EU Court Rejects Opera Challenge to Edge Exemption from DMA Rules
Opera, a Norwegian browser maker, suffered a setback in its long-standing feud with Microsoft as the EU's General Court rejected its challenge against the exemption of Edge from Digital Markets Act (DMA) rules. The decision upholds the European Commission's 2024 ruling that Edge does not constitute an important gateway for businesses to reach users.
The EU antitrust watchdog had argued that Edge met the quantitative criteria set out under the DMA, but was not a significant platform for businesses due to Microsoft's 'sufficiently substantiated arguments'. This decision marks another court victory for the Commission in its DMA enforcement efforts.
The case dates back to 2007 when Opera complained about Microsoft's actions, leading to a €561 million EU antitrust fine against Microsoft in 2013. The latest ruling raises the bar for legal challenges under the DMA.