{"id":7207,"date":"2026-01-20T14:10:21","date_gmt":"2026-01-20T13:10:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/?p=7207"},"modified":"2026-07-01T09:32:29","modified_gmt":"2026-07-01T08:32:29","slug":"weko-sekretariat-prueft-die-juengsten-erhoehungen-der-lizenzpreise-von-microsoft","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/news-insights\/weko-sekretariat-prueft-die-juengsten-erhoehungen-der-lizenzpreise-von-microsoft\/","title":{"rendered":"COMCO Secretariat reviews Microsoft's recent Software Licence Price Increases"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"7207\" class=\"elementor elementor-7207\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"has_eae_slider elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-5e192929 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-eae-slider=\"38745\" data-id=\"5e192929\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"has_eae_slider elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-328c9e8\" data-eae-slider=\"99767\" data-id=\"328c9e8\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1457845 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"1457845\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"825\" height=\"495\" src=\"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20260115-Bild-EN-LinkedIn-Beitrag-WEKO-Sekretariat-Vorabklaerung-gegen-Lizenzpreise-Microsoft.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-7243\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20260115-Bild-EN-LinkedIn-Beitrag-WEKO-Sekretariat-Vorabklaerung-gegen-Lizenzpreise-Microsoft.jpg 825w, https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20260115-Bild-EN-LinkedIn-Beitrag-WEKO-Sekretariat-Vorabklaerung-gegen-Lizenzpreise-Microsoft-300x180.jpg 300w, https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20260115-Bild-EN-LinkedIn-Beitrag-WEKO-Sekretariat-Vorabklaerung-gegen-Lizenzpreise-Microsoft-768x461.jpg 768w, https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20260115-Bild-EN-LinkedIn-Beitrag-WEKO-Sekretariat-Vorabklaerung-gegen-Lizenzpreise-Microsoft-18x12.jpg 18w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 825px) 100vw, 825px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"has_eae_slider elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-a76e28a\" data-eae-slider=\"6396\" data-id=\"a76e28a\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-99081b4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-theme-post-title elementor-page-title elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"99081b4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"theme-post-title.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">COMCO Secretariat reviews Microsoft's recent Software Licence Price Increases<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5f29e2b elementor-widget elementor-widget-post-info\" data-id=\"5f29e2b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"post-info.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"elementor-inline-items elementor-icon-list-items elementor-post-info\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-685ec73 elementor-inline-item\" itemprop=\"about\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-tags\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-terms\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-post-info__terms-list\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-post-info__terms-list-item\">Competition<\/span>, <span class=\"elementor-post-info__terms-list-item\">News<\/span>, <span class=\"elementor-post-info__terms-list-item\">Regulatory<\/span>\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-d50ae70 elementor-inline-item\" itemprop=\"datePublished\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-calendar\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<time>20.01.2026<\/time>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-ec6c601 elementor-inline-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-user-circle\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-custom\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMario Strebel, Fabian Koch\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4d17332b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4d17332b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-no-translation=\"\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<style>.elementor-element-4d17332b{display:none !important}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e6fdab6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e6fdab6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-no-translation=\"\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<style>.elementor-element-e6fdab6{display:none !important}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0bcb7c3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0bcb7c3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-no-translation=\"\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.weko.admin.ch\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Swiss competition authorities<\/a> are focusing on Microsoft\u2019s pricing practices as a key IT provider in Switzerland. The focus is on repeated price increases for software licences, which are of vital importance to many businesses and public bodies. According to a press release dated 15 January 2026, the Secretariat of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.weko.admin.ch\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Competition Commission (COMCO)<\/a> has launched a preliminary investigation into the matter.<\/strong><\/p><p><strong>Backround<\/strong><\/p><p>The preliminary investigation was triggered by complaints alleging that Microsoft has recently implemented numerous and, in some cases, substantial price increases in Switzerland. This particularly affects licences for Microsoft 365, a product widely used by private companies and the public sector. According to media reports, the price increases range from 10\u201317 per cent depending on the licence, and in some cases for private individuals they are as high as 43 per cent. Microsoft justifies the increases, amongst other things, by citing the integration of AI functions and additional security features.<\/p><p><strong>Next steps<\/strong><\/p><p>The preliminary investigation is an informal procedure. Its purpose is to determine whether there are concrete indications of conduct in breach of competition law. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.weko.admin.ch\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">COMCO<\/a> Secretariat is now examining whether Microsoft\u2019s price adjustments constitute grounds for unlawful restrictions on competition within the meaning of the Competition Act and whether the opening of a formal investigation is justified.<\/p><p>A preliminary investigation is, in principle, open-ended and may be concluded either with or without a settlement agreement or \u2013 if there are sufficient grounds \u2013 may be escalated to a full investigation.<\/p><p>According to the press release, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.weko.admin.ch\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">COMCO<\/a> Secretariat is also drawing on the technical support of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.preisueberwacher.admin.ch\/pue\/de\/home.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Price Commissioner<\/a> (in German, Italian and French only) as part of this preliminary investigation.<\/p><p><strong>Key takeaways<\/strong><\/p><p>The outcome of the preliminary investigation is highly relevant for many companies in Switzerland. Software licences, particularly those from providers with significant market power, are often a key cost factor and are difficult to replace at short notice. The widespread use of Microsoft 365 by businesses and public authorities reinforces lock-in and amplifies the practical impact of price adjustments. Companies should therefore critically review their dependencies on key IT providers, contract structures and price adjustment clauses, and closely monitor further developments.<\/p><p>The press release can be found <a href=\"https:\/\/www.admin.ch\/en\/newnsb\/vp9KWO9ar3d4t4F2-pFuK\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c0b3fb0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"c0b3fb0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-no-translation=\"\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>CORE Attorneys is a boutique law firm in Switzerland, focusing on <a href=\"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/expertise\/wettbewerbsrecht\/\">competition\/antitrust law<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/expertise\/regulierung\/\">regulatory<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/expertise\/vertriebsrecht\/\">distribution law<\/a> matters. Visit our <a href=\"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/news-insights\/\">News &amp; Insights<\/a> and follow us on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/core-attorneys\">LinkedIn<\/a> for regular updates on all our focus areas.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Die Schweizer Wettbewerbsbeh\u00f6rden r\u00fccken die Preisgestaltung von Microsoft als zentralen IT-Anbieter in der Schweiz in den Fokus. Im Zentrum stehen wiederholte Preiserh\u00f6hungen bei Softwarelizenzen, die f\u00fcr viele Unternehmen und \u00f6ffentliche Stellen von essentieller Bedeutung sind. Das Sekretariat der Wettbewerbskommission (WEKO)&#8230;<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7243,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_header_footer","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_titles_title":"WEKO-Sekretariat pr\u00fcft die j\u00fcngsten Erh\u00f6hungen der Lizenzpreise von Microsoft","_seopress_titles_desc":"WEKO-Sekretariat pr\u00fcft die j\u00fcngsten Erh\u00f6hungen der Lizenzpreise von Microsoft","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_robots_follow":"","_seopress_robots_imageindex":"","_seopress_robots_snippet":"","_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_robots_breadcrumbs":"","_seopress_robots_freeze_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_custom_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_canonical":"","_seopress_social_fb_title":"","_seopress_social_fb_desc":"","_seopress_social_fb_img":"","_seopress_social_fb_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_height":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_title":"","_seopress_social_twitter_desc":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_height":0,"_seopress_redirections_value":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled_regex":"","_seopress_redirections_logged_status":"both","_seopress_redirections_param":"","_seopress_redirections_type":301,"_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[10,9,11],"tags":[227,56,731,239,81,39],"class_list":["post-7207","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-competition","category-neuigkeiten","category-regulatory","tag-compliance","tag-kartellrecht","tag-lizenzpreise","tag-marktmacht","tag-missbrauch","tag-weko"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7207","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7207"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7207\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7252,"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7207\/revisions\/7252"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7243"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7207"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7207"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7207"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}