Competing browsers say Microsoft’s Edge practices are unfair and should be subject to EU tech rules

BRUSSELS: Microsoft is giving its Edge web browser an unfair advantage and EU antitrust regulators should subject it to strict European technology rules, three rival browsers and a group of web developers said in a letter to the European Commission.

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

The landmark DMA established a list of do’s and don’ts for online services considered gateways for businesses to reach end users, with the aim of making it easier for consumers to choose services from different suppliers.

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

“It is essential that the Commission reconsiders its position,” they said in a letter dated September 17 and seen by Reuters.

“Unfair practices are currently being allowed to persist in the Windows ecosystem with respect to Edge, unmitigated by the choice screens that exist on mobile,” they said, pointing to Edge being set as the default browser on all Windows computers.

“No platform-independent browser can aspire to match Edge’s unrivaled distribution advantage over Windows. Edge is, moreover, the most important gateway for consumers to download an independent browser on Windows PCs. “

The Commission and Microsoft declined to comment. Edge’s global market share is just over 5 percent, while market leader Google’s Chrome’s is 66 percent, according to StatCounter.

Vivaldi, Waterfox, Wavebox and Open Web Advocacy have also alleged that pop-up messages on Edge misrepresent features of competing browsers that differentiate them from Microsoft’s product.

The European Commission, in its February ruling, said it does not consider Edge to be a gatekeeper and that the DMA requires Microsoft to allow users to easily uninstall all software applications.