UK to launch antitrust probe into Microsoft's business software

FILE PHOTO: A view shows the Microsoft logo on the day of the Hannover Messe, one of the world's largest industrial trade fairs with this year's partner country being Canada, as both Canada and the European Union face new U.S. tariffs, in Hanover, Germany, March 31, 2025. REUTERS/Fabian Bimmer/File Photo

LONDON, March ⁠31 (Reuters) - Britain's competition regulator ⁠said on Tuesday it ‌would launch a new investigation into Microsoft's business software ecosystem in ​May, including its ⁠use of ⁠software licensing in the cloud market.

A ⁠Competition ‌and Markets Authority's inquiry group said ⁠last year the dominance of ​Amazon ‌and Microsoft was harming competition ⁠in ​cloud computing.

The CMA said on Tuesday the two ⁠companies were taking "material steps" ​to lower some of their fees in the cloud market.

However, ⁠Microsoft could be assigned "strategic market status" in business software as a result ​of its new ⁠inquiry, which would allow the ​regulator to ‌act on software ​licensing.

(Reporting by Paul Sandle; Editing by Muvija M)