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Antitrust angst for Microsoft
July 12, 2006, 10:23 AM PT
The deadline arrives in the EU's ongoing battle with the software maker over whether it has complied with an antitrust order. The verdict is a new fine of hundreds of millions of dollars and the threat of even more fines.
'No alternative' to Microsoft fine
newsmaker Wielding a $357 million charge, antitrust chief Neelie Kroes expects full compliance. And she's keeping an eye on Vista.
July 12, 2006
EU knocks Microsoft with $357 million fine
Figure could rise if the software giant doesn't comply by July 31 with Europe's antitrust dictates.
July 12, 2006
Trade groups pick sides in EU-Microsoft battle
Software organizations take opposing views on how the multimillion-dollar antitrust fine imposed on Microsoft will affect the industry.
July 12, 2006
Kroes: 'Failure to comply'
video Neelie Kroes, Europe's competition commissioner, says "I don't buy Microsoft's line" that the EU's demands were unclear. (Watch the entire Brussels press conference.)
July 12, 2006
Microsoft awaits word on EU fine
European antitrust regulators expected to announce historic fine as high as $2.55 million a day, backdated to Dec. 15.
July 11, 2006
EU may raise cap for Microsoft daily fines
Europe will raise future fines on Microsoft to $3.82 million a day if it keeps defying antitrust ruling, source says.
July 10, 2006
Previous coverage
Tough stance prompts movement by Microsoft
European Commission's hard-line approach toward the software giant appears to be bearing fruit.
July 9, 2006
Judge blocks Microsoft 'end-run' in EU antitrust case
U.S. judge nixes request to subpoena IBM, calling it a "blatant end-run around 'foreign proof-gathering restrictions.'"
April 21, 2006
News.com Poll
EU voices concerns over Microsoft's Vista
European antitrust regulators cite possible bundling of Internet search, PDF-like formatting in the next OS.
March 29, 2006
Rivals hit Microsoft with new EU complaint
ECIS accuses the software giant of acting unfairly, but Microsoft says the group is acting as a front for old foe IBM.
February 22, 2006
Microsoft attacks EU over antitrust process
European Commission rejects claims by the software giant that it has disregarded evidence, denied due process.
February 15, 2006
Keeping watch over Microsoft
Newsmaker Professor and author Neil Barrett has a new role: Letting the EC know whether the software maker is playing by the antitrust rules.
October 6, 2005
Microsoft: No easy mark
Don't let the company's newfound willingness to settle its many legal challenges make you think it'll be easy pickings for any competitor that can hire a couple of lawyers.
April 15, 2004
Europe plays hardball with Microsoft
Special coverage In a decision that could affect consumers, competitors and PC makers, the European Commission requires Microsoft to unbundle Media Player from Windows and pay a $613 million fine.
March 24, 2004
Microsoft's antitrust woes span several continents, in countries from South Korea to the United Kingdom, and have cost the software giant hundreds of millions of dollars in fines and settlement fees over the past several years.
The European Commission has had the greatest effect on prompting the software titan to change some of its business practices. Following the Commission's landmark 2004 order, Microsoft was required to share protocol information with rivals in order to aid interoperability with Windows PCs and servers, unbundle its Media Player from its operating system, and pay a fine of 497 million euros, or $613 million at the time.
The U.S. Department of Justice, as a result of actions taken by the Commission and Microsoft, essentially "reset" portions of its own 2002 Microsoft antitrust settlement to bring it more on par with the Commission's case regarding timely submission of protocol information to rivals. In May, the end of the Justice Department's monitoring period for Microsoft was extended from 2007 to 2009.
Following the Commission's 2004 order, European antitrust regulators have viewed Microsoft as dragging its feet to comply and issued a Dec. 15 deadline to come into compliance, or potentially face a daily fine of up to 2 million euros. Microsoft contended it had little guidance from the Commission on what it needed to provide and was not given enough time to meet those requirements. Undeterred, the regulators stood by their threat and on Wednesday issued a new 280.5 million euro ($357 million) fine for noncompliance.
--Dawn Kawamoto
EU fines Microsoft again
Neelie Kroes, Europe's competition commissioner, announces the ruling against Microsoft.
The announcement in full
Watch the entire Brussels press conference.
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Microsoft's deal with Real Networks
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Microsoft, Unisys take on EU data sharing
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Burying the hatchet: Microsoft and AOL Time Warner
