Exclusive: Rival browsers say Microsoft’s Edge practices are unfair and should be subject to EU technical rules

BRUSSELS, Oct 3 (Reuters) – Microsoft (MSFT.O)opens a new tab gives the Edge browser an unfair advantage and EU antitrust regulators should subject it to tough EU technology rules, three rival browsers and a group of website developers said in a letter to the European Commission.

The move by Vivaldi, Waterfox, Wavebox and Open Web Advocacy could support Norwegian browser company Opera, which sued the European Commission in July for exempting Edge from the Digital Markets Act (DMA).

The landmark DMA regulation lists do’s and don’ts for online services considered as gateways for businesses to reach end-users, with the aim of making it easier for consumers to choose services from different providers.

The companies and advocacy group said they support Opera’s challenge.

“The most important thing is that the Commission reconsiders its position,” they wrote in a letter dated September 17, seen by Reuters.

“Currently, unfair practices may persist in the Windows ecosystem regarding Edge, regardless of the selection screens available on mobile devices,” they said, pointing to Edge being set as the default browser on all Windows computers.

“No platform-agnostic browser can match Edge’s unmatched distribution advantage on Windows. Additionally, Edge is the most important gateway for consumers to download a standalone browser to their Windows PCs.”

The commission and Microsoft declined to comment. Edge’s global market share is just over 5%, while market leader Google (GOOGL.O)opens a new tab According to StatCounter, Chrome has 66%.

Vivaldi, Waterfox, Wavebox and Open Web Advocacy also argued that pop-up messages on Edge mischaracterized features in competing browsers that differentiated them from Microsoft’s product.

The European Commission said in its February decision that it does not consider Edge to be a gatekeeper and that the DMA requires Microsoft to allow users to easily uninstall any apps.

Foo Yun Chee reports; Edited by: Susan Fenton

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Foo Yun Chee, an agenda-setting and market-moving journalist, has 21 years of experience at Reuters. Her stories about high-profile mergers lifted the European telecommunications index, boosted company shares and helped investors decide on their next move. Her knowledge and experience of European antitrust regulations and developments has helped her break stories involving Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Meta and Apple, numerous market-impacting mergers and antitrust investigations. She has previously written about Greek politics and companies, when Greece’s entry into the euro zone meant it outgrew its importance on the international stage, as well as Dutch corporate giants and the quirks of Dutch society and culture that always captivate readers.