Huan Qiu Wang·2026-02-08 03:33Group 1 - The European Union (EU) regulatory authorities are intensifying their scrutiny of Broadcom's acquisition of VMware, particularly regarding changes in software licensing policies and potential abuse of market dominance, which may lead to an in-depth antitrust investigation [1][2] - Following Broadcom's $61 billion acquisition of VMware in 2023, EU regulators have requested evidence from European cloud service companies to demonstrate that the changes in software licensing terms have caused irreversible harm [1][2] - If found guilty of antitrust violations, Broadcom could face fines of up to 10% of its global annual revenue [1] Group 2 - The EU Commission has acknowledged receiving complaints related to Broadcom's VMware product distribution and is closely monitoring recent changes in Broadcom's partner program [2] - The scrutiny from EU regulators is largely driven by a series of software licensing policy adjustments implemented by Broadcom post-acquisition, with the European Cloud Services Trade Association (CISPE) expressing significant concern [2] - CISPE has called for temporary measures to prevent Broadcom from implementing its announced VMware software licensing termination plan in 2024 and has legally challenged the EU Commission's approval of the acquisition, arguing that it did not adequately address potential anti-competitive risks [2]