Google Ends EEA Site Reputation Penalties
Google is notifying site owners that past site reputation abuse manual actions will no longer affect search results shown to users in the European Economic Area.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Artificial Intelligence
Google sent emails through Google Search Console to sites that had a site reputation abuse manual action in the past but none now, stating those actions will no longer affect search results in the European Economic Area. The changes took effect August 30, 2026.
Why it matters
The update narrows the reach of a policy Google introduced in March 2024 and began enforcing in Europe in January 2025, affecting how previously penalized sites appear to users in the EEA. Site owners in the region may see their search visibility change as a result.
The policy change took effect on August 30, 2026, applying to manual actions previously issued under Google's site reputation abuse policy within the European Economic Area. The number of sites notified and the measurable effect on their search rankings were not disclosed.
The players
Google is the search engine company that developed the site reputation abuse policy and issued the manual actions and notifications described.
The details
Google sent notification emails via Google Search Console to site owners whose sites had a site reputation abuse manual action in the past but do not currently have one. The emails direct recipients to a page describing the policy changes and further information.
Timeline
March 2024: Google introduced its site reputation abuse policy with a core update.
January 2025: Google began enforcing the policy in Europe.
August 30, 2026: The change for previous manual actions in the EEA took effect.
November 4, 2026: Google sent notification emails to affected site owners.
Under the Hood
The change follows Google's March 2024 core update, which introduced its site reputation abuse policy, and its January 2025 European enforcement. It narrows that policy's reach in the EEA by removing previous manual actions from search results shown to users there.
Site owners in the EEA whose sites previously received a site reputation abuse manual action may see those penalties no longer reflected in search results. Users in the region may encounter sites that were previously suppressed in search visibility.
The takeaway
Site owners who received past site reputation abuse notices should check Google Search Console for current status and confirm how the EEA change affects their visibility. Monitoring Search Console is the most direct way to track manual action changes going forward.
Further reading
Explore more on how search systems are evolving in our Artificial Intelligence coverage.
