Microsoft Faces Final Tussle Over Antitrust Fine in Brussels

The European Commission's antitrust case against Microsoft is nearing its end as the software company's lawyers face off against the Commission in the European Union's top court over a €899m fine imposed for non-compliance with a decision made several years earlier. Microsoft argues that it was given insufficient guidance by the Commission to rectify the situation and avoid the fine, while the Commission defends its stance. The outcome of this case is being closely watched for its implications on future competition policy and the way Brussels approaches antitrust decisions.

Key Takeaways:

• Microsoft is facing a €899m fine imposed by the European Commission for non-compliance with a decision made in 2009.
• The fine is the largest issued penalty in the European Union's history of competition policy.
• Microsoft has consistently argued that it was given insufficient guidance by the Commission to rectify the situation and avoid the fine.
• The Commission, however, defended its stance, and more than half a dozen groups, including commercial rivals like IBM, intervened in the case.
• The case is being closely watched for its implications on future competition policy and the way Brussels approaches antitrust decisions.

Statistics:

• The fine at issue is €899m ($1.2bn).
• The combined amount of the two fines (€899m and €497m) remains the largest issued penalty in the European Union's history of competition policy.
• The European Commission's penalties have resulted in a total of €1.4bn in fines against Microsoft.
• The oral hearings at the Luxembourg courts are relatively short and most of the arguments are dealt with on paper.
• The court may take months to reach its decision, and possibly up to a year.

Sources:

• www.ft.com/microsoft