Microsoft has announced that it will no longer charge data egress fees for customers leaving its Azure cloud, aligning with recent moves by AWS and Google Cloud. This change comes ahead of the impending EU Data Act, which will take effect in September 2025. The EU Data Act aims to remove obstacles to switching between cloud providers. Microsoft’s exit policy requires customers to inform Azure of their transfer date and data amount, with a 60-day compliance window.
AWS also announced plans to remove some data transfer fees, while Google Cloud requires a full exit from the platform. These changes reflect ongoing scrutiny of the cloud computing market for anti-competitive practices, with investigations launched in various jurisdictions, including the UK, Europe, and the US.
