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EU Unfair, Microsoft Says Companyresponds to Antitrust Ruling

Posted on: Thursday, 16 February 2006, 12:00 CST

By From news reports

Facing the threat of huge daily fines, Microsoft on Wednesday rebuffed accusations by European Union regulators that it had failed to comply with an antitrust ruling and accused them of unfair treatment. In a written response to the regulators, Microsoft complained that they had ignored important information and trampled on its right of defense. Microsoft also said it had given regulators two reports by five software professors who said that documents in the case met with industry standards. "The commission repeatedly refused to clearly define its requirements and concerns, despite repeated requests and accommodations by Microsoft," the company said, referring to the European Commission. Microsoft, which already has paid a record 497 million, or $591 million, fine to the European authorities, now faces additional daily fines of as much as 2 million if it refuses to share enough technical data to allow rivals to make compatible software programs. The EU began its latest crackdown on Microsoft after an independent monitor, chosen by the EU and by the company, found that documents provided last autumn needed a drastic overhaul to make them workable. In his report, the monitor, Neil Barrett, a computer science professor said he and a colleague had been unable to use the instructions provided by the company to make rival software work with Microsoft servers. But Microsoft insisted Tuesday that it had complied in full. "Hundreds of Microsoft employees and contractors have worked for more than 30,000 hours to create over 12,000 pages of detailed technical documents that are available for license," the company said. Microsoft also said the EU officials had been slow to raise the problems and that officials in Brussels had not read documents that Microsoft had made available at its headquarters days before the European Union filed its latest charges Dec. 21. Microsoft would not name the experts in the two reports it had submitted but the company said they were "independent and credible."

Last month, Microsoft offered to let competitors examine some of the blueprints to Windows, its flagship operating system. Microsoft said these blueprints, known in the industry as source code, provide the "ultimate documentation" to answer concerns that it was withholding information.

Source: International Herald Tribune

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