Google has revised its documentation for the European Search Dataset Licensing Program, offering detailed information on how eligible competitors can access and license search ranking, query, click, and view data from Search in the European Economic Area.
The page, last updated on August 31, covers eligibility requirements, sample datasets, audit procedures, and important deadlines. This initiative implements the European Commission’s binding decision adopted in July under the Digital Markets Act, which mandates Google to share anonymized search data with competitors, including AI chatbots that qualify as online search engines under the law.
Licensing agreements will begin dispatching from September 17, with data samples available starting November 16.
Who Can Apply
Applicants must meet the criteria of an online search engine under the DMA and target users within the EEA. They must not be controlled by non-EEA state actors or be subject to EU sanctions.
All applicants must have an average of at least 50,000 monthly users of their search service in the EU over the past year. Additionally, they must have been providing search services in the EU for the past two consecutive years or, if they are recent entrants, have received over 50 million euros in capital investment.
Google may request supporting documents and says it will respond to expressions of interest within seven calendar days.
Data Samples And Key Dates
Eligible applicants may request samples before purchasing full dataset access.
A free sample includes 1,000 rows. A synthetic dataset with up to 10 million queries and a 5% sample of the full dataset are available for a fee.
All three samples will be accessible starting November 16.
The fees for the dataset are set on fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory terms. According to the Commission’s measures, these fees are limited to the incremental costs of data provision plus a specified rate of return.
Audit Requirements
Gaining access to the 5% sample and the full dataset starts with an independent assessment. While the smaller samples don’t require an audit, Google still carefully checks each applicant’s eligibility in advance to make sure everything is in place.
An independent auditor carefully examines the applicant’s technical setup, data storage, and workflows. The Level 1 report provides assurance that the applicant has credible plans to use the data for its own search product, and that its data protection controls are suitably designed.
To keep access open, recipients agree to ongoing monitoring by an independent assurance practitioner and need to submit regular Level 2 reports. These reports test whether the controls are working in practice. The first report is due within six months of access being granted, with future reports due annually.
These audits are important because recipients handle personal data. The Commission believes that keeping the data walled off inside the recipient’s own systems can meet the DMA’s anonymization standard, but it’s up to each applicant to demonstrate that this is done properly.
Why This Matters
In July, I discussed the binding decision when the eligibility thresholds and overall timeline were already public.
The updated page turns the July decision into dates and process. The Level 1 audit gates the 5% sample and the full dataset, not the two smaller samples. This approach allows eligible companies to examine the free rows and the synthetic dataset before they choose to incur any audit costs.
Looking Ahead
Licensing agreements come first, with technical details on the dataset to follow.
The Commission plans to review these measures every two years. Plus, Google will need to maintain a public webpage listing all third-party search engines that access the dataset.
This transparent list is an important way to see if the data extends beyond the big-name engines to include the qualifying chatbots the decision covers.
Featured Image: Net Vector/Shutterstock
Source: Google.
