The French Antitrust Authority has closed the door on Qwant's new attempt to take legal action against Microsoft, rejecting the French search engine's complaint for abuse of a dominant position. The case had sparked intense debate in the European tech space, as it concerns an area – online search – that has been at the center of regulators' attention for years.
The decision of the Competition Authority
According to the relevant announcement, the Autorité de la Concurrence considered that Qwant did not present sufficient and documented evidence to support the allegations of anti-competitive practices by Microsoft. The authority also rejected the request for the imposition of interim measures, which Qwant considered necessary to avoid “irreparable damage” to its business activity.
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This development did not come as a surprise to Qwant itself, which had announced last month that it expected a negative decision. The company has already stated that it is considering taking the case to court or referring the case to European institutions that have more experience in similar disputes.
The background: An addiction that became a problem
Qwant has been one of the few European attempts to create a local search engine with a focus on privacy. However, its venture relied on one crucial component: the use of Bing to produce search results and news feeds.
The company claims that this dependence gradually became an obstacle to its growth, as it claims Microsoft imposed exclusivity restrictions, preventing Qwant from developing its own search technologies or artificial intelligence tools. At the same time, it accused Microsoft of abusing its position in the distribution of advertising space, directing preferential revenues and visibility to its own services.
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Microsoft's stance
For its part, Microsoft immediately welcomed the French authority. A company spokesperson said that Microsoft “remains committed to providing high-quality search services and supporting innovation for its users and partners in France and across Europe.” The company does not appear to believe that the case will continue, although Qwant’s actions may lead to a new confrontation at the European level.
It is worth noting that Microsoft is a key provider of search results for several smaller European search engines – including Ecosia, DuckDuckGo and Lilo. Its position in this ecosystem makes any complaint particularly charged, as it concerns a sector where technological dependence is common and difficult to avoid.
The future of Qwant and European concerns
The reality of the market remains relentless: the investments required in search and artificial intelligence are enormous, and few European players have the financial capacity to compete with giants like Google and Microsoft.
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The Qwant–Microsoft case once again highlights the perennial concern about Europe's digital sovereignty, the need for domestic technology solutions, and the obstacles created when even "independent" solutions depend on the infrastructure of American companies.
