EU accepts SAP commitments to ease customer switching, averting antitrust fine
The European Commission accepted legally binding commitments from German software giant SAP to resolve an antitrust investigation into its on-premise ERP maintenance services. SAP will allow customers to use third-party support providers, terminate contracts in specific scenarios, reduce license fees, and eliminate reinstatement fees. The commitments, valid globally for ten years, aim to increase competition and customer choice. The probe, launched in September 2025, had preliminarily found SAP may have restricted competition.
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European Commission Accepts SAP Commitments on On-Premises ERP Maintenance Contracts
The European Commission has accepted legally binding commitments from SAP to address antitrust concerns over aftermarket maintenance and support services for SAP on-premises ERP software. The decision follows a formal investigation opened in September 2025. Commitments include allowing customers to split SAP landscapes for different support providers, terminating licenses and fees in defined scenarios (e.g., failed implementations, insolvency), reducing licenses by 10% if workforce drops 10% or more over two years, and eliminating reinstatement fees for returning customers. SAP will also provide wider access to single-metric contracts and set up an internal escalation process. The measures apply globally for ten years, overseen by a monitoring trustee. The EC had preliminarily found SAP may have restricted competition by preventing termination of unused licenses, imposing back maintenance fees, extending initial license terms, and requiring bundled support purchases.
Yahoo FinanceSAP loosens ERP maintenance and support rules after EU investigation
The European Commission accepted SAP's commitments to change its aftermarket support services for on-premises ERP software, following a formal investigation launched in September over competition concerns. SAP will allow customers to choose third-party support providers for each part of their ERP system, provide clarity on contractual provisions, and let customers terminate licenses and support fees in specific scenarios. The commitments are globally binding for 10 years. SAP stated the changes add clarity for enterprises moving toward AI-enabled environments, though the decision only applies to on-premise maintenance, not cloud offerings. The company continues to invest heavily in AI, launching its SAP Business AI Platform and Autonomous Suite. The EU is also scrutinizing Microsoft and Amazon for potential cloud market lock-in under the Digital Markets Act.
Yahoo FinanceEU Commission Accepts SAP Commitments, Closes Competition Investigation
The European Commission has accepted commitments from German software giant SAP, closing an EU competition probe that began in September. The investigation focused on how SAP provides support services for its on-premise Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software. SAP committed to clarify conditions allowing customers to use different providers for maintaining different pieces of its software, including the option to not rely on SAP at all. In some cases, customers can now end contracts and terminate payments, such as when SAP is in the final stages of a maintenance plan with reduced services or if it botched a project implementation. The commitments are binding for ten years. SAP stated it remains committed to open competition, customer choice, and innovation, adding that the commitments provide greater clarity, choice, and safeguards for customers managing complex on-premise environments.
EuractivEU Commission Accepts SAP Commitments, Ends Competition Probe
The European Commission has accepted binding commitments from German software giant SAP, closing an EU competition investigation that began in September. The probe focused on how SAP provides support services for its on-premise Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software. SAP committed to clarifying conditions allowing customers to use different providers for maintaining various software components, including the option to rely entirely on third parties. In some cases, customers can now terminate contracts and stop payments if SAP is in the final stages of a maintenance plan with reduced services, or if it botches a project implementation. The commitments are legally binding for ten years. SAP stated it remains committed to open competition, customer choice, and innovation, and that the commitments provide greater clarity and safeguards for customers managing complex on-premise environments.
EuractivEU Accepts SAP Commitments, Closes Competition Investigation
The European Commission has accepted commitments from German software giant SAP, closing an EU competition investigation into its on-premise Enterprise Resource Planning software support services. The probe, opened in September, examined how SAP provided support for its software. SAP committed to clarifying conditions for customers to use different providers for maintaining various software components, including the option to not rely on SAP at all. In some cases, customers can now end contracts and terminate payments, such as when SAP is in the final stages of a maintenance plan with reduced services or botches a project implementation. The commitments are binding for ten years. SAP stated it remains committed to open competition, customer choice, and innovation, and that the commitments provide greater clarity and safeguards for customers managing complex on-premise environments.
EuractivSAP to make it easier for customers to switch, averts EU fine
SAP, Europe's largest software maker, has agreed to make it easier for customers to switch to rival service providers or end contracts, averting a potential EU fine. The European Commission launched an investigation in September 2025 over concerns SAP hindered competition in maintenance and support services for on-premise software. After feedback from third parties, SAP tweaked its proposal, and the Commission approved the concessions. EU antitrust chief Teresa Ribera said the decision gives customers more freedom to choose maintenance and support services without unfair restrictions that raised costs and stifled competition. SAP's commitments include offering an alternative method to calculate license fees, scrapping reinstatement fees, and reducing back maintenance fees for returning customers. The offer is valid globally for 10 years.
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