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EU Threatens Microsoft With Antitrust Fine

Posted on: Monday, 26 December 2005, 12:00 CST

By Bloomberg, AP and Staff Reports

The European Union threatened to fine Microsoft Corp. up to 2 million euros ($2.37 million) a day Thursday for failing to obey its 2004 antitrust ruling, accusing the company of intransigence in sharing information with competitors.

"I have given Microsoft every opportunity to comply with its obligations. However, I have been left with no alternative other than to proceed via the formal route to ensure Microsoft's compliance," said EU Antitrust Commissioner Neelie Kroes.

The EU wants Microsoft to provide more detailed information so competitors' products can be made more compatible with Microsoft's Windows server operating system.

Kroes' threat follows an independent computer scientist's scathing assessment of what Microsoft has thus far provided.

Brad Smith, Microsoft's top lawyer, accused the EU Commission of threatening the fine before it had even reviewed highly technical documentation that he said Microsoft to EU officials Wednesday.

"We don't understand how they can reach these conclusions because they haven't read or reviewed these documents," Smith said.

He also expressed frustration with the EU's repeated requests for information.

"Every time we do absolutely everything we've been asked to do, we're told that there's something else we need to do," Smith said.

Source: Tulsa World

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