Microsoft has withdrawn its regulatory complaints against Google across the globe—a matter of months after Redmond retreated from its fight over the ad giant's alleged abuse of dominance in the search market in Europe.

A spokesperson for the European Commission's competition chief Margrethe Vestager confirmed to Ars that her office was aware of Microsoft's decision to back out of the case.

“The Commission takes note of the announcement. We continue to investigate the conduct of Google as part of our ongoing formal probes, based on the facts, the evidence and EU law. The substantive analysis in an antitrust case is not affected by the number of complainants nor their identity,” Brussels' spokesperson Ricardo Cardoso told Ars.

Microsoft first filed a complaint against Google's alleged anti-competitive search business practices in Europe a little over five years ago in March 2011. The software giant said in a statement: “Microsoft has agreed to withdraw its regulatory complaints against Google, reflecting our changing legal priorities. We will continue to focus on competing vigorously for business and for customers.”

Ars revealed in February that Microsoft had quietly walked away from its dogged campaign against Google in Europe when it retreated from lobby group ICOMP.

Google said it also planned to play nice with Microsoft. “Our companies compete vigorously, but we want to do so on the merits of our products, not in legal proceedings,” the company said.

In September 2015 Microsoft agreed to end its patent dispute with Google, which is understood to be the main impetus behind the defrosting of hostilities between the two sides.