that Google collects at large scale.
AI Chatbots Included in the Rules
The Commission's decision specifically includes AI chatbots that offer search functionality among potential beneficiaries of the data-sharing measures.
The EU says this is important because AI-powered search services increasingly compete for users and could otherwise face disadvantages compared with Google's established search infrastructure.
However, access is subject to eligibility requirements and privacy safeguards. Recipients must meet conditions designed to ensure they are genuine online search providers and have appropriate systems for handling sensitive search data.
Search Data Must Be Anonymised
The Commission's framework requires Alphabet to apply technical and contractual protections before data is shared.
The measures cover anonymised ranking, query, click and view information. They also restrict the use of the data to developing and optimising online search services.
Recipients cannot use the information to train general-purpose AI models, improve unrelated services such as consumer profiling and advertising, or systematically reproduce Google's search results.
The framework also includes independent verification and recurring audits intended to ensure compliance with the safeguards.
Google Takes the Dispute to EU Court
Alphabet and Google Ireland filed case T-639/26 before the General Court of the European Union on September 28, 2026.
The official Court of Justice database lists the case as pending under the title “Alphabet and Google Ireland v Commission.”
A separate proceeding, T-638/26 R, is also listed as pending before the General Court in connection with the dispute and interim measures.
The existence of these proceedings means the Commission's measures are now subject to judicial scrutiny. The official court record does not establish that the measures have been suspended.
What the EU Data Rules Could Mean for Search Competition
The Commission says access to anonymised search data could help established competitors and credible new entrants improve query understanding, ranking and retrieval systems and indexing.
For AI-powered search services, the Commission specifically notes that search retrieval can help systems obtain current information from the web and improve the quality of their responses.
The framework therefore connects traditional search competition with the rapidly developing AI search market.
TwikUp's Perspective
The dispute highlights a broader regulatory question facing technology companies in Europe: how far competition rules should go in requiring dominant platforms to provide access to commercially important data.
The EU framework does not require Google to hand over its search algorithm. Instead, it focuses on specified categories of anonymised data that regulators say can help competing search services develop their own technology.
The court proceedings will now provide an important legal test of the Commission's approach and Google's challenge to the measures.
What Happens Next
The General Court proceedings remain pending. Meanwhile, the Commission's July decision sets out implementation milestones extending into late 2026 and early 2027.
The next important developments will depend on the court proceedings and on how Alphabet implements the measures while the legal challenge continues.