The European Commission isn’t pulling any punches. These aren’t casual inquiries; they’re full-blown market investigations designed to determine whether the existing DMA framework is sufficient to address the unique challenges posed by the cloud sector.
Gatekeeper Status: Size Isn’t Everything
Two of the investigations will specifically assess whether AWS and Azure warrant gatekeeper designation, even if they don’t technically meet the DMA’s quantitative thresholds for size, user numbers, and market position. The Commission will be digging into qualitative factors like network effects, switching costs, and vertical integration – elements that could give these platforms an unfair advantage.
DMA Sufficiency: Is the Law Fit for Purpose?
The third investigation takes a broader view, examining whether the current DMA rules are truly effective in addressing anti-competitive practices in the cloud. This includes looking at obstacles to interoperability, limited data access for business users, service bundling, and potentially unfair contractual terms. The findings could lead to updates to the DMA itself, solidifying the EU’s commitment to a fair digital landscape.
The EU isn’t alone in its scrutiny. Other jurisdictions are raising similar concerns about the power dynamics within the cloud computing market.
Australia’s competition authority, for example, has already identified potential risks, including technical barriers to interoperability and high “egress fees” for companies wanting to move their data to a different provider, detailed in their Digital platform services inquiry final report.
The Commission aims to wrap up the gatekeeper designation investigations within 12 months. If AWS and Azure are designated, they’ll have six months to comply with DMA obligations. The broader DMA application investigation has an 18-month timeline, culminating in a report that could reshape the regulatory landscape.
For marketing professionals, the stakes are high. As Amazon DSP has expanded significantly throughout 2025 and cloud services increasingly support AI capabilities, any changes affecting access to computational resources, data storage, and analytics could ripple through the entire digital advertising ecosystem.
At the heart of these investigations lies a deeper concern: Europe’s digital sovereignty. As Teresa Ribera, Executive Vice-President for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition, stated, “Cloud computing services are vital for Europe’s competitiveness and resilience. We want this strategic sector to grow on fair, open, and competitive terms.”
Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, echoed this sentiment: “Such services should be offered in a fair, open and competitive environment that fosters trust and secures Europe’s tech sovereignty.”
These investigations are more than just regulatory exercises. They represent a fundamental challenge to the dominance of a few key players in the cloud computing market. The outcome could determine whether Europe’s digital future is shaped by a handful of powerful corporations or a more diverse and competitive ecosystem, fostering innovation and empowering businesses of all sizes.
This also comes as ongoing DMA enforcement efforts continue against other designated gatekeepers, showing the EC’s commitment to ensuring fair practices.
