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by Manfred Bremmer
Editorial Manager Computerwoche
SAP concedes to EU, freeing CIOs from expensive support shackles
News
Jul 10, 202611 mins
Under pressure from the European Commission, SAP is opening up its support and licensing policies for on-premises customers — but user group representatives warn that 2027 will bring difficult decisions for SAP customers
The European Commission is ending an antitrust investigation into SAP after the company made numerous concessions worldwide regarding maintenance and support services for on-premises versions of its ERP solution. The Commission began its investigation in September 2025, concerned that SAP forces customers to buy its services for longer, and for more licenses, than they need.
In accepting SAP’s commitments, the Commission makes them binding on the company. SAP could still face fines if it fails to make good on its concessions over the next ten years. SAP’s promises include:
Greater freedom of choice in support : Customers can divide their SAP landscape into sub-areas and choose different support and maintenance providers for each area.
Easier license terminations : Maintenance and support contracts can be terminated in certain cases — such as when products are phased out, SAP projects fail, the company files for bankruptcy, there are staff reductions, or parts of the business are sold.
More flexible licensing models : SAP is expanding access to so-called “single-metric” contracts as an alternative basis for licensing and maintenance fees.
Relaxation of contractual obligations : In the future, the purchase of new licenses will no longer automatically extend the minimum term of existing support contracts.
Easier Re-entry : Customers who resume SAP support after a hiatus will no longer have to pay reinstatement fees; back payments will also be reduced.
In addition, SAP is establishing an internal clearinghouse that customers can contact if they suspect violations of the agreed-upon obligations.
Even though SAP said it welcomed the EU Commission’s decision, the Walldorf-based company is unlikely to be truly happy with the concessions it had to make.
User organizations, though, are happy: Conor Riordan, chair of UKISUG, the UK & Ireland SAP User Group, said, “We welcome the proposed changes to SAP’s support and maintenance policies for on-premise customers. Our members have long called for greater flexibility, transparency and predictability, and these changes appear to be a positive move. This should give organizations more room to adapt to changing business conditions and evolve their SAP estates at a pace that suits them.”
More flexibility with SAP support
Michael Bloch, executive director of licensing, contracts and support at DSAG, the German-speaking SAP User Group, went into greater detail in an interview with Computerwoche, here translated from the German:
How do you assess the European Commission’s decision in general?
Michael Bloch: In principle, we think the decision is a good one for now. Many SAP customers will benefit from it, especially those who continue to run their ERP systems on-premises. Our investment survey shows that numerous companies have still not made the move to the SAP Cloud. They now have significantly more freedom to decide how they want to organize support for their existing software.
Who stands to benefit on the provider side? Does the decision open up new opportunities for third-party providers like Rimini Street? Can the potential demand even be met?
Bloch : That will be interesting to watch. At the moment, third-party maintenance is a total niche business, at least in German-speaking countries. Acceptance is significantly higher in the US, but here in Germany, many companies remain rather skeptical of the model. The EU decision could now give this market a new boost. Customers who do not wish to follow SAP’s current strategy will be able to remain on their existing infrastructure in the future and obtain support from another provider. This certainly opens up opportunities for new business models.
Does this decision undermine SAP’s cloud strategy?
Bloch: For customers, the decision now truly becomes a matter of...