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The European Commission’s scrutiny of Broadcom’s VMware licensing changes has grown beyond the information request reported in 2024. By July 2026, CISPE and four other cloud-industry groups were urging the Commission to take interim action over changes to VMware’s cloud-provider ecosystem. That is pressure for action—not a final finding that Broadcom broke EU competition law. As of August 16, 2026, the available sources do not establish a final infringement decision, fine or remedy.
What the EU did—and what it did not decide
In April 2024, the European Commission said it had sent Broadcom requests for information after receiving complaints about VMware licensing and support conditions. The request was an information-gathering step, not a ruling or a finding of unlawful conduct. The reported 2024 inquiry did not itself guarantee a formal case or a remedy.
The later dispute concerns alleged post-acquisition conduct and is legally distinct from the Commission’s review of Broadcom’s purchase of VMware. The two matters are related by the acquisition, but merger clearance does not amount to approval of every subsequent licensing or partner-program decision.
How the dispute developed
| Date | Event | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| November 15, 2022 | Broadcom notified the Commission of its planned VMware acquisition. | The transaction entered EU merger review. |
| December 20, 2022 | The Commission opened an in-depth Phase II investigation after raising serious doubts about compatibility with the internal market. | The Commission examined potential competition effects before the acquisition closed. |
| April 12, 2023 | The Commission issued a Statement of Objections during the merger review. | This was part of the merger process, not a later finding about licensing changes. |
| July 12, 2023 | The Commission cleared the acquisition after an in-depth review and commitments related to Broadcom’s Fibre Channel host-bus-adapter business. | The decision addressed the transaction and the concerns examined then. The Commission’s published decision summary describes that review. |
| November 2023 | Broadcom completed its acquisition of VMware. | The new owner began restructuring VMware’s products and commercial model. |
| April 2024 | The Commission’s requests for information about licensing and support changes were reported. | This was information gathering, not a final competition-law determination. |
| 2025 | CISPE challenged the merger clearance in EU court, arguing that it did not address later competition concerns. | The court challenge is separate from the Commission’s examination of post-acquisition conduct. Reuters reporting on CISPE’s challenge describes its position. |
| March 2026 | CISPE reportedly filed a complaint about changes to VMware’s cloud-service-provider program. | The dispute widened from enterprise licensing to the ability of cloud providers to offer VMware-based services. ITPro’s account reports the complaint. |
| July 14, 2026 | CISPE and four other cloud groups urged the Commission to impose interim measures. | The groups reportedly sought continuation of the cloud-provider program for at least three years while the dispute proceeds. Their request is not an EU order. Reuters reporting describes the appeal. |
What changed in VMware licensing
Perpetual sales gave way to subscriptions
After completing the acquisition, Broadcom announced that VMware would stop selling new perpetual licenses and end Support and Subscription renewals for perpetual offerings, subject to existing contracts and differing effective dates. Broadcom framed the change as a move to recurring subscriptions and a simplified portfolio. Its announcement sets out that rationale and transition.
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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteBroadcom’s March 2026 FAQ says customers cannot buy VMware products a la carte and instead purchase VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) or VMware vSphere Foundation, among other available offers. Product availability and terms vary by product generation and contract; the lineup is not static. The FAQ is the relevant reference for current offer and licensing questions.
Per-core licensing changes the cost calculation
Subscription costs can depend on physical core counts, minimum core rules, host density, the chosen bundle, add-ons, discounts and contract terms. There is no reliable single percentage increase for all VMware customers. CISPE-associated material has cited increases as high as 1,500%, but that is an attributed claim, not an independently established market-wide average. Coverage of the claim should be read in that context.
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Bundles and support options matter
Some customers object that bundles can require payment for capabilities they do not need. Broadcom presents portfolio consolidation as a way to simplify purchasing and product delivery; customers should compare the included features against their actual workloads rather than assume every bundle is poor value.
Support arrangements also differ. Broadcom’s documentation distinguishes technical support from licensing or portal issues, and some customers may be directed to certified support partners. Check the applicable contract and support route rather than assuming the same channel applies to every VMware customer. Broadcom’s support notice illustrates the distinction.
Why business users and cloud providers object
Enterprise customers face renewal and migration choices
For businesses running VMware on their own infrastructure, the main exposure is commercial and operational: renewal terms, per-core counts, bundle requirements, support continuity and the cost of moving workloads. Broadcom says customers with perpetual licenses may continue using them and receive support according to existing contractual commitments. Whether support can be renewed, upgrades remain available or entitlements change depends on the customer’s agreement.
Smaller organizations may be particularly sensitive to minimum core rules and bundles, but there is no basis to assume every small customer must buy the same offer. The relevant comparison is among the products actually available to that customer and alternatives that can run its workloads.
Cloud providers face a different program question
Cloud-service providers and hosting companies need to know whether they remain eligible for the relevant VMware program, what services they may offer, and what happens to their customers if access or economics change. That is distinct from an enterprise renewing an on-premises subscription. CISPE and other groups argue that restructuring the provider ecosystem risks reducing customer choice; Broadcom says it is reshaping the ecosystem around private-cloud independence, partner investment, training and workload migration. Broadcom’s description of its VCSP ecosystem sets out its stated approach.
What the merger clearance covered
During merger review, the Commission examined possible foreclosure and bundling concerns, including whether Broadcom could use VMware virtualization software to disadvantage rivals. It cleared the transaction after reviewing those issues and obtaining commitments concerning access to Broadcom’s Fibre Channel host-bus-adapter business. Its decision also discussed the specific bundling theories it assessed. The Commission’s decision text is the source for those conclusions.
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CISPE’s later position is that the clearance did not adequately address the effects of Broadcom’s subsequent conduct. That is the complainant’s argument, not an established finding that the merger decision was wrong or that later licensing terms violate competition law.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the EU may do next
Several paths remain possible: further information gathering, interim measures, commitments or negotiated changes, formal proceedings, or no further action. Separate court proceedings concern CISPE’s challenge to the merger decision. An interim-measure request is a request by complainants; it does not mean the Commission has granted one. The available sources do not establish a final infringement decision, an EU fine, an order reversing subscription licensing, or a guarantee that any requested remedy will be adopted.
What VMware customers should check before renewing
- Inventory physical cores by host. Model the licensed hardware footprint, not just the number of virtual machines, and check any minimum-core rules in the offer being quoted.
- Map required features to the proposed bundle. Identify whether the organization needs VCF, vSphere Foundation or separately licensed add-ons such as vSAN, NSX, disaster recovery or security services.
- Read the existing contract and calendar the dates. Record support expiry, subscription renewal, upgrade rights and any reinstatement conditions. Do not assume a perpetual license automatically preserves future support or upgrades.
- Model total cost, not only the subscription line. Include discounts, support, add-ons, hardware refresh, migration labor, training, downtime and backup or operations changes.
- Verify any cloud portability plan. Broadcom lists certified destinations for eligible VCF license portability. Confirm that the exact license, provider, service and intended use qualify; portability is not universal. Check Broadcom’s certified-provider list.
- Validate the technical exit path. Test application compatibility, storage and network behavior, backup restoration, monitoring and disaster recovery on the target platform before committing to a migration schedule.
- Keep a contingency plan independent of the case. A complaint or request for interim measures does not determine the customer’s renewal deadline or guarantee a favorable regulatory outcome.
Check the VCF version before comparing licensing mechanics
Licensing differs by generation. Broadcom’s May 2026 VCF 9.1 FAQ says VCF 9.0 uses subscription licensing managed through VCF Operations and the VCF Business Services console, with license files replacing traditional 25-character keys for the new model. It lists vCenter, ESXi, vSAN, NSX, HCX, VCF Operations, VCF Automation, VKS and VCF Private AI Services among VCF 9.1 components; AVI Load Balancer, vDefend Firewall and VMware Live Recovery continue to be licensed separately. The FAQ says VCF 5.x environments can continue using their previous license keys and can coexist with VCF 9.1 licensing environments. Consult the VCF 9.1 FAQ for version-specific details.
Alternatives to compare if VMware no longer fits
| Option | May suit | Trade-offs to evaluate |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Hyper-V | Organizations already invested in Windows Server, Microsoft management tools and Azure. | Assess the combined cost of Windows Server, System Center and related Microsoft services, plus application, storage and backup compatibility. Microsoft’s Hyper-V page. |
| Nutanix AHV | Organizations considering hyperconverged infrastructure or already operating Nutanix. | Include any platform or hardware investment and validate feature fit workload by workload. Nutanix AHV. |
| Proxmox Virtual Environment | Cost-sensitive deployments, labs and teams with strong Linux and virtualization skills. | Compare enterprise support, certifications, tooling and the internal expertise needed for day-two operations; it is not automatically a drop-in replacement. Proxmox VE. |
| Public-cloud VMware services | Organizations that want to retain VMware operating practices while changing infrastructure location. | Check certified portability eligibility, cloud infrastructure costs, data transfer, sovereignty, storage and networking charges. This preserves VMware dependence rather than eliminating it. |
For each option, compare a full operating model—not just license fees. Retraining, migration downtime, support, application testing and changes to backup or disaster recovery can outweigh a lower hypervisor charge.
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