From Nasdaq:

Microsoft is in discussions with CISPE to address the European Union antitrust complaint against the company’s cloud computing licensing practices. This could help Microsoft avoid a lengthy EU investigation and potential fines. CISPE filed the complaint, alleging that Microsoft’s new contractual terms were harming Europe’s cloud computing ecosystem earlier this year.

Microsoft’s licensing changes, introduced in mid-2022, led to the EU competition watchdog receiving complaints from rivals in several European countries. However, these changes exclude major cloud providers like Amazon, Google, and Alibaba. Both parties are now exploring potential remedies to resolve the ongoing issues related to unfair software licensing for cloud infrastructure providers in Europe.

The commission said it had received multiple complaints about Microsoft, with Azure, the tech giant’s cloud computing platform, under scrutiny. CISPE stresses the need for effective remedies to be achieved by the first quarter of 2024. The trade body has said that the burden lies on Microsoft to end its unfair software licensing practices. Microsoft has faced substantial EU antitrust fines in the past, amounting to 1.6 billion euros in the previous decade.



Read more: EXCLUSIVE-Microsoft in talks to end trade body’s cloud computing complaint