TLDR Sources indicate Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure will likely be classified as gatekeepers under EU’s Digital Markets Act framework. Brussels could announce its final determinatio
Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure are on track to be brought under the European Union’s Digital Markets Act, according to a Bloomberg report citing individuals with knowledge of the ongoing proceedings.
$MSFT AND $AMZN CLOUD HEADED FOR DMA GATEKEEPER TAG
Brussels has a preliminary view that AWS and Azure should be designated under the DMA
— CHItrader (@CHItrader) October 2, 2026
Brussels has been conducting a detailed assessment for several months to determine whether these two cloud computing giants satisfy the threshold requirements for DMA supervision. According to sources, both platforms meet the necessary criteria.
The Commission could publish its conclusive determination as early as November 2026. However, the timeline is not fixed, as internal drafts are still being reviewed and refined.
The European Commission has refrained from confirming any definitive outcome. An official representative stated that preliminary assessments were communicated to both Amazon and Microsoft in June 2026.
“The assessments are ongoing and no final decision has been taken,” the Commission stated.
The Digital Markets Act serves as a regulatory framework intended to curtail the dominance of major technology platforms within European markets. It currently governs companies including Apple, Google, and Meta.
All three firms have been subjected to financial penalties from Brussels in the current year. Google received the steepest sanction, approximately $1 billion.
Cloud infrastructure providers have attracted increased regulatory scrutiny following a series of widespread service disruptions that affected global operations. Brussels has also expressed its objective to diminish European dependence on non-European cloud infrastructure providers.
Should AWS and Azure receive gatekeeper designations under the DMA framework, both organizations would face a six-month deadline to implement compliance measures.
Key requirements include interoperability mandates designed to facilitate smoother transitions between competing cloud platforms. These provisions specifically aim to eliminate lock-in mechanisms that make customer migration prohibitively complex or costly.
The regulatory framework would additionally ban self-preferencing conduct. Under this prohibition, cloud infrastructure operators would be barred from giving preferential treatment to their proprietary offerings at the expense of third-party alternatives hosted on their platforms.
Microsoft issued a statement acknowledging its ongoing dialogue with EU authorities. The company characterized these exchanges as productive and collaborative.
Amazon Web Services similarly responded, asserting that European enterprises currently enjoy unprecedented levels of choice within the cloud computing marketplace.
Neither organization explicitly confirmed or refuted the anticipated gatekeeper classification.
This development unfolds against a backdrop of heightened transatlantic trade friction. In July 2026, President Donald Trump announced the United States would initiate a formal inquiry into European Union trade policies.
Trump publicly criticized the Digital Markets Act through social media channels. He declared the United States would resist what he characterized as discriminatory treatment by European regulatory bodies.
He further warned that the European Union would face retaliatory measures for penalties imposed on U.S.-based technology firms.
The Bloomberg report did not indicate whether diplomatic tensions would influence the schedule or substance of the cloud infrastructure investigation.
Brussels continues to assert that no binding determination has been finalized. Both Amazon and Microsoft indicate they remain in active consultation with regulators as the evaluation approaches a potential November conclusion.
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