Microsoft keeps mum on EC deal

Midnight deadline passes

By Gavin Clarke in San Francisco • Get more from this author

Posted in Operating Systems, 1st June 2005 07:47 GMT

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Microsoft played its cards close to its chest on a possible antitrust deal with European regulators last night, as an EU midnight deadline came and went.

A Microsoft spokesman told The Register at midnight, that Microsoft is working to comply with the EU's 2004 ruling but had nothing to "announce or comment on".

European Union (EU) regulators had given Microsoft until midnight on Tuesday to comply with its ruling. On Tuesday, regulators said they would take until July to decide whether or not to impose additional fines on Microsoft.

Failure to comply could see Microsoft fined five per cent of its daily revenue - estimated to be worth $6.25m - each day until it falls into line. According to analyst projections, Microsoft could lose 12 per cent of earnings from its current fiscal year, which will finish at the end of June.

Penalities would follow an initial fine in 2004 after Microsoft was found to have abused its market position. The EC also ruled Microsoft should share its APIs with competitors and develop a version of Windows XP that ships without Media Player - the point that appears to be causing friction.

Regulators have done little to hide their displeasure with Microsoft over its level of compliance, despite continuing talks between the two sides. ®