Microsoft Guilty in Europe

EU Antitrust Commission has just fined Microsoft 899 million Euro on 27 February 2008.

The commission announced that “Microsoft failed to comply with its obligation under the 2004 Decision for nearly three years after its application for interim measures was rejected by the President of the Court of First Instance on 22 December 2004. During this period Microsoft was able to continue to reap the benefits of its illegal refusal to disclose interoperability information to the detriment of innovation and consumers”.

As a note, this is the first time in 50 years of EU competition policy that the Commission has had to fine for failure to comply with an antitrust decision as Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes said to BBC.

For further readings:
News from BBC can be read here.
Press release of the decision can be found here.
FAQ for the decision is here.