EU: 'Microsoft fate will be decided in September'

The European Commission confirmed the information will give a final ruling on whether the Microsoft software giant violated EU antitrust laws on September 17.

Microsoft filed an appeal to the Magistrates' Court shortly after being fined nearly half a billion euros by the European Commission and asked to change its business method (Windows Media Player audiovisual software cannot be sold with Windows ) in 2004.

After nearly 3 years, the Court of First Instance will finally issue a final decision on September 17, the last working day before retiring from Chief Justice Bo Vesterdorf, who has accepted the case from the beginning.

Steve Ballmer, Microsoft CEO.Source: Reuters

Back in 2004, the European Commission argued that Microsoft had violated competition laws by taking advantage of Windows's dominance to suppress and oust opponents. External software cannot run smoothly on this operating system.

Despite Microsoft's appeal, the Commission still has the right to force Microsoft to enforce its decision. The most important content in the ruling is to ask Microsoft to share the information needed to rival software companies to be compatible with Windows.

For the past three years, the Commission has repeatedly warned that the world's number one software firm has failed to comply with the 2004 ruling, deliberately not providing enough information and ignoring the Commission.

The EU also plans to reprimand Microsoft with a daily penalty, whereby every day without hesitation to make a request from the Commission, Microsoft will have to pay the corresponding amount of 3 million euros.

If Microsoft were to lose the Court of First Instance, the company still had a chance to appeal to the higher Court.

Trong Cam