Research report: EU technology rules should also restrict cloud computing providers such as Google and IBM

Draft EU regulations to limit the power of Amazon, Apple, Alphabet subsidiary Google and Facebook should also address potential anti-competitive behavior by cloud computing service providers, a research report released on Monday reportedly showed.

The study was written by Frederic Jenny, president of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Competition Council, in his personal capacity for trade body Cloud Infrastructure Service Providers Europe (CISPE).

The research echoes concerns that EU lawmakers may go easy on cloud companies as they review the Digital Markets Act proposed by EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager.

Market research firm Statista found that in the second quarter of this year, Amazon's Amazon Web Services was the leading supplier in the cloud computing market, followed by Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud. Other companies included IBM Cloud, Salesforce and Oracle.

"The Digital Markets Act says that cloud infrastructure can be within the scope of the Act, but it doesn't clearly include all providers, for example the Act says that Google Cloud does not seem to meet the Act's criteria, or IBM Cloud or Salesforce," Jenny said in an interview with the media.

He said potentially anti-competitive behavior by some companies could include unfair pricing techniques or making it technically difficult for users to switch to competitors.

Jenny said the research report surveyed about 25 companies that use cloud computing services, some of which mentioned problems such as unfair licensing terms that force customers to pay again to use software they already own when they switch to its competitors.

Respondents also worry about vendors bundling software products with cloud infrastructure, making competitors' products either less attractive or more expensive.

Google, Oracle and SAP declined to comment. Microsoft and Amazon did not immediately respond to requests for comment.