EU Goes After Microsoft (Yes, Again)

New investigation comes just months after court victory over company

By Laila Weir, Newser User

Posted Jan 14, 2008 2:21 PM CST

(Newser) – The European Commission today again took aim at Microsoft, launching its first new antitrust investigations since the 1990s. Two probes will expand the principles of the last EU court victory over Microsoft—which a court upheld 4 months ago—to Office, Microsoft’s email tools, and Internet Explorer, reports the Financial Times.

Complaints from Microsoft competitors, including an alliance of companies called ECIS, sparked the investigation. ECIS says Microsoft has failed to disclose information about Office necessary for rivals to make software products that can operate with it. The commission said it will examine whether “a range of products have been unlawfully tied to sales of Microsoft’s dominant operating system.”

Microsoft chairman Bill Gates speaks at the keynote address at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Sunday, Jan. 6, 2008. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma) (Associated Press)

Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates delivers a keynote speech during the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) at the Venetian hotel and casino in Las Vegas on Sunday, Jan. 6. 2007. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) (Associated Press)

Microsoft's Brad Smith walks by an European flags after the EU high court in Luxembourg, ruling that dismissed Microsoft Corp.'s appeal of its landmark antitrust conviction, Monday, Sept. 17, 2007. (AP... (Associated Press)

Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates walks off the stage while showing a video clip during his keynote speech at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) at the Venetian Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Sunday, Jan.... (Associated Press)

European Commissioner for Competition Neelie Kroes speaks during a media conference regarding Microsoft at EU headquarters in Brussels, Monday Sept. 17, 2007. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo) (Associated Press)

Microsoft chairman Bill Gates speaks at keynote address at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Sunday, Jan. 6, 2008 . (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma) (Associated Press)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

More Newser Stories

Tech Leaders Unite Against Microsoft

Nokia, IBM, Oracle join EU antitrust case over Explorer's dominance

(NEWSER) - A technology consortium whose members include IBM, Nokia, and Oracle has joined the European Commission’s antitrust case against Microsoft, the Financial Times reports. The consortium, Ecis, joins Google and the Mozilla Foundation in accusing Microsoft of using Windows to distort the web browser market in favor of Internet Explorer. Ecis member firms will testify against Microsoft, which was notified of the complaint by the EU's executive branch in January. More»

Microsoft Tries to Appease EU With Blueprints

But skeptical regulators say it's deja vu from US software giant

(NEWSER) - Microsoft plans to share the secrets of its most popular products, the company announced today, in an effort to satisfy EU regulators who want the software giant to improve its interoperability. The European Commission did cautiously applaud the move, but noted that Microsoft has already made at least four similar statements, to little effect, the Wall Street Journal reports. More»

EU Antitrust Regulators Target Google

They say it discriminated against rivals in search results

(NEWSER) - Google is in hot water with EU antitrust authorities over allegations that it discriminated against rivals in its search results, and barred some websites from using rival ad services with its AdSense contracts. The European Commission will also investigate allegations that Google makes it difficult for advertisers to move data like search terms from AdWords to other services. The accusations all spring from an antitrust suit filed by Microsoft, and other Google rivals, Bloomberg reports. More»

EU Launches Antitrust Probe of Google

Some observers see Microsoft-like trouble ahead

(NEWSER) - The European Union has begun an antitrust investigation into Google after a handful of sites that compete on some level with Google alleged that it was pushing them unfairly down its search rankings. One of the sites, Ciao.de , is a subsidiary of Microsoft, the Wall Street Journal reports. Another site, Foundem.co.uk, is a member of a Microsoft-led consortium fighting Google in Europe, a Google lawyer wrote on a company blog. More»

EU Closes Microsoft Antitrust Case

No fines assessed, thanks to deal to add browsers on Windows 7

(NEWSER) - The EU formally ended its decade-long antitrust battle against Microsoft today, consummating a deal made this summer. Microsoft has agreed to include rival browsers, including Firefox, Safari, and Google Chrome, on European releases of Windows 7. In exchange, it won’t be assessed yet another fine—EU regulators have fined the big M more than $2 billion for various antitrust infractions. More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

EU Goes After Microsoft (Yes, Again)

New investigation comes just months after court victory over company

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Microsoft • European Union • antitrust • software • European Commission • ECIS

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Tech Leaders Unite Against Microsoft

Nokia, IBM, Oracle join EU antitrust case over Explorer's dominance

Microsoft Tries to Appease EU With Blueprints

But skeptical regulators say it's deja vu from US software giant

EU Antitrust Regulators Target Google

They say it discriminated against rivals in search results

EU Launches Antitrust Probe of Google

Some observers see Microsoft-like trouble ahead

EU Closes Microsoft Antitrust Case

No fines assessed, thanks to deal to add browsers on Windows 7

About Us

Site

Newser By Users

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?

EU Goes After Microsoft (Yes, Again)

New investigation comes just months after court victory over company

Bookmark & Share

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Microsoft • European Union • antitrust • software • European Commission • ECIS

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Tech Leaders Unite Against Microsoft

Nokia, IBM, Oracle join EU antitrust case over Explorer's dominance

Microsoft Tries to Appease EU With Blueprints

But skeptical regulators say it's deja vu from US software giant

EU Antitrust Regulators Target Google

They say it discriminated against rivals in search results

EU Launches Antitrust Probe of Google

Some observers see Microsoft-like trouble ahead

EU Closes Microsoft Antitrust Case

No fines assessed, thanks to deal to add browsers on Windows 7

About Us

Site

Newser By Users

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?