EU goes after Microsoft. Again.
p2pnet news view Politics | Products:- Microsoft’s practice of linking Internet Explorer to Windows violates European Union anti-trust rules, says the European Commission. This, “harms competition between web browsers, undermines product innovation and ultimately reduces consumer choice,” the EU executive said in a statement, quoted by the Associated Press.
But this is nothing new.
“In 2004, the European Court of Justice found it had violated EU antitrust rules by trying to damage rivals for server and media player software,” says AP. “It fined the company more than $600 million and ordered it to offer a version of Windows in Europe without the Media Player software and to share communications code with rivals.”
The EU Microsoft eight weeks to reply to a “statement of objections” and was warned it may be fined if the union confirmed the preliminary findings, says news.com.au, adding:
“Microsoft said in a separate statement that it was studying the Commission’s views and did not rule out requesting a formal hearing.
(Thanks, Comeoncomcast)
Associated Press – EU launches legal action against Microsoft over antitrust, January 16, 2009
news.com.au – European Union slams Microsoft over Internet Explorer, January 20, 2009
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