Proposed decision: SMS investigation into Microsoft’s business software ecosystem
Consultation description
On 14 May 2026, the CMA launched an investigation into whether Microsoft should be designated as having SMS in respect of its business software ecosystem.
The proposed decision sets out the CMA’s provisional assessment that Microsoft meets the statutory conditions for SMS designation in respect of its Business Software Ecosystem.
We invite comments on the proposed decision and accompanying documents by 13 November. Submit responses through the consultation portal or by email to business.software.sms@cma.gov.uk by 5pm on 13 November 2026. The CMA will take a final decision by 13 February 2027.
Where responses include confidential information, this should be clearly marked. A non-confidential version should also be provided that can be published on the CMA’s website.
Any non-disclosure agreement a party may have in place with Microsoft should not prevent them from responding to this consultation. Microsoft has confirmed that it will not use any confidentiality provision with a party to prevent them from responding to this consultation.
To the extent that a response contains information that is confidential to Microsoft or a third party, the responding party should inform the CMA of the confidential nature of the information, and provide a non-confidential version that can be published on the CMA’s website.