In European Court, a Small Victory for Microsoft
Posted in: Government & Policy at 28/06/2012 14:30
A European Union court on Wednesday largely upheld a billion-dollar penalty against Microsoft, a decision that could mark the end of an era in antitrust law in which regulators used big fines to bring technology giants to heel.
The General Court, the second highest in the Union, handed a small victory to Microsoft by reducing the fine by €39 million, to €860 million, or $1.1 billion, finding that the European Commission had miscalculated the amount.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/28/business/global/in-european-court-a-small-victory-for-microsoft.html
Also see:
Microsoft loses EU battle, fine trimmed by 4.3 percent
Microsoft Corp lost its appeal against an EU decision penalising it for defying an antitrust ruling, bringing nearer to an end a decade-long battle with the European Commission over the U.S. software group's business practices.
Antitrust experts said the verdict by the General Court, Europe's second-highest, may strengthen the Commission's hand in ongoing cases against Google, Samsung Electronics and Motorola Mobility related to their patents.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/06/27/oukin-uk-eu-microsoft-idUKBRE85Q0U620120627
http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/06/27/eu-microsoft-idINDEE85Q08C20120627
Microsoft Dealt Blow in Europe
Microsoft Corp. suffered a blow in its long-running battle with European Union regulators Wednesday, as Europe's second-highest court upheld a billion dollar fine imposed in 2008 for failing to comply with an order to share product information with competitors.
The European General Court did reduce the fine slightly -- to €860 million ($1.07 billion) from €899 million -- but it rejected the software giant's argument that the European Commission, the EU's executive arm, wasn't justified in imposing the penalty for failing to obey orders four year earlier to open up the software market to rivals.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303649504577492111764272538.html
Microsoft says disappointed with EU court antitrust ruling
Microsoft expressed disappointment on Wednesday with a court ruling that rejected its challenge to an EU antitrust decision, but the software giant did not say if it would appeal the verdict.
"Although the General Court slightly reduced the fine, we are disappointed with the court's ruling," Microsoft said in a statement.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/06/27/uk-eu-microsoft-comments-idUKBRE85Q0C720120627
http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/06/27/eu-microsoft-comments-idINDEE85Q07F20120627
