Oracle may be next in EU software licensing hot seat following SAP deal
- ID
- 22103
- Status
- summarized
- Published
- 07 Sep 2026, 9:56 PM
- Fetched
- 08 Sep 2026, 12:03 AM
- Provider
- The Register
- Category
- technology
- Original URL
- https://www.theregister.com/software/2026/09/07/oracle-may-be-next-in-eu-software-licensing-hot-seat-following-sap-deal/5294805
- Source URL
- https://www.theregister.com/headlines.atom
Summary
- Score
- 5.5
- Created
- 08 Sep 2026, 12:04 AM
- Tags
- Audience
- developerssaas_startup_founders
What happened
The European Commission is reportedly seeking third-party views on Oracle's software licensing practices, potentially laying groundwork for a formal investigation, though none exists yet. This follows the EC's concluded SAP case, where SAP committed to abolishing reinstatement fees and reducing back-maintenance fees. Oracle's Java SE Universal Subscription, introduced January 2023, charges by total employee count—Gartner estimated it at two to five times the cost of the legacy model.
Why it matters
If your startup or enterprise runs Oracle Java SE, the per-employee subscription model already means you may be paying based on headcount rather than actual usage—budget for 2-5x legacy costs and evaluate OpenJDK alternatives now. EU enforcement could force Oracle to revise terms, but don't wait for it.
Discussion angle
How many Malaysian teams are still on Oracle Java SE vs OpenJDK, and what's the actual cost delta when you factor in employee-count pricing versus support needs?