U.S. chipmaker Broadcom is facing mounting regulatory pressure in Europe after a major industry group filed an antitrust complaint with the European Commission over changes to its VMware cloud partner programme. The complaint, submitted the Cloud Infrastructure Services Providers in Europe group, calls for immediate intervention to halt Broadcom’s decision to restructure its partner ecosystem. The issue centres on concerns that the move could disrupt competition in the European cloud market, potentially limiting access for smaller providers and affecting customers that rely on VMware based services across the region.
According to the complaint, Broadcom’s decision earlier this year to terminate its existing VMware Cloud Service Provider programme in Europe has significantly reduced the number of authorised partners. The group argues that only a limited number of selected providers have been retained, leaving many European cloud service companies unable to continue offering VMware products. Industry representatives claim this change could weaken competition concentrating market power among a smaller group of providers, raising concerns about pricing, service availability and long term innovation within the European cloud infrastructure sector.
The European Commission has confirmed that it has received the complaint and is currently reviewing the case under its standard procedures. Regulators will assess whether Broadcom’s actions may breach competition rules, particularly in light of its acquisition of VMware in 2023, which had already attracted scrutiny at the time. The same industry group had previously challenged the approval of that deal, arguing that it did not fully address potential risks to competition. The latest complaint adds further pressure on regulators to examine the broader impact of Broadcom’s strategy in Europe.
Broadcom has rejected the allegations, stating that its changes are intended to strengthen its partnerships and support alternative cloud offerings beyond dominant global providers. The company argues that it is investing in selected European partners to help them compete more effectively in a market largely dominated major hyperscale cloud platforms. It has also questioned the motives behind the complaint, suggesting that the group includes members with ties to large global technology companies that may have competing interests in the outcome.
The industry group has requested interim measures that would temporarily suspend Broadcom’s programme changes while the investigation is ongoing. These measures would allow previously excluded providers to rejoin the programme and continue offering services without disruption. The outcome of the case could have significant implications for the structure of the European cloud market, as regulators weigh the balance between corporate strategy and fair competition in a sector that underpins much of the digital economy.
