EU thumbs down on Microsoft
The European Commission will soon issue a final ruling in its antitrust case against Microsoft – and it’s likely to be negative.
“The Commission has been investigating Microsoft for abusing its dominant position and restricting competition by tying its Media Player program for playing video and music to its ubiquitous Windows operating system,” says a Reuters report here.
The EU’s antitrust watchdog warned Microsoft in August that it would impose a large fine on the company unless it resolved EU competition concerns and, “The Commission has prepared a rough draft of its final ruling,” says the story.
“Without any doubt it is going to be a negative decision,” an EU source is quoted as saying.
“Whether the decision is taken tomorrow or next week it does not change things (for Microsoft),” the source added.
Yesterday, a ’source’ confirmed a comment by Microsoft’s general counsel that the company was talking to the European Commission about a possible agreement that could avert a ruling that might impose penalties and a large fine on Microsoft.
January 28th, 2004 at 1:19 am
Now we’ll see if the EU can be bought off like Bush’s “Justice” Dept…
January 28th, 2004 at 5:07 am
The EU must be creaming in its pants from the cheer joy of thumbing down a Great American Success Story !