Microsoft has reached a settlement with the Cloud Infrastructure Services Providers in Europe (CISPE), ending a nearly two-year dispute over alleged antitrust violations.
The European not-for-profit trade association had accused Microsoft of leveraging its dominance in business software to unfairly advantage its Azure cloud platform.
Negotiations began last year to address these concerns, culminating in an agreement announced Wednesday.
As part of the deal, Microsoft committed to revisions aimed at addressing CISPE’s grievances, including the development of an enhanced version of Azure Stack HCI tailored for European cloud providers.
This version will feature enhancements like multi-session virtual desktop infrastructure based on Windows 11, free Extended Security Updates (ESU), and flexible licensing options for SQL Server.
Francisco Mingorance, CISPE’s secretary general, hailed the agreement as a win for European cloud providers, asserting that it will establish a more equitable playing field.
CISPE will oversee the implementation through an independent European Cloud Observatory (ECO), ensuring compliance within nine months.
Microsoft’s president and vice chair, Brad Smith, emphasized that the settlement will foster increased competition in the global cloud market.
However, the deal notably excludes major players like AWS, which were not involved in the negotiations.
AWS expressed skepticism, suggesting that the agreement allows Microsoft to selectively address complaints while avoiding broader regulatory scrutiny.
Google Cloud echoed concerns, characterizing the settlement as a payoff rather than a substantive response to anticompetitive practices.
The Coalition for Fair Software (CFSL) similarly criticized the settlement, arguing that it fails to address Microsoft’s broader global impact and ongoing anti-competitive practices.
Despite these criticisms, Microsoft views the agreement as a step towards promoting competition and innovation in the European cloud computing sector.
