Originally published Tuesday, February 26, 2008 at 12:00 AM
EU may fine Microsoft $2.2 billion
European Union regulators may fine Microsoft for failing to comply with a 2004 antitrust order to charge "reasonable" fees for patent licenses...
European Union regulators may fine Microsoft for failing to comply with a 2004 antitrust order to charge "reasonable" fees for patent licenses on operating-system software, three people familiar with the matter said.
The fine may be announced as soon as Wednesday, said the people, who declined to be identified because the decision isn't public. Microsoft said in a Jan. 24 U.S. regulatory filing that the penalty may be as much as 1.5 billion euros ($2.2 billion).
Microsoft has tried to allay European antitrust concerns, announcing last week that it will help competitors' software work better with some products, such as Office. It also sought to limit potential EU fines, which already total 775 million euros in the 2004 case, by agreeing in October to make network data available to open-source software developers so their server software can connect to Windows.
Tom Brookes, a Microsoft spokesman in Brussels, and Jonathan Todd, a spokesman for the European Commission, the EU's antitrust regulator in Brussels, declined to comment.
The EU's penalty isn't related to Microsoft's announcement last week on easing compatibility problems with rivals' products. The commission's fine is based entirely on the company's noncompliance with the 2004 antitrust order.
On March 1, 2007, the EU threatened the company with millions of euros in daily fines backdated to December 2005 for failing to fully comply with a March 2004 antitrust order.
Under that decision, for which the company was fined a record 497 million euros, Microsoft had to provide data to rivals to allow their servers to connect to the Windows platform. When patent licenses were necessary for that network data, Microsoft was required to charge "reasonable" royalties.
Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company
Glass half full for Microsoft shareholders
Future bright for Microsoft cloud computing, server president says
Mood should be merrier at Microsoft shareholders meeting
Microsoft's Windows Azure cloud-computing platform goes live Jan. 1

LA Galaxy's David Beckham
Los Angeles Galaxy's David Beckham talks about the upcoming MLS Cup final during after a team practice.
nwjobs

Post a comment

Michelle Goodman blogs about work/life balance.
How to tell your office you're gravely ill
Post a comment
nwautos

Choosing a new sedan? Weigh the impact of your choice on your wallet and on the planet.
Post a comment
- 'The Road' takes Viggo Mortensen to Mount St. Helens and Astoria, Ore.
- Craigslist adoption ad: A plea by young mother-to-be? A scam?
- Italian lead prosecutor argues Knox motive was hatred
- Italian prosecutors request life sentence for UW student
- Child-support error costs nearly $21,000
- Man shot in chest on E. Union Street in Capitol Hill
- Tugboat sinks on Seattle's waterfront
- Washington state wines make annual best-of list
- Mariners Blog | A Mariners-Tigers swap makes a whole lot of sense for both teams
- Lynnwood is reinventing itself — again
- Senate vote clears hurdle
234 - Tight Senate vote launches health care over hurdle
119 - Child-support error costs nearly $21,000
117 - Palin excitement builds in Tri-Cities
115 - Vikings easily beat the Seahawks
108 - Prosecutor requests life in prison for Amanda Knox
87 - Cutting through breast-cancer confusion
86 - Game thread
70 - New York terror trials will restore faith in rule of law
52 - Chase shrugs off loss of CD investors
46
- Washington state wines make annual best-of list
- Nonprofits get creative using Twitter and Facebook to make donation easier
- It's possible to recover a life lost to hoarding
- Lynnwood is reinventing itself — again
- Great places to cross-country ski for free (or almost) in the Methow
- Child-support error costs nearly $21,000
- 'The Road' takes Viggo Mortensen to Mount St. Helens and Astoria, Ore.
- Recipes: Sesame Pork Roast, Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes, Gingerbread with Lemon Sauce and more
- Banff: powder, peaks & purity
- 175 foster kids in Washington get 'forever families'





