Microsoft makes services more accessible to European cloud companies

Microsoft announces to make its own cloud services more accessible to European cloud companies. The tech giant is launching new policies for its services after several European companies filed complaints about Microsoft with the EU.

Microsoft writes that it should become easier for cloud companies to sell and host Microsoft products. In any case, this concerns Windows and Microsoft 365 apps. It will be possible for European cloud providers to offer the entire Microsoft desktop environment to their customers, as well as to host and manage them themselves.

With the new measures, the tech giant wants to prevent the European Commission from launching a major investigation into Microsoft’s competitive position. In the blog post, Microsoft CEO Brad Smith writes that the company “understands that European governments regulate technology and that they will cooperate to meet these requirements.”

Microsoft also wants to adjust its licenses so that they comply with the Fair Software Licensing Principles. These rules should ensure that customers of cloud services retain enough choice and freedom when using services in the cloud. Earlier, Microsoft also announced that it will be possible for European customers to store personal data in the EU.

Europe has been putting pressure on large tech companies for some time to reduce their monopoly position. European Commissioner Margrethe Vestager recently announced that the Digital Markets Act will probably come into force next year, limiting the power of tech companies such as Microsoft, Google and Facebook.