CISPE launches the European Cloud Competition Observatory

2024-11-20 · Publisher : CISPE · Domain : Cloud & DevOps

Born from the agreement with Microsoft, the European Cloud Competition Observatory (ECCO) monitors software licensing practices. It will first track the settlement's implementation, with progress reports to follow.

### What changes On 20 November 2024, CISPE announces the launch of the **European Cloud Competition Observatory (ECCO)**, provided for by the agreement reached in July with Microsoft. The observatory operates under independent governance managed by the CISPE secretariat; Cigref and Beltug, associations of IT directors, sit as customer-side observers. ### Key facts - Mission: monitor and publicize software licensing practices deemed unfair, rather than multiplying complaints. - First task: track Microsoft's implementation of the July 2024 agreement, with progress reports in December, February and April. - Scope extended to other vendors, including Broadcom and VMware, which CISPE accuses of restricting European customers' choices. - Microsoft takes part in the observatory; AWS, a CISPE member but left out of the agreement, stays outside. - Follow-up: Microsoft offered new commercial terms to European hosters in July 2025, after the observatory harshly judged the initial implementation. ### Why it matters The observatory changes the method: public pressure and follow-up reports replace litigation. For CIOs, it documents the real cost of licences in alternative clouds, an element to include in comparisons between hyperscalers and European hosters. The initial agreement excluded AWS, which limits the observatory's reach over the market's largest player. The observatory binds no vendor: its power rests on the publicity of its reports. ### Takeaway A transparency tool on licensing, born from an agreement rather than a court decision.

Tags : Licence, Europe, Multi-cloud, Réglementation, Hyperscaler