Oracle's licensing practices on EU antitrust regulator's radar, report says

Oracle Corporation (NYSE: ORCL) has come onto the radar of the European Union's antitrust regulator over its software licensing practices, according to a report published by Reuters.

The report, citing a source, indicates the European Commission has been gathering information on how Oracle licenses its products. The story was carried by Reuters and mirrored across several syndication outlets in early September.

Importantly, this is not a formal case. According to the reporting, a Commission spokesperson said there is no formal investigation into any company at this stage. No case number, docket or fine amount has been published in connection with the Oracle matter.

The published accounts do not detail which specific licensing terms are being examined, nor which third parties may have prompted the information-gathering. Oracle did not respond to Reuters' request for comment as of publication.

The reports draw a comparison with the Commission's separate case involving SAP, which earlier settled EU concerns over its ERP support practices by offering commitments that were made legally binding. That matter is distinct from the Oracle situation, and no equivalent action against Oracle has been announced.