EU set to declare AWS, Azure as gatekeepers under DMA

EU Targets Microsoft and Amazon Cloud Under Digital Markets Act

The European Commission is preparing to issue preliminary findings as early as next week indicating that Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services appear to meet the criteria for gatekeeper designation under the Digital Markets Act, according to Bloomberg. A final decision is expected by the end of 2026, potentially subjecting the world’s two largest cloud platforms to strict new competition rules.bloomberg

Cloud Giants Face New Obligations

The move follows a formal investigation launched in November 2025, when the Commission opened three market probes into cloud computing services. Two assessed whether AWS and Azure should be classified as gatekeepers — meaning they function as critical gateways between businesses and consumers — despite not meeting the DMA’s standard thresholds for size and user numbers. The Commission noted at the time that both companies “occupy very strong positions” in the cloud sector.techpolicy

If designated, AWS and Azure would face obligations including interoperability requirements, restrictions on customer lock-in practices, and prohibitions on self-preferencing. Non-compliance could result in fines of up to 10 percent of global turnover, rising to 20 percent for repeated breaches. Both companies are already designated as gatekeepers for other services — Amazon for its marketplace and Microsoft for its operating system and communications platforms.thenextweb

The Commission aims to conclude the market investigations by November 2026, according to EU Observer, though any cloud-specific regulatory remedies are unlikely to take effect before 2028.euobserver

Italy Opens First National DMA Probe Into Apple

Separately, Italy’s competition authority (AGCM) announced on Tuesday that it has opened an investigation into Apple over compliance with the DMA’s interoperability obligations as they apply to iOS and iPadOS. The probe — the first enforcement action by an EU member state under the DMA — examines whether third-party consumer cloud services can access the same operating system components available to Apple’s own iCloud.reuters

The investigation marks the latest regulatory challenge for Apple in Europe, coming months after the company was hit with a nearly €100 million penalty by the same Italian authority. Under the DMA’s enforcement framework, national competition authorities can investigate compliance with certain provisions alongside the European Commission.siliconrepublic

The twin developments underscore the EU’s expanding use of its digital competition toolkit beyond the initial wave of gatekeeper designations that targeted app stores and messaging services, extending regulatory reach into cloud infrastructure that underpins much of Europe’s digital economy.