EU forced Microsoft to sell cheap technical information

The Financial Times reported that the European Union (EU) will make Microsoft sell off to competitors its technical information that is considered sensitive and valuable in relation to the Windows operating system.

According to the antitrust lawsuit 3 years ago, the EU requires Microsoft to license the use of such information to competitors.

By the month before the EU again voiced allegations that Microsoft made competitors pay a high fee to get that information. Specifically, Microsoft wants firms to pay them 5.95% of revenue from the sale of server systems. EU threatened to raise the daily penalty to Microsoft.

Citing information from a statement denying the protection argument for the imposition of the EU fee for information purchase, the Financial Times said that Microsoft will only be allowed to impose a very small royalty fee.

" The Commission put a lot of hope that their new requirement will further facilitate Microsoft's competitors in creating fully compatible server software with Windows ," said Financial Times. .

The Financial Times said three of Microsoft's main competitors - IBM, Sun and Oracle - had considered Microsoft's pricing mechanism and agreed that the price was too high.

" The price offered by Microsoft is unacceptable, and from a business standpoint it does not allow competitors to produce products that can survive in the market ."

Responding to the Financial Times about the above information, a Microsoft spokesperson said: " Microsoft will have a full answer to the committee's rejection statement on time April 23rd. We strongly believe that We have fully complied with the rulings of the antitrust case in 2004. The terms we offer our competitors are perfectly reasonable . "

The EU declined to comment on the information posted on the Financial Times.