French antitrust authority dismisses complaint against Microsoft over competition concerns
The French antitrust watchdog has dismissed a complaint accusing Microsoft of anti-competitive practices after concluding that the allegations lacked sufficient evidence to justify any formal investigation or action.
The French Competition Authority announced that it has rejected a complaint filed against Microsoft which claimed the tech giant engaged in practices that could potentially hinder competition in the digital and cloud services market. According to the regulator, the information and documents submitted by the complainant did not meet the threshold required to launch a full inquiry.
The case had raised questions about whether Microsoft’s expanding presence in various technology sectors, especially cloud services and software tools, might be limiting fair competition. However, after reviewing the material, the authority stated that the claims were not supported by adequate proof. It emphasised that competition laws require clear indications of abuse of dominance or unfair conduct, and the evidence presented did not demonstrate such violations.
The decision does not prevent future complaints if new information comes to light, but it closes the current proceedings. The regulator noted that it continues to monitor the rapidly evolving tech sector, particularly large multinational companies that play a significant role in cloud computing, artificial intelligence and enterprise software.
Microsoft has not issued detailed comments but is expected to view the decision as a positive development amid growing regulatory scrutiny of global technology companies in Europe. The case highlights the increasingly complex landscape regulators face when assessing competition issues in fast changing digital markets.
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