As if the various taxes already in place are not enough, Android users in the EU will end up paying more for their phones starting next year due to the licensing fees that Google will start charging for devices that are activated starting on February 1. These fees will start at US$2.5 per device and can hit US$40, depending on the pixel density and market.
https://www.notebookcheck.net/Google-app-licenses-for-Android-to-reach-US-40-per-phone.340506.0.html
Fees will only apply to EU Android phones which install Google Apps. The other EU Android phones should be clean from Google crapware for no charge. This is also likely to stimulate competition among apps and services (e.g. email, maps) and consequently increase quality. A win-win scenario if you ask me.
Many users simply do not need other apps/are fine with Google's offerings. Speaking for myself, I use third-party browsers, but given the amount of storage provided by mobile phones nowadays, I see no reason against having Google's app suite pre-installed. This makes things easier for many users. Geeks would go for third-party solutions and/or custom ROMs anyway.