EC moots more charges against Microsoft

Bundling-related, apparently

By John Oates • Get more from this author

Posted in Software, 20th September 2005 14:34 GMT

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The European Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes has said she won't be waiting for the outcome of Microsoft's appeal against the original anti-trust charges before she decides whether or not to start another law suit against the firm.

Kroes said the Competition Commission has already received more complaints against Microsoft and was going ahead and investigating them.

"We have had informal complaints, and we are using our time now to look at them. We're not going to wait and do nothing," Kroes told the New York Times. She said the complaints concerned the bundling of Microsoft products but refused to give details.

The Commission has already hit Microsoft with a record-breaking €497m fine and told it to change some aspects of its products.

A Microsoft spokesperson told El Reg: "We have kept the Commission very closely informed of all Microsoft’s plans for new technology development and we will continue to respond quickly and comprehensively to any request for information."

Kroes is no stranger to controversy: earlier this week she publicly praised Angela Merkel, head of Germany's conservative Christian Democrat party and one of the candidates in Germany's still-disputed election. Kroes was a Dutch MP and minister and has sat on numerous company boards including Royal P&O, Lucent Technologies and Volvo Group.

More details on the NYT here.

Or you can go to Ms Kroes's website here ®

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