European cloud service providers are urging EU antitrust regulators to intervene in Broadcom’s restructuring of the VMware Cloud Service Provider program, alleging the changes will stifle competition and limit customer choice. The Cloud Infrastructure Services Providers in Europe (CISPE) formally requested the European Commission temporarily halt Broadcom’s planned termination of the program, a move that would significantly reduce the number of cloud providers authorized to sell VMware products in Europe.
Broadcom, however, strongly refuted the claims, asserting that CISPE is funded by competitors, including Microsoft and Amazon Web Services. “Broadcom strongly disagrees with the allegations by CISPE, an organization funded by hyperscalers, which misrepresent the realities of the market,” a Broadcom spokesperson stated. Neither Microsoft nor Amazon Web Services responded to requests for comment.
The dispute centers on Broadcom’s decision, signaled in January 2026, to end its VMware Cloud Service Provider program in Europe. CISPE argues this “unilateral decision” effectively excludes most European cloud service providers, leaving only a “tiny minority of hand-selected partners” able to offer VMware products. The changes are scheduled to be fully implemented by March 31, 2026, after which only a limited group of suppliers will be authorized to sell VMware subscriptions.
CISPE is seeking an interim measure from the EU that would suspend the program’s termination, readmit excluded partners, and protect them from potential retaliation by Broadcom. “Both cloud providers and their customers are being irreparably damaged by Broadcom’s unfair actions,” said CISPE Secretary General Francisco Mingorance in a statement.
Broadcom acquired VMware in 2023, a deal that CISPE previously challenged, filing a lawsuit against the European Commission in 2025 alleging insufficient scrutiny of the acquisition. The company maintains its strategy aims to “drive simplification, consistency and innovation across the VMware ecosystem.” Broadcom has been reshaping the VMware partner program globally, introducing a new, invite-only version focused on partners making substantial investments in VMware technologies.
According to VMware’s Ahmar Mohammad, who designed the new VCSP program, the goal is to create a more exclusive and robust partner network. “We are creating the purity of the program so that it means something when I say ‘CSP,’ so a customer can expect a clear service-level agreement with a clear outcome that they can drive from it,” Mohammad said in a 2025 interview. He emphasized a desire for “larger and bigger partners who can put up a fight” against the major hyperscalers.
The changes extend beyond the VCSP program to Broadcom’s broader Advantage Partner Program for VMware resellers. In Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, the lowest tier of the program – Registered – will be eliminated in May 2026, reducing the program to three tiers.
Broadcom reported total revenue of $19.3 billion in the first quarter of 2026, a 29 percent increase year-over-year, with an annual run rate of $77 billion. The company stated it remains “committed to investing significantly in our European VMware Cloud Service Provider partners,” helping them compete with larger cloud providers.
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