Here's what enterprise IT, procurement and software asset management teams should know from the week of September 7–13, 2026:
EU regulators turn their attention to licensing practices
The European Commission is reportedly gathering information from third parties about Oracle's licensing practices following SAP's recent concessions.
Important distinction: This is not yet a formal investigation.
Why it matters
Regulatory attention may increase pressure for greater transparency and flexibility in areas such as contract termination, switching providers and cloud licensing. But customers should not assume that current Oracle agreements or licensing requirements have changed.
What to do now
- Review contractual restrictions before upcoming renewals
- Document licensing and deployment decisions carefully
- Preserve evidence supporting your current license position
- Avoid making major migration or negotiation decisions based on headlines alone
Source: Oracle licensing practices face EU scrutiny — Reuters
Licensing changes face further EU scrutiny
Reports indicate that European regulators are taking a closer look at Broadcom's VMware licensing and partner-program changes.
Why it matters
The outcome could affect renewal options, partner availability and commercial leverage — particularly for organizations relying on VMware through European cloud providers.
What to do now
- Confirm your renewal date and current entitlement position
- Identify dependencies on VMware bundles and service-provider programs
- Model the cost and operational impact of realistic alternatives
- Begin planning well before renewal pressure limits your options
Source: Broadcom's VMware licensing changes face deeper EU scrutiny — Bloomberg Law
The bigger picture
Both developments point to the same underlying issue: enterprise software licensing practices are becoming a regulatory concern — not merely a contract-management problem. That does not immediately change your license terms. But it makes contract documentation, defensible deployment data and early renewal planning even more important.
See the stories we're tracking and the latest enterprise licensing developments
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