Opera Loses Antitrust Fight Against Microsoft's Edge Browser in EU Court

Norwegian software giant Opera Ltd., known for its browser and other digital services, has lost an antitrust challenge against Microsoft Corp.'s Edge browser in a European Union court. The General Court of the EU ruled on Wednesday that Edge does not meet the criteria to be considered a 'gatekeeper' under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which imposes strict obligations on dominant tech platforms.

The Luxembourg-based court upheld a 2024 decision by the Commission, which accepted Microsoft's arguments that Edge lacks gatekeeper status. This ruling is significant as it marks another win for the EU Commission in its enforcement decisions against Big Tech companies under the DMA.

This latest development comes with Opera facing a decline in stock price after announcing disappointing quarterly results last week. The company's stock closed at $18.77 on Tuesday, down 2.39%, according to Benzinga Pro data. The ruling also extends the Commission's string of DMA court victories, raising the bar for future challenges to its enforcement decisions.

It's worth noting that this is not the first time Opera has clashed with Microsoft in an EU antitrust case. In 2013, a €561 million fine was imposed on Microsoft for failing to offer browser choice after Opera filed a complaint against the tech giant in 2007.