On September 30, the Federal Cartel Office of Germany stated that microsoft has been classified as a "company of exceptional importance to market competition." The institution said the new classification means that microsoft will face stricter supervision and may face prohibitions for anti-competitive behavior. The Federal Cartel Office of Germany stated that its new powers apply to microsoft as a whole, not just its individual services or products. A microsoft spokesperson said: "We recognize our responsibility to support a healthy competitive environment, and we will strive to take a proactive, collaborative, and responsible approach in our cooperation with the Federal Cartel Office of Germany."