Google withdrew its antitrust complaint against Microsoft after EU regulators opened a new probe into Azure under the bloc’s tough tech rules.
Driving the news. Google pulled its 2024 complaint—centered on Microsoft’s allegedly anti-competitive cloud licensing practices—just as the European Commission launched fresh investigations into whether Azure and Amazon Web Services fall under the Digital Markets Act (DMA). Google says the withdrawal doesn’t mean it’s backing down.
What they’re saying. “We filed our antitrust complaint…to give voice to our customers and partners,” said Giorgia Abeltino, Google Cloud Europe’s head of public policy. She added that Google still stands behind the concerns raised.
Why we care. The EU’s new probe into Microsoft’s cloud practices could reshape the infrastructure that underpins many ad-tech tools, measurement systems, and AI workflows.
If regulators force changes to Azure’s licensing or market behavior, it may open the door to more competition, lower costs, and better interoperability across analytics, automation, and advertising platforms.
In short: cloud competition directly affects the speed, pricing, and reliability of the tools advertisers depend on every day.
The backdrop:
- Google accused Microsoft of using restrictive software licensing that made competing clouds less attractive.
- The complaint came soon after Microsoft settled a similar dispute with the cloud group CISPE.
- Other Microsoft and Amazon divisions already fall under the DMA, including Windows and Amazon’s marketplace.
State of play. The EU says it will continue monitoring cloud competition closely. Microsoft declined to comment.
Bottom line. Google’s withdrawal isn’t a retreat—it’s a signal that the battleground has shifted. With EU regulators now investigating Microsoft and AWS directly under the DMA, the cloud giants could soon face clearer—and tougher—rules in Europe.
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