Fight over cloud software licensing policies gets formal Google Cloud Platform has filed a complaint with the European Commission alleging Microsoft software licensing policies are anti-competitive, including claims customers are being charged four times more to run Windows Server in non-Azure clouds.

By Philip Blenkinsop BRUSSELS (Reuters) -Alphabet unit Google filed a complaint to the European Commission on Wednesday against what it said were Microsoft's anti-competitive practices to lock customers into Microsoft's cloud platform Azure.

Google said in an antitrust complaint that Microsoft uses unfair licensing contracts in its Azure cloud computing business to stifle competition.

Google has filed an antitrust complaint in Brussels against Microsoft, alleging its Big Tech rival engages in unfair cloud computing practices that has led to a reduction in choice and an increase in prices.

Google opened up a fresh legal squabble with Microsoft Corp. over the lucrative cloud market, after it filed a complaint to the European Union’s antitrust watchdog alleging abusive conduct by the firm.