What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
Poland’s competition regulator has accused four companies in Google’s corporate group of negotiating news-payment terms with Polish publishers without providing information needed to assess the offers. The allegations, announced on October 5, 2026, concern press articles shown in Google Search, Google News, and Google Discover. They are not a final finding that Google broke the law.
What UOKiK alleges Google did
The Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) says Google proposed remuneration to organizations representing Polish press publishers but did not provide data the regulator considers necessary to evaluate those rates. According to UOKiK, publishers were not told how Google used their publications, what revenue it received from that use, or which parameters it used to calculate its offers. The authority also says Google did not provide documents that would let publishers verify the assumptions.
UOKiK’s allegation is that this information gap left publishers unable to judge whether offers were worthwhile or make their own proposals based on data. The authority says Google had not signed agreements setting terms and remuneration with most Polish press publishers. These are claims in an active investigation, not adjudicated findings. UOKiK’s October 5, 2026 announcement describes the allegations.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Why the information matters
News publishers’ concern is not only whether a platform pays, but whether they can understand and evaluate the basis for payment. Search and recommendation services may show article fragments or summaries, while a user may not click through to the publisher’s full article. UOKiK says this can leave a platform with advertising revenue while publishers face reduced traffic and revenue. That is the regulator’s explanation of the policy concern; its announcement does not quantify the effect.
#1 Best Overall
Poland’s copyright rules implement the EU Digital Single Market Directive. The Ministry of Culture and National Heritage explained the amendment’s negotiation and dispute-resolution framework in 2024, and the Office of Electronic Communications (UKE) says the amendment took effect on September 20, 2024. The rules allow platforms to use press publications for remuneration and require information relevant to determining that remuneration. The Ministry’s explanation and UKE’s 2026 explainer describe the framework.
Who handles negotiations and who decides disputes?
Poland’s system gives the competition inquiry and the remuneration process to different authorities. UOKiK investigates whether the companies’ conduct may amount to abuse of a dominant position; it does not set the payment rate and says it is not a party to publisher negotiations. Being dominant is not itself prohibited, but using market power to impose unfair terms may be.
Rank #2
UKE’s role is tied to the statutory remuneration procedure. The parties negotiate first. If they cannot agree, they may seek mediation; if mediation fails and the statutory conditions are met, the President of UKE may determine the amount or the method for calculating remuneration.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteWhat can affect a remuneration determination
UKE identifies three relevant considerations:
- The service provider’s revenue from reproducing or making publications available, including advertising revenue, over the last two full financial years.
- The type of press publication.
- The period during which the publication was used.
Either party may request mediation if no agreement has been reached within three months after an offer to conclude an agreement, according to UKE’s explainer. The process is therefore not a simple appeal to UOKiK for a price: UKE handles mediation and may make a determination under the statutory procedure.
Has Google been found guilty or ordered to pay?
No. UOKiK announced allegations and an investigation, not a final infringement decision, a fine, or a payment order. The authority says competition law allows a penalty of up to 10% of an undertaking’s turnover for the conduct it describes. That is the statutory maximum cited by UOKiK, not a proposed or imposed penalty in this case.
How the Polish case differs from Spain’s Google settlement
Spain provides a comparison in regulatory approach, not a precedent that decides the Polish allegations. In December 2025, Spain’s National Commission on Markets and Competition (CNMC) accepted binding Google commitments in a proceeding over possible abuse in negotiations with Spanish publishers and news agencies. The commitments include explaining remuneration methodology, parameters, and relevant advertising revenue; establishing negotiation phases and deadlines; reviewing offers annually; and separating press-publication negotiations from Google News Showcase and certain other services in specified ways.
The CNMC closed its proceedings through commitments without finding an infringement or imposing a fine, and said the commitments would be monitored. Poland’s case remains an allegation under investigation, so the Spanish outcome does not establish what happened in Poland or predict how UOKiK’s case will end. The CNMC’s December 19, 2025 announcement sets out the Spanish commitments.
Do not confuse this with the EU AI proceeding
UOKiK says its case is independent of a European Commission proceeding concerning Google AI services. The Polish allegations concern press content in Search results, Google News, and Discover. The announcement does not describe the Polish case as an investigation of AI summaries, so the two proceedings should not be treated as one.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
