Microsoft\u2019s uneasy relationship with European cloud providers has hit another snag. Nearly a year after settling antitrust claims with CISPE, the company still hasn\u2019t delivered a working solution that meets the terms of that agreement\u2014and patience in the industry is wearing thin.<\/p>\n
In a second review released this week, the European Cloud Competition Observatory (ECCO) rated Microsoft\u2019s compliance status as \u201camber\u201d again, meaning significant concerns remain despite efforts to address them. The latest blow centers on Azure Local, a product Microsoft promised to develop for EU cloud providers to level the playing field. But now, both Microsoft and CISPE admit the product won\u2019t meet all the requirements they agreed on last July.<\/p>\n
Microsoft\u2019s July 2024 settlement came after CISPE accused it of using licensing rules to undercut independent providers. Along with a \u20ac20 million payment, Microsoft pledged to create a fair-use version of its platform and compensate providers for lost revenue. So far, critics say, it hasn\u2019t made good on either.<\/p>\n
By July 10, Microsoft must submit a new proposal. But some observers already view the process as a dead end. \u201cThis is Microsoft\u2019s playbook\u2014delay, deflect, then offer a watered-down fix,\u201d said Nicky Stewart, advisor to the Open Cloud Coalition. \u201cMeanwhile, it tightens its grip on the European cloud market.\u201d<\/p>\n
Stewart and others argue the ECCO process lacks teeth and call for stronger regulatory intervention. The original complaint warned that Microsoft\u2019s tactics weren\u2019t just anti-competitive\u2014they were reshaping the market by steering customers toward Azure, often at higher long-term costs.<\/p>\n
The broader issue reflects a growing tension in Europe\u2019s cloud landscape. As more governments and businesses push for digital sovereignty, they also expect accountability from dominant tech players. Microsoft\u2019s failure to deliver on its commitments could trigger renewed calls for full antitrust enforcement.<\/p>\n
For now, European providers wait\u2014again\u2014for a product that may never arrive in full. Whether regulators will keep waiting is another question entirely.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Microsoft\u2019s uneasy relationship with European cloud providers has hit another snag. Nearly a year after settling antitrust claims with CISPE, the company still hasn\u2019t delivered a working solution that meets the terms of that agreement\u2014and patience in the industry is wearing thin. In a second review released this week, the European Cloud Competition Observatory (ECCO) […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20624,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[3708,3258,93,3707,3188,140],"class_list":["post-6397","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-azure-local","tag-cispe","tag-cloud","tag-eu-cloud","tag-licensing","tag-microsoft"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n