EU fight may last to 2009, Microsoft says

Software giant fighting European Commission fine of $613 million

By Gillian Law, IDG News Service March 24, 2004

Microsoft Corp. will appeal the fine and sanctions imposed upon it by the European Commission on Wednesday, a process that could keep the battle rumbling until 2009, Brad Smith, the company's senior vice president and general counsel, said in a conference call shortly after the Commission's decision was announced.

On Wednesday morning, the Commission fined Microsoft $613 million and ordered it to offer a version of its Windows operating system without the Windows Media Player software within 90 days.

"We have great respect for the Commission and have worked hard with (it) to get a positive result. We explored a number of proposals, with significant concessions from Microsoft, but ... the Commission decided to adopt a negative decision," Microsoft's Europe, Middle East and Africa chairman Patrick de Smedt said during the call.

If the Commission had accepted the solution proposed by Microsoft, which called for bundling its Media Player alongside three competing media players in the Windows operating system, the company could now be getting on with business, Smith said. As it is, Microsoft will now ask the European Court of First Instance to review the decision and stay or suspend the sanctions, particularly the order to create a second version of Windows, he said.
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http://www.infoworld.com/article/04/03/24/HNeugfightmaylast_1.html