Microsoft appears poised to escape a French antitrust investigation into its search operations after the French search engine Qwant said regulators plan to dismiss its complaint. The company said it may appeal the decision in court or bring the case before other authorities.
Qwant, which has long used Microsoft’s Bing platform to power its search and news results, filed a grievance earlier this year alleging that Microsoft imposed exclusivity clauses and unfair conditions that restricted Qwant’s ability to develop its own search engine and advertising services. It also accused Microsoft of favoring its own products in search advertising allocation.
The French Competition Authority is expected to formally announce its decision within two weeks, according to people familiar with the matter. During a closed-door hearing in June, investigators reportedly recommended rejecting Qwant’s request for an injunction and broader investigation.
In response, Qwant CEO Olivier Abecassis said the company would “pursue all available legal avenues” to defend its business, accusing Microsoft of “egregious abuse” of market power.
Microsoft, for its part, dismissed the allegations, noting that the complaint “lacks merit” and that the search market is “dominated by Google.” Microsoft is a key provider of syndicated search results for smaller European rivals, including Ecosia, DuckDuckGo, and Lilo, which rely on its technology to compete.