Microsoft Cleared as French Antitrust Watchdog Dismisses Qwant Complaint

Microsoft (MSFT, Financials) was cleared by France's antitrust authority after the regulator dismissed a complaint filed by local search engine Qwant that accused the company of abusing its dominant position.

The Autorite de la Concurrence said Qwant did not present elements convincing enough to support allegations that Microsoft imposed exclusivity requirements or restricted Qwant's ability to build its own search and AI offerings. The watchdog also rejected Qwant's request for interim action.

The dispute centers on Qwant's reliance on Microsoft's Bing platform for search and news results. Qwant alleged the U.S. company favored its own products in search advertising and placed constraints that hindered the French firm's growth. Qwant had previously indicated it expected the complaint to be dismissed and planned to take the matter to the courts or other authorities. It did not comment following the ruling.

Microsoft welcomed the decision, saying it remains focused on providing high-quality search services and supporting innovation for partners across Europe. The company is a major player in search syndication, supplying results to European providers such as Ecosia, DuckDuckGo and Lilo.