Swiss competition authority opens probe into Microsoft licensing fees

Jan 15 (Reuters) - Switzerland’s competition commission said on Thursday it launched a preliminary investigation into Microsoft’s licensing fees in the country.

 

The antitrust authority said it has received complaints from private businesses as well as many government agencies and public companies over significant price hikes of Microsoft’s product licenses, which may indicate an unlawful restriction of competition.

 

"Should such indications be confirmed, this could warrant the opening of a formal investigation," the agency, also known as COMCO, said in a statement.

 

"Microsoft is committed to complying with Swiss competition law and will cooperate with the Swiss Competition Commission in its preliminary investigation," a Microsoft spokesperson said.

 

(Reporting by Linda Pasquini and Oliver Hirt, editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Thomas Seythal)