In a significant move as part of its ongoing engagement with European regulators, Microsoft has extended an open invitation to competitors and customers to provide feedback on its proposed changes to the integration of Microsoft Teams with its Office productivity suite. This initiative comes amid a high-stakes antitrust investigation launched by the European Commission in 2023, focusing on whether Microsoft’s bundling practices stifle competition.

Background of the EU Investigation

The European Commission opened the probe following a formal complaint from Slack Technologies in 2020. Slack, a workplace messaging rival owned by Salesforce, alleged that Microsoft had unfairly bundled Teams—a collaboration and video conferencing tool—into its ubiquitous Office 365 and Microsoft 365 software packages, giving it an undue competitive edge. The complaint argued that this bundling limited customer choice and made it harder for alternative platforms to gain traction in the corporate communications market.

The investigation has since gained momentum, with European regulators raising concerns over market dominance and potential abuse of power, particularly in light of Microsoft’s previous antitrust issues within the EU.

Microsoft’s Proposal and Stakeholder Feedback

In an effort to allay these concerns, Microsoft has proposed a series of changes aimed at addressing the EU’s antitrust objections. These include offering Office suites without Teams in certain markets and introducing more transparency in how Teams interacts with other Microsoft products.

Now, as part of the European Commission’s standard regulatory process, Microsoft is soliciting comments from stakeholders—competitors, customers, and industry bodies alike—on its proposed remedies. The feedback period, which will run for several weeks, is intended to help the Commission evaluate whether the changes sufficiently address the competition concerns raised.

A Microsoft spokesperson stated, “We are committed to resolving this matter constructively and are working closely with the European Commission. We welcome feedback from all interested parties to ensure our approach meets the needs of customers and promotes healthy competition.”

Implications for the Tech Industry

Analysts view Microsoft’s move as an effort to avoid a prolonged legal battle and potential fines, which could amount to up to 10% of its global revenue if found guilty of breaching EU competition laws. More importantly, the outcome of this case could set a precedent for how integrated software solutions are offered in the EU, potentially affecting other major players in the tech industry.

“This feedback initiative is not just about Microsoft,” said Antonia Caste, a Brussels-based tech regulation expert. “It’s about how regulators want big tech to behave in Europe—especially when it comes to interoperability, bundling, and platform dominance.”

What Comes Next

Once the feedback phase concludes, the European Commission will review the input and determine whether Microsoft’s concessions are adequate or if further adjustments—or enforcement actions—are necessary. A final decision could arrive later this year.

Until then, Microsoft will remain under close scrutiny as it attempts to balance compliance with regulatory demands while preserving its market strategy in Europe.