European Commission lines up Amazon and Microsoft for cloud gatekeeper status

The European Commission has preliminarily designated Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure as gatekeepers under the Digital Markets Act, despite not meeting the DMA's quantitative thresholds, citing their dominant market positions, entrenched user bases, and lock-in effects. If the designation is finalized, both companies would face obligations regarding interoperability, data access, and competition, with potential fines of up to 10 percent of worldwide turnover for non-compliance. AWS and Microsoft have contested the decision, arguing the cloud market is competitive, while the Open Cloud Coalition supports the Commission's move.