EU Commission designates Amazon and Microsoft as cloud gatekeepers under DMA

The European Commission has issued a preliminary decision designating Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure as "gatekeepers" under the Digital Markets Act (DMA) for their cloud computing services. The move follows market investigations launched in November 2025 and reflects the companies' dominant market shares and their growing role in AI tools. If the designation is confirmed, AWS and Azure will have six months to comply with DMA obligations, including providing full interoperability, removing excessive egress fees, and prohibiting self‑preferencing of their own software. Non‑compliance could attract fines of up to 10% of global annual turnover. The Commission also indicated that Google Cloud may be examined for a similar designation. Industry groups such as Open Markets Institute Europe welcomed the decision and urged the Commission to finalize the findings quickly. The designation marks the most significant regulatory intervention in the EU’s cloud infrastructure sector, aiming to foster a more competitive market and reduce vendor lock‑in for European businesses and public administrations.