The German Federal Cartel Office has announced that microsoft (MSFT.O) has been classified as a company of 'extreme importance for market competition', indicating that microsoft has joined the club of tech giants subject to the 'special abuse control system'. The new classification means that microsoft will face stricter supervision and may be subject to prohibitions for anti-competitive behavior. The new authority applies to microsoft as a whole, not just individual services or products. Andreas Mundt, President of the Federal Cartel Office, said: 'Many of microsoft's products are ubiquitous and indispensable in companies, public institutions, and private homes. Microsoft's ecosystem is now more interconnected and powerful than ever before.'