Europe Weighs Antitrust Steps for Microsoft

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

Europe Weighs Antitrust Steps for Microsoft

February 26, 2004
 By PAUL MELLER




BRUSSELS, Feb. 25 - Antitrust regulators from the 15 member
nations of the European Union will gather here on March 15
to discuss a European Commission antitrust ruling against
Microsoft, a diplomat close to one national regulator said
on Wednesday.

The commission has drafted a preliminary ruling that finds
Microsoft guilty of abusing the dominant position of its
Windows operating system - a finding that is expected to be
supported by the national regulators, the diplomat said.

A second meeting will be convened within a week to discuss
corrective measures to impose on Microsoft. The second
gathering of the so-called advisory committee will also
discuss how much to fine the company.

The commission typically makes a final ruling a few days
after the second meeting. This ruling may come on March 23
or 24. The commission, which decides the timing of these
meetings, declined to comment.

Microsoft violated antitrust law on two counts, according
to the draft ruling. By tying its music and video player
software into Windows, Microsoft put rivals at an unfair
competitive disadvantage. And by withholding information
about how Windows works, the company hindered competitors
in the market for server software that runs networks.

Microsoft's own server software works better with Windows
on PC's than rivals' server systems do, the commission
found. Mario Monti, Europe's chief antitrust regulator,
wants Microsoft to propose what computer code in Windows
should be disclosed to ensure that rival programs and
servers are compatible.

To end what it says are violations, the commission wants
Microsoft to sell two versions of Windows: one with Windows
Media Player stripped out and sold separately, and the
other with the software included, a person close to the
case has said. Microsoft still hopes to settle the case.

The European antitrust matter "is the most important case
for the company, shareholders and customers," Microsoft's
chief financial officer, John Connors, said, according to
Dow Jones.

Office in Tokyo Raided

TOKYO, Thursday, Feb. 26 (Bloomberg News) - Japan's Fair
Trade Commission said on Thursday that it had raided
Microsoft's Tokyo office. The commission is investigating
whether the company has violated the country's antimonopoly
law. The investigation is related to Microsoft's Windows XP
software, a commission official said.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/26/technology/26soft.html?ex=1078793682&ei=1&en=4d8731db06f6d649 

-------------------------------------
You are subscribed as interesting-people () lists elistx com
To manage your subscription, go to
 http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=ip

Archives at: http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/