In the UK, the CMA accepts AWS and Microsoft commitments instead of a designation

2026-03-31 · Publisher : CMA (Royaume-Uni) · Domain : Cloud & DevOps

The CMA drops strategic market status investigations into AWS and Microsoft and accepts their voluntary commitments: switching window extended to 180 days, at-cost transfers during migration, new contractual rights.

### Background On 31 March 2026, the **CMA** publishes its decision not to open strategic market status (SMS) investigations into **AWS** and **Microsoft**, despite the recommendation of its July 2025 market investigation. Its board had decided on 25 March; the CMA instead accepts voluntary commitments from both companies. ### Key facts - Switching window extended to 180 days, against 60 days at Microsoft and 90 days at AWS; Microsoft adds the option to leave a single service. - Free or at-cost data transfers during switching periods; AWS Interconnect with Google offers a free 500 Mbps tier (about 160 TB a month). - AWS contractual addendum applied automatically to UK contracts from 31 March 2026; Microsoft amendments expected around 31 May 2026. - The CMA cleared volume discount agreements, after finding that rivals could not compete in 1.61% of scenarios. - A six-month progress review is planned for late September 2026. - According to the CMA, AWS's and Microsoft's egress margins ran at three to five times their actual cost per gigabyte, per the figures relayed. ### Why it matters The United Kingdom chooses negotiated commitments while the Union moves towards designation under the DMA. For UK CIOs and multinational groups, the new exit rights and at-cost transfers can be used immediately. For other markets, the divergence shows that the outcome depends on the choice of regulatory tool. The late-September 2026 review will show whether the commitments keep their promises. ### Takeaway In March 2026 the CMA prefers voluntary commitments to the designation recommended in 2025.

Tags : Réglementation, Hyperscaler, Multi-cloud, AWS, Azure