© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Emblem of Microsoft is pictured on its workplace constructing in Beijing, China Might 25, 2023. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang/File Photograph/File Photograph
By Foo Yun Chee
BRUSSELS (Reuters) -Microsoft is prone to face an EU antitrust investigation within the coming months after treatment discussions with the EU watchdog to avert such a transfer seem to have hit a roadblock, individuals aware of the matter mentioned.
Microsoft (NASDAQ:), which has been fined 2.2 billion euros ($2.4 billion) within the earlier decade for practices in breach of EU competitors guidelines, together with tying or bundling two or extra merchandise collectively, discovered itself within the EU crosshairs after a criticism by Salesforce-owned workspace messaging app Slack in 2020.
Microsoft added Groups to Workplace 365 in 2017 free of charge, with the app ultimately changing Skype for Enterprise.
Slack alleged that its rival had unfairly built-in office chat and video app Groups into its Workplace product.
Microsoft kicked off talks with the European Fee final yr in a bid to stave off an investigation. It just lately supplied to chop the worth of its Workplace product with out its Groups app.
The European Fee has been looking for a deeper worth reduce than that supplied by the U.S. software program big, the individuals mentioned.
The EU govt declined to remark.
A Microsoft spokesperson mentioned: “We proceed to interact cooperatively with the Fee in its investigation and are open to pragmatic options that tackle its considerations and serve clients effectively.”
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