EU Poised to Designate AWS and Azure as 'Gatekeepers' Under Digital Markets Act

The European Commission is reportedly preparing to announce preliminary findings that Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure likely qualify as 'gatekeepers' under the Digital Markets Act (DMA). This designation, expected as early as next week, signifies that these major tech platforms will face stricter regulations. If officially designated, AWS and Azure will be subject to new rules aimed at ensuring fair competition in the digital market. A final decision is anticipated by the end of 2026, though the timeline may be subject to change. This move by the EU reflects a broader regulatory effort to curb the power of large technology companies. The designation could lead to significant changes in how these services operate within the European Union.

Signals a major regulatory development in the EU's efforts to control dominant tech platforms, impacting major cloud service providers.