Key Points
- France’s antitrust watchdog dismissed a complaint against Microsoft from the search engine Qwant.
- The regulator ruled that Qwant failed to provide enough evidence of anticompetitive behavior.
- Qwant had accused Microsoft of using restrictive deals to stifle its ability to develop its own technology.
- Microsoft expressed satisfaction with the ruling, reaffirming its commitment to the European market.
France’s competition regulator on Thursday dismissed an antitrust complaint filed by local search engine Qwant against Microsoft. Qwant had accused the American tech giant of using its market power to crush smaller competitors.
The French watchdog, the Autorité de la Concurrence, stated that Qwant simply didn’t have sufficient evidence to support its case. Because the evidence was weak, the authority also denied Qwant’s request to take immediate action against Microsoft.
The dispute centers on the relationship between the two companies. Qwant, a small French alternative to Google, actually relies on Microsoft’s Bing platform to power its search and news results.
Qwant claimed that Microsoft forced it into restrictive deals that hurt its ability to develop its own independent search technology and artificial intelligence. The French company also alleged that Microsoft unfairly favored its own services when selling search advertising.
Microsoft, which supplies search technology to several other smaller European rivals like Ecosia and DuckDuckGo, welcomed the decision. A spokesperson said the company remains “committed to providing high-quality search services and fostering innovation for consumers and partners in France and across Europe.”
This likely isn’t the end of the road. Qwant had already said last month that it expected the regulator to dismiss its complaint. The company plans to keep up the fight, either by challenging the decision in court or by taking its case to other authorities.
