Google's Offer To Sell AdX Fails To Satisfy EU Publishers In Antitrust Probe

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(RTTNews) - Alphabet's Google (GOOG) has offered to sell its advertising marketplace AdX in a bid to resolve a major European Union antitrust investigation, but publishers have rejected the proposal as inadequate, according to people familiar with the matter.

The move marked the first time Google has considered divesting an asset to address antitrust concerns, underscoring the mounting pressure on its $237.9 billion ad business.

The EU launched its probe last year following a complaint from the European Publishers Council, accusing Google of favoring its own advertising tools and squeezing rivals across the digital ad supply chain. The AdX exchange, which lets publishers sell unsold ad inventory in real time, is a cornerstone of Google's dominance, paired with its DoubleClick for Publishers platform. Publishers argue that divesting AdX alone falls short, given Google's reach across nearly every layer of ad tech.

EU regulators, led by competition chief Margrethe Vestager, have previously signaled that selling both AdX and DFP could be necessary to eliminate conflicts of interest. While a forced divestment order is unlikely in the near term due to case complexity, sources say the Commission could soon issue a decision requiring Google to halt anti-competitive practices, with asset sales still possible if it fails to comply.

Google, which is also battling a parallel antitrust trial in the United States, defended its stance, saying the EU's case rests on "flawed interpretations" of a highly competitive, fast-evolving sector. The Commission declined to comment, while the European Publishers Council has yet to respond.