SAP Avoids Formal Investigation into Data Extraction Policies

The German Federal Cartel Office (Bundeskartellamt) has concluded a preliminary investigation without pursuing formal charges against SAP, finding that the company does not unfairly restrict customers from accessing their data for use with competitor applications.

This decision follows complaints from software companies like Celonis alleging that SAP makes it difficult to access data from its ERP systems and favors its own tools. While acknowledging that open data access is essential for competition, the Bundeskartellamt found sufficient extraction options currently exist.

Key Takeaways

• The investigation focused on whether SAP’s policies prevent customers from using their own data with third-party applications
• Despite recent API policy changes, the Bundeskartellamt determined that adequate data extraction methods remain available
• While a small victory for SAP, experts caution that CIOs should continue to scrutinize vendor data access models

SAP welcomed the decision, stating that customers and partners have ample technical options to extract data. However, Celonis expressed concern that these assurances may not be guaranteed under SAP’s evolving policies.

The case highlights growing concerns about data ownership and portability in enterprise software, particularly as companies rely on multiple platforms for their operations. CIOs should proactively evaluate data access terms during procurement and negotiate favorable export rights to avoid vendor lock-in.