Microsoft has offered to reform its cloud computing practices in a bid to settle antitrust complaints and avoid an EU probe.
Reuters, which has reported on the latest developments, said an EU antitrust investigation could result in a fine as large as ten percent of its global turnover.
Microsoft is believed to have put together a new “concrete proposal”. It builds on the company president’s announcement last year, which promised to help cloud providers offer Windows and Office directly and revise licensing deals to give customers with greater freedom to buy and use their licenses.
A spokesperson for Cloud Infrastructure Services Providers in Europe (CISPE), a trade group with members including, Amazon, the market leader of cloud computing, said:
"We've had an initial discussion with Microsoft but have not seen anything that suggests changes that will ensure that all European customers have the chance to run the software they want, in the cloud of their choice, free of unfair license terms or discriminatory pricing.
"As such, we will continue to pursue our complaint."
The EU antitrust watchdog and OVHcloud have so far refused to comment. The Danish Cloud Community and Aruba have not yet responded to requests for comment.
Microsoft said it made changes to its licensing practices in October, after feedback from European cloud providers.
A spokesperson for Microsoft, commented on its licensing updates: "We are grateful for the productive conversations that led us there and appreciate the feedback that we have received since.”
OVHcloud, a French computing services provider, Aruba, an Italian cloud service provider, and the Danish Cloud Community had all complained to the European Commission about Microsoft’s cloud computing and licensing practices.
