FYI: EU warns on Microsoft behaviour

[Henk Elegeert]

REPLY TO: D66 at nic.surfnet.nl

"
EU warns on Microsoft behaviour

Microsoft has not done enough to comply with sanctions
imposed for breaking European anti-trust rules, the European
Commission (EC) has said.

[Microsoft is under pressure to close security holes]

The software giant was censured in 2004 for misusing its
monopoly position in desktop PCs to extend its reach into
other areas.

The firm agreed to a 497m euro ($660m, £345m) fine and to
make its software work better with competitors' products.

But an EC spokesman said Microsoft was failing to deliver on
its commitments.


Dominance concerns

"On the basis of market test results, we have serious doubts
that Microsoft is complying with the interoperability
remedy," EU competition spokesman Jonathan Todd said.

The European Commission said the group had failed on four
counts. It was difficult for companies that wanted to
licence Microsoft data protocols to get access to its
documentation.

Furthermore, companies which wanted to take out a licence
would have to pay for an extensive one that also covered
items they did not want.

Another limitation was that developers of open source
software, which compete with Microsoft in providing software
for server computers, could not gain access to the protocols.

But the biggest problem, said Mr Todd, was that: "It would
appear that the level of royalties applied would be
unjustified."

Interoperability

Interoperability has long been the main charge levelled
against the Seattle-based firm, whose Windows operating
system powers nine out of 10 personal computers around the
world.

Its dominance is much less marked in the market for servers
- larger computers which store and distribute data and run
networks - and for audio-video software.

In both areas, the EC ruled that Microsoft had made it more
difficult for other companies to make their products
compatible with Windows PCs - restricting their markets and
boosting its own market share.

Under European Union law, companies with dominance in a
market face restrictions on their use of that power to
leverage market share elsewhere.

Microsoft said it was pleased to have the results of the
European Commission's market testing "as it enables us to
respond promptly in an appropriate way to work through the
issues raised with the Commission".

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/business/4360577.stm

Published: 2005/03/18 11:40:26 GMT
"

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