Editors note: This blog post was originally published in September 2023. Similar changes were introduced in the UK in 2024.
At the end of August 2023 Microsoft announced it would be changing the license of Microsoft 365, Office 365, and Microsoft Teams in the European Economic Area (EEA) due to the European Commission’s competition concerns. So, what are the new license changes to Microsoft 365 in Europe?
With the introduction of the new commercial line-up, the sale of current Enterprise suites that include Teams to net new subscribers will end. As a result, Office 365 E1, Office 365 E3, Office 365 E5, Microsoft 365 E3, and Microsoft 365 E5 suites with Teams will no longer be available to net new subscribers in the EEA and Switzerland.
Current Frontline suites will coexist with the new line-up. Customers in the EEA and Switzerland will be able to choose between the existing Microsoft 365 F1, Office 365 F3, and Microsoft 365 F3 suites with Teams included, or the new EEA-specific versions of those suites without Teams.
Microsoft 365 Business suites will coexist with the new line-up. Customers in the EEA and Switzerland will be able to choose between the existing Microsoft 365 Business Basic, Microsoft 365 Business Standard, and Microsoft 365 Business Premium suites with Teams or the new EEA-specific versions of those suites without Teams.
How does this affect you?
If you are not in an EEA country, Switzerland, this change does not affect you.
If you are an existing EEA and Switzerland based customers, you may continue to use suites to which you have already subscribed without any impact. Customers who currently subscribe to existing Office 365 E1/E3/E5 or Microsoft 365 E3/E5 suites with Teams can continue to use and renew those suites, as well as adding or removing seats at Anniversary and Renewal. Existing customers who wish to switch to the new EEA (no Teams) suites may also do that at Anniversary or Renewal.
Starting October 1 2023,
- New commercial customers in the EEA and Switzerland who wish to provide information workers with both Microsoft Teams and the value in existing Microsoft 365 E3/E5 or Office 365 E1/E3/E5 suites will need to purchase two SKUs: one E1/E3/E5 EEA (no Teams) suite and Microsoft Teams.
- New small and medium business customers in the EEA and Switzerland will be able to choose between the existing Microsoft 365 Business Basic/Standard/Premium suites with Teams or the new EEA (no Teams) versions of those suites.
- For Frontline workers, customers in the EEA and Switzerland will be able to choose between the existing Microsoft 365 F1, Office 365 F3, and Microsoft 365 F3 suites with Teams included or the new EEA (no Teams) versions of those suites.
Looking to manage costs and boost productivity? Syntura can help you optimise your organisation’s Microsoft 365 use to ensure you have the right licences for what you need. We can also help you add telephony to Teams, back up your M365 hosted data (Exchange emails, OneDrive files, SharePoint sites etc).
Contact Syntura today about making the most of Microsoft 365.