Microsoft Gets Relief as French Regulator Dismisses Antitrust Complaint by Qwant

In Focus

• Qwant had accused Microsoft of abusing market dominance
• French watchdog said Qwant failed to provide sufficient evidence
• Microsoft welcomed the decision by the French antitrust watchdog

A French watchdog, popularly known as Autorité de la Concurrence, has dismissed an antitrust complaint filed against Microsoft. According to Reuters, the complaint accused the tech giant of abusing its dominant market position. The complaint against Microsoft had been filed by a local search engine firm called Qwant and became active in June 2025.

What was the Antitrust Complaint Against Microsoft About?

In the Qwant Microsoft 2025 complaint, the French company alleged that the U.S. tech giant introduced restrictions on its search results and ads. These restrictions affected its ability to develop its own AI and search engine. Qwant further claimed that Microsoft practiced self-preferencing in search advertising.

But the French watchdog rejected the case against Microsoft, claiming that Qwant had failed to provide evidence to sustain its claim against the tech company. The agency further declined to enforce an interim injunction against the tech giant as requested by Qwant.

“Qwant’s allegations of a dominant position and economic dependence are unsubstantiated,” the French Antitrust Agency said, as reported by TipRanks.

Besides Microsoft, major U.S. tech companies like Apple and Google are facing antitrust probes in European countries. On November 13, 2025, the EU started probing Google over claims of news demotion in search results.

Microsoft Agrees With Antitrust Regulator’s Decision

On its part, Microsoft welcomed the decision by the French antitrust agency and committed to continue innovating for its European customers.

“We agree with the decision and remain ‌committed to providing high-quality search services and fostering innovation for consumers and partners in France and across Europe,” a Microsoft spokesperson said, as per Reuters.

Qwant has been relying on Microsoft’s search engine, Bing, to deliver news and search results to its audience. Last month, the company said that it expected the antitrust agency to dismiss its complaint and expressed its readiness to appeal the decision.

Microsoft Supports Smaller Search Firms in the EU

As a key player in search-engine syndication, Microsoft provides search results to other European competitors like Ecosia, Lilo, and DuckDuckGo.

These platforms continue to grow their influence in the region, with some like DuckDuckGo expanding subscription plans to include advanced AI model access.

Microsoft avoids the French antitrust probe 2025 at a time when Google is facing antitrust charges in the EU over self-promotion practices. The company has also been accused of preventing app developers from steering their customers outside its app store.

Microsoft Faced Another Antitrust Case in the EU

Besides the Qwant antitrust complaint, the European Commission had accused Microsoft of breaching competition laws by bundling its Teams and Office products in June 2024.

The tech giant settled the EU antitrust case on September 12, 2025, after it agreed to unbundle Teams from its Office and Microsoft 365 productivity suites. The move enabled the company to avoid a potential fine from EU regulators.