Reprieve granted in EU antitrust case

Microsoft won a three-week extension to respond to allegations by European regulators that it isn't complying with a March 2004 antitrust order.

Microsoft must supply information on its Windows operating system to competitors, as required under the European Commission's antitrust order, or it may be fined as much as 2 million euros ($2.5 million) a day, the commission said Dec. 22.

The commission has given Microsoft an extension to Feb. 15, moving back a deadline originally set for Wednesday.

Microsoft had requested the extension because of the year-end holidays, Microsoft spokesman Tom Brookes said.

Microsoft was ordered by European Union regulators to sell a version of Windows without a music and video player and to license information on the inner workings of the operating system to competitors. The company is appealing.