Germany’s competition watchdog has categorized Microsoft as a “company with paramount cross-market significance for competition.” This designation allows the regulator to take more aggressive action against the tech giant moving forward.
“Microsoft’s many products are ubiquitous and indispensable in companies, public authorities and private households,” said Andreas Mundt, head of the Bundeskartellamt. “The Microsoft ecosystem is now more interwoven and stronger than ever before.”
The cartel office stated that Microsoft will now face greater supervision. The new categorization, also applied to Apple, Google, and Meta, may prohibit Microsoft from engaging in anti-competitive behavior.
“We recognize our responsibility to support a healthy competitive environment and we will strive to be proactive, collaborative and responsible in working with the Bundeskartellamt,” a representative for Microsoft stated.
In June, the European Commission filed an antitrust lawsuit against Microsoft. They claim the company improperly bundled its Teams software with its Office suite to gain a competitive edge over rivals like Slack.
The German enforcer said on Monday that its expanded powers apply to Microsoft as a whole and not simply to particular services or products.
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