European Commission fined Microsoft in $ 2.2 billion.

The EC (European Commission, executive body of the European Union) announced here Wednesday the application of a fine of 899 million euros (about $ 2.2 billion) to Microsoft for not fulfilling certain obligations in 2004 to correct violations competition rules.

The fine represents the largest amount already charged by block to a single company for failing to comply with a ruling. The committee says that the company North American charged excessive prices to its competitors to give essential information about its software, so that other companies fabricassem compatible products.
Yves Herman / Reuters
Neelie Kroes, the EU Commissioner, said that Microsoft antitrust decision descumpriu
Neelie Kroes, the EU Commissioner, said that Microsoft did not obey the antitrust decision

In 2004, after concluding that Microsoft had abused its position of dominance in the market for information technology, the EU executive body established that the company should provide information to other companies. On that occasion, the company also stated millionaire pay a fine amounting to 497 million euros (about $ 1.25 billion).

The decision was supported by the Court of Justice in September 2007, but, according to the EC, Microsoft only began to keep it properly on October 22 last year.

"Microsoft is the first company in 50 years of EU competition policy, the Commission needs fine for not comply with an antitrust decision," said EU Commissioner, Neelie Kroes.

Interoperability

On release, Microsoft said that will examine this new decision of the EC and also cited the announcement he made last week concerning their new principles of interoperability, stating that has made specific actions to increase the openness of information on their products.

"We are reviewing the action of the Commission. In October 2007, the EC had announced that Microsoft had complied with its decision of 2004, so these fines relate to things past that were resolved," says the note.

Kroes said that the fine today punishes the breach between March 2004 and October 2007, and is not about the new research newly launched against Microsoft, also for abuse of dominant position.

The computer company is accused of hindering the compatibility of the program include illegally Office and the Explorer browser as part of the Windows operating system.

The Commissioner also said that the take for more than three years due to excessive prices transfer of essential information, the company North American non encouraged innovation in the market for computer programs.

Regarding the high value of the fine, Kroes said that is proportional to the severity and duration of the practices of anticoncorrência.

"We could have gone further," he added Kroes, stating that with this sanction, the Commission makes clear that does not want promises, "but comply."