Google has withdrawn its antitrust complaint against Microsoft concerning cloud services, a matter which was under review by the European Commission. According to Reuters, this decision was made following the regulator’s recent announcement to initiate a separate inquiry aimed at a broad assessment of potentially contentious aspects within the cloud computing market. Originally, Google had filed its complaint with the Commission last year, alleging that Microsoft employed anticompetitive tactics that essentially “locked in” customers to the Azure cloud.
Giorgia Abeltino, Senior Director for Google Cloud Europe, stated in a company blog post that the firm intends to maintain communication with regulators, clientele, and lawmakers across the European Union and the UK to champion the ideals of choice and openness in the cloud arena. She simultaneously confirmed the withdrawal of the original complaint, attributing it to the regulator’s new course of action.
The European Commission, serving as the EU’s antitrust authority, is presently conducting an investigation to determine if specific technological and commercial characteristics within the cloud sector are facilitating the consolidation of market dominance by Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services. Market share figures indicate that Amazon leads this sector with 30%, closely followed by Microsoft at 20%, while Google secures the third position with 13%.
This investigation is anticipated to conclude within a year, potentially resulting in Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services being designated as “gatekeepers” under the Digital Markets Act (DMA) within the European Union. Such a designation would obligate them to adhere to a rigorous set of mandates and prohibitions, designed to open these markets to competitors and afford users greater autonomy in their choices.
About the Author
