New documents filed in Microsoft antitrust case

23 November 2006

Microsoft has handed over new documents to the EU as it continues in its efforts to comply with a 2004 ruling by the European Commission.

However, officials have advised that an analysis of the revised documents will take months, meaning that a decision is unlikely to be forthcoming until the second quarter of 2007.

The commission's 2004 ruling found that Microsoft had abused its position as the operating system market leader, and did not make sufficient allowance for the needs of other software developers.

Microsoft's latest move does signify a willingness to co-operate with the commission's demands. Earlier this year the company was fined £190 million, on top of an initial £300 million fine, for perceived delaying tactics.

Earlier this month Microsoft reached a landmark deal with rival software company Novell, which received £280 million from Microsoft in 2004 as part of a separate antitrust deal.

However, last week saw a series of contradictory statements being issued by either side, which culminated in Microsoft saying that it had "agreed to disagree" with Novell on interpretations of the patent agreement partnership.

Category: Miscellaneous