The European Commission on June 25, 2026, announced its preliminary view that Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure should be designated as gatekeepers under the Digital Markets Act, a move that catches the two cloud computing behemoths in a regulatory net originally woven for consumer platforms. The decision, which still requires a final investigation period, signals Brussels' determination to extend the DMA's reach beyond the usual suspects like Google and Meta, into the foundational infrastructure of the digital economy.

This preliminary ruling arrives despite AWS and Azure not obviously meeting the quantitative thresholds that normally trigger gatekeeper status. Under the DMA, a company must have an annual turnover in the European Economic Area of at least €7.5 billion or a market capitalisation of €75 billion, and the core platform service in question must have more than 45 million monthly active end users and over 10,000 yearly business users. While both companies easily surpass the financial criteria, their cloud platforms are primarily used by enterprises, not individual consumers. Their end-user numbers are a fraction of those required—likely under 10 million direct users for each, far below the 45 million threshold. Yet the Commission has the power to designate gatekeepers on qualitative grounds if it deems a service is an "important gateway for business users to reach end users."

The DMA's Elastic Threshold

The DMA, which took full effect in May 2023, was crafted to curb the power of the largest digital platforms, preventing them from engaging in unfair practices such as self-preferencing, data exploitation, and locking users into their ecosystems. Originally, it seemed squarely aimed at companies running social networks, search engines, operating systems, and online marketplaces. Cloud infrastructure services, while undoubtedly massive, were not the immediate targets. However, the regulation includes a provision that allows the Commission to designate a service as a gatekeeper even if it does not meet the quantitative thresholds, following a market investigation. This qualitative assessment considers factors like network effects, data-driven advantages, and the service's overall impact on business users and competition.

The Commission's preliminary view likely hinges on the inseparable link between cloud computing and the modern internet economy. Nearly every online service, from streaming platforms to enterprise software, runs on cloud infrastructure. AWS and Azure together control more than two-thirds of the global cloud market outside of China. For businesses of all sizes, migrating away from these platforms is often prohibitively complex and expensive—a classic lock-in scenario. The Commission appears to be arguing that cloud providers are not just infrastructure vendors but the de facto gatekeepers for an entire ecosystem of digital services.

Why AWS and Azure?

The investigation that led to this preliminary finding likely focused on several key concerns. First, interoperability and data portability: customers who want to switch from AWS to Azure, or vice versa, face significant technical and financial hurdles. Proprietary APIs, differing architectures, and egress fees—charges for moving data out of a cloud platform—all contribute to vendor lock-in. The DMA could mandate that gatekeepers provide free data transfers, open interfaces, and tools to ease migration.

Second, the Commission may be examining tied selling and bundling practices. Microsoft, for instance, tightly integrates Azure with its broader ecosystem, including Windows, Office 365 (now Microsoft 365), GitHub, and enterprise identity services. Customers that rely on Microsoft's stack often find it economically and technically rational to also use Azure, not necessarily because it's the best cloud service, but because of seamless integration and licensing benefits. AWS, while not having a consumer operating system, leverages its dominance in e-commerce and its vast partner network to steer customers towards its cloud.

Third, the role of cloud services in artificial intelligence is becoming a regulatory flashpoint. Both AWS and Azure offer AI model training and inference services, and they control access to specialized hardware like GPUs and TPUs. If a handful of cloud providers become the only viable route for companies to deploy AI, that could stifle innovation. The DMA designation could force these providers to share key resources or ensure fair access.

Impact on Microsoft and the Windows Ecosystem

For Windows-focused readers, Microsoft's designation would have outsized consequences. Azure is not just a cloud platform; it's the backbone of Microsoft's enterprise strategy. Windows 11 and future versions are deeply tied to cloud services through Microsoft accounts, OneDrive storage, Windows Update, and the Copilot AI assistant. The DMA already forced Microsoft to unbundle Teams from its Office suite in Europe, and it could now compel similar unbundling of Azure from other Microsoft products. For example, Microsoft might be required to offer Windows and Office licenses that don't push users towards Azure or to provide equal access to APIs used by third-party cloud competitors.

Moreover, the gatekeeper rules could affect how Microsoft packages its AI capabilities. Services like Azure OpenAI Service, which gives enterprises access to powerful large language models, might need to be offered in a way that doesn't unfairly advantage Microsoft's own AI applications over those of rivals. This could reshape the competitive landscape for Windows developers who build AI-powered apps.

The ruling also touches on the sensitive issue of security. Microsoft often argues that its integrated stack provides better security, but regulators are increasingly skeptical that security justifies lock-in. The DMA allows gatekeepers to take measures to protect cybersecurity, but those measures must be strictly necessary and proportionate. If designated, Microsoft would face a high bar to prove that its tight integration of Azure with Windows is essential for security rather than a commercial moat.

AWS Under the Microscope

Amazon, while lacking a desktop OS monopoly, is the undisputed leader in cloud infrastructure. Its annual revenue from AWS exceeds $100 billion, and it powers a staggering proportion of the internet, including Netflix, Airbnb, and many of Europe's largest companies. The Commission's concerns likely mirror those for Microsoft: the difficulty of switching from AWS, the high cost of data egress, and the technical barriers imposed by Amazon's proprietary services.

One specific area of interest could be Amazon's marketplace dominance. Many retailers sell on Amazon's platform and also use AWS for their IT needs, creating a situation where Amazon can see their data. The DMA might require AWS to implement stricter data separation rules, preventing Amazon from using data generated by third-party sellers on AWS to inform its own retail strategies. Additionally, AWS's graviton processors and custom silicon, while innovative, could be seen as another lock-in mechanism if they are not interoperable with other architectures.

The Road Ahead

It is important to underline that the June 25, 2026, announcement is a preliminary view. The Commission will now open a formal market investigation, typically lasting 12 to 18 months. During this period, AWS and Microsoft can present counterarguments and propose remedies. The final designation decision, if it comes, would be followed by a six-month period for the companies to comply with a detailed list of dos and don'ts.

Fines for non-compliance can reach up to 10% of global annual turnover, and for repeated infringements, up to 20%. For Microsoft, with annual revenues over $250 billion, that could mean penalties of tens of billions of dollars. The stakes are so high that both companies are likely to mount a fierce legal and lobbying defense, arguing that cloud services are fundamentally different from consumer platforms and that the DMA's strict rules would stifle innovation and harm European businesses.

Industry observers draw parallels to the case of Apple's iMessage, which the Commission investigated but ultimately did not designate because it concluded the service was not an important gateway for business users. AWS and Microsoft will hope for a similar outcome, but the preliminary view suggests the Commission sees cloud infrastructure as far more critical for business users than messaging apps.

Global Ripples

The EU's move will be closely watched by regulators in the UK, US, and Asia. The UK's Digital Markets Unit, for example, is developing its own pro-competition regime for digital markets, and the country's Competition and Markets Authority has already opened an investigation into cloud services. An EU gatekeeper designation would almost certainly accelerate similar actions elsewhere, potentially leading to a patchwork of regulations that could force the cloud giants to change their global operations.

For European businesses, the immediate practical impact is limited, but the long-term promise is greater freedom to mix and match cloud services without penalty. Companies could move workloads between AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud more easily, or adopt a multi-cloud strategy without the current friction. That could foster a more competitive market and potentially lower prices. However, some enterprises worry that mandated interoperability could introduce security vulnerabilities or reduce the rich feature set that each cloud provides.

Conclusion: A Turning Point for the Cloud

The European Commission's preliminary view is a watershed moment, signaling that the era of light-touch regulation for cloud computing is ending. For years, AWS and Azure have enjoyed explosive growth with relatively little antitrust scrutiny. The DMA gatekeeper designation, if finalized, would bring them under a strict regulatory framework designed to ensure fairness and contestability. For Microsoft, in particular, this could mean unwinding some of the deep links between Azure and its Windows ecosystem—a move that would reverberate across corporate IT departments worldwide.

As the investigation unfolds, Windows enthusiasts and IT professionals should watch closely. The outcome will shape not just the cost and flexibility of cloud services but the very architecture of future Windows releases and the availability of AI tools. The EU is betting that digital sovereignty must extend to the cloud's foundational layer, and the giants are now on notice: the gatekeeper's rules apply even to those who built the gate itself.