Microsoft to face antitrust charges in Europe over Teams software dominance: report

Microsoft is reportedl💫y facing a fresh antitrust crackdown by European regulators over its alleged use of anticompetitive tactics to boost its Teams virtual meeting software.

The European Commission, the European Union’s🐲 antitrust watchdog, is moving forward with plans to file formal antitrust charges against Microsoft, the , citing three sources familiar with the matter𒅌.

The probe is reportedly centered on concerns that Microsoft has stifled attempts to compete with Teams by making it run mo🅘re efficiently when paired with its other in-house software. Additionally, a lack of data portability for Teams users has purportedly made it difficult for ဣcustomers to switch to rival services.

The charges could be announced within the next few weeks, according to the report. European Commission officials are reportedly set to meet with Microsoft’s business rivals𝓡 regarding the case this week.

Microsoft can still avoid a formal lawsuit in the EU if it can reach a settlement regarding its business practices, according to the FT. EU regulators could also decide to delay the sꦑuit or hold off from filing it entirely.

Still, the antitrust crackdown on Teams gained steam even after Micros♎oft made an initial round of concessions last month.

Microsoft said in April that it would sell its Teams software separately from its Office software products across its global busine⛦ss. The company had already confirmed last year that it would decouple the products in Europe.

The European Commission declined to 🦩comment on the FT’s report.

Microsoft also declined to comment but pointed to an earlier statement in which😼 the company said it would “continue to engage with the commission, listen to concerns in the marketp🎐lace, and remain open to exploring pragmatic solutions that benefit both customers and developers in Europe.”

Microsoft and other Big Tech giants are facing incr🌺eased scrutiny from antitrust regulators, both in the US and abroad.

The company also faces a separate European probe into its $13 billion partnership with🥂 OpenAI over potential antitrust vio𒅌lations.

The Justice Department has active antitrust suits against Google and🍒 Apple. Elsewhere, the Federal Trade Commission has targeted Amazon and 𝐆Instagram parent Meta.