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No. Microsoft is not still facing the EU antitrust proceedings over the Teams bundling conduct covered by the case. The European Commission issued preliminary objections in June 2024, then ended those proceedings on 12 September 2025 after making Microsoft’s commitments binding. The decision addressed the Commission’s concerns without finding that Microsoft had infringed EU competition law or clearing the conduct on its merits.

What happened to the EU Teams antitrust case?

Slack complained to the European Commission on 14 July 2020. The Commission opened Case AT.40721 in July 2023 and issued a Statement of Objections on 25 June 2024. That document set out a preliminary view under Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and Article 54 of the EEA Agreement; it was not a final infringement decision. Microsoft disputed the preliminary conclusions.

Alfaview filed a separate complaint in July 2023. The Commission opened a second proceeding on 25 June 2024. Alfaview withdrew its complaint in June 2025, and Slack withdrew its complaint on 31 July 2025.

Microsoft offered commitments in 2025. After consultation and amendments, the Commission adopted a commitments decision on 12 September 2025. It concluded that the final commitments removed its preliminary concerns, made them legally binding, and left no grounds for action regarding the conduct covered by the decision.

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What the Commission was concerned about

The Commission’s 2024 preliminary theory concerned Microsoft’s distribution of Teams, its software-as-a-service unified communications and collaboration product, alongside business-productivity applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook in Microsoft 365 and Office 365 suites.

In the Commission’s preliminary assessment, bundling could give Teams a distribution advantage and make it harder for competing collaboration services to reach customers. Those were allegations and preliminary competition concerns, not findings that Microsoft had already broken the law.

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Why the 2025 decision is not a finding of guilt

The Commission used Article 9(1) of Regulation 1/2003. An Article 9 commitments decision accepts legally binding remedies when they address the Commission’s concerns; it does not determine whether an infringement occurred. The decision itself explains that an Article 9(1) decision is based on a preliminary assessment of the potentially anticompetitive conduct.

Accordingly, two statements are both accurate:

  • The Commission’s preliminary Teams-bundling charges were real and formally stated in June 2024.
  • The proceedings concerning the conduct covered ended in September 2025 without a final infringement finding.

The Commission retained discretion to investigate practices outside the subject matter of the commitments decision, so the outcome is not blanket immunity from future competition-law scrutiny.

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What Microsoft agreed to change

Commitment periods

Obligation area Binding period
Commitments generally Seven years
Interoperability and data portability provisions Ten years

If Microsoft fails to comply, the Commission decision allows a daily penalty of 5% of Microsoft’s average daily turnover in the preceding business year. This is a potential compliance penalty, not a fine that the Commission had already imposed.

Customer choice announced by Microsoft

Microsoft said that, from 1 November 2025, new business and enterprise customers worldwide could choose Microsoft 365 and Office 365 suites with Teams or without Teams. Microsoft also said standalone Teams pricing would be at or above the corresponding required difference between suite versions.

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Microsoft’s announcement listed minimum price differences by suite segment and described transition and discount guarantees for certain EEA customers on multi-year contracts. Package availability, prices and licensing terms can change, so buyers should confirm the current terms with Microsoft. These commercial details come from Microsoft’s implementation announcement, not from an independent price comparison.

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Can a business buy Microsoft 365 or Office without Teams?

For new business and enterprise customers, Microsoft’s announced structure provides with-Teams and without-Teams suite choices worldwide from 1 November 2025. The practical price difference depends on the suite and plan tier, while existing customers may face different transition rules, especially when they are on multi-year contracts in the EEA.

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  • Powerful Pass-Through Charging: Supports up to 85W pass-through charging so you can power up your laptop while you use the hub. Note: Pass-through charging requires a charger (not included). Note: To achieve full power for iPad, we recommend using a 45W wall charger.
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  • New customer: compare the with-Teams and without-Teams versions of the exact Microsoft 365 or Office 365 plan.
  • Existing multi-year customer: check the contract’s renewal, transition and any applicable EEA guarantee terms.
  • Teams-only requirement: compare Microsoft’s standalone Teams offer with the suite price difference for the relevant market and plan.

Because licensing catalogs and prices are updated over time, a quotation or current Microsoft licensing page is necessary before making a purchasing decision.

What “still facing charges” gets wrong

Claim Accurate status
Microsoft is still facing the same EU Teams charges Incorrect for the conduct covered: the Commission ended the proceedings on 12 September 2025 after accepting binding commitments.
The EU found Microsoft guilty Incorrect: the Article 9 decision made no infringement finding.
The EU cleared Microsoft’s bundling on the merits Also incorrect: the decision resolved preliminary concerns through commitments rather than deciding legality on the merits.
Microsoft can never face another Teams investigation Too broad: the Commission kept discretion over practices outside the decision’s subject matter.

Timeline

  1. 14 July 2020: Slack submitted its complaint to the Commission.
  2. July 2023: The Commission opened Case AT.40721.
  3. 25 June 2024: The Commission issued its Statement of Objections and opened the separate alfaview proceeding.
  4. June 2025: Alfaview withdrew its complaint.
  5. 31 July 2025: Slack withdrew its complaint.
  6. 12 September 2025: The Commission adopted the binding commitments decision.
  7. 1 November 2025: Microsoft said new business and enterprise customers worldwide could select suites with or without Teams.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.