Google Complained to the European Commission about Anti-Competitive Cloud Practices of Microsoft

Google has filed an antitrust complaint against Microsoft Corp. with the European Commission, according to a Financial Times report that obtained the text of the document.

Google accuses Microsoft of using Windows software to tie customers to its Azure cloud platform and preventing them from easily switching to alternatives.

According to Google, using cloud services from third-party providers incurs "serious penalties" from Microsoft. Unfair competitive practices have narrowed choice and increased prices. While moving applications for Windows to Azure costs almost nothing, switching to competitors requires a 400% markup on new server licenses for Windows, as stated in the complaint.

Google is also concerned that Microsoft is worsening the user experience for customers who migrate their Windows applications to third-party "clouds" and accuses it of discrimination because financial penalties only apply to main Azure competitors - Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform, and Alibaba Cloud.

Anti-competitive practices by Microsoft "cost billions to the EU economy, negatively affect cybersecurity, and limit innovation," wrote Google's Cloud vice president Amit Zavery on social media X, commenting on the filing of the complaint.

Google wants the European Commission to force Microsoft to remove restrictions on using third-party cloud services. "If I have already paid for these licenses, I should be able to use them wherever I want," stated Zavery.

The filing of the complaint does not guarantee an official investigation, and such an investigation would take years, as noted by FT.

To avoid this, Microsoft in July signed a large deal with other major cloud providers. According to company president Brad Smith, it not only addresses existing concerns but also promotes greater competition in the sector.

Microsoft claimed that "amicably resolved similar concerns of European cloud providers despite Google expecting them to continue litigation." "After failing to persuade European companies, we believe they will be unable to convince the European Commission," reports a British publication.