EU launches probes into Amazon and Microsoft cloud services under Big Tech crackdown
The European Commission has opened three separate investigations into Amazon and Microsoft’s cloud computing services under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), escalating regulatory scrutiny of two of the world’s largest tech firms.
Two of the probes will assess whether Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure should be formally designated as “gatekeepers” in the cloud sector — a status that triggers strict rules on market dominance. A third investigation will examine whether the DMA’s current rules are sufficient to address potential anticompetitive practices in the fast-growing cloud market, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
AWS is the global market leader, followed by Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud.
EU antitrust chief Teresa Ribera said the Commission will also consider whether DMA rules need updating “to keep pace with fast-evolving practices in the cloud sector.” The move comes at a time of tension between Brussels and Washington, with U.S. President Donald Trump siding with tech giants who oppose stringent EU regulations — sparking speculation that the EU might soften its stance.
Microsoft said it is ready to cooperate with the enquiry, while AWS warned that labeling cloud providers as gatekeepers risked stifling innovation and raising costs for European businesses.
If Amazon and Microsoft are designated as gatekeepers for cloud services, they will be required to make their platforms interoperable with competitors and barred from favouring their own products. Companies that violate the DMA can face fines of up to 10% of global annual turnover.
The Commission aims to conclude all three investigations within 12 months.
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