Microsoft receives hearing date in antitrust case

 

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By Reuters

Posted on 5 May 2009 at 10:34

The EU has set a hearing date for Microsoft to respond orally to EU charges that it harmed competition by tying Internet Explorer to Windows.

The closed hearing will run for two days from the 3 June and represents "an opportunity for Microsoft to state orally the arguments it outlined in its response to the statement of objections," says European Commission spokesman Jonathan Todd.

The EU's executive arm charged Microsoft on 15 January with infringing EU rules by abusing its dominant position. The EU claims that by bundling Internet Explorer with Windows, Microsoft "shielded" its browser from head-to-head competition with rival products, harming innovation and reducing customer choice.

If found guilty, Microsoft may be obligated to bundle multiple browsers with Windows-based computers. It could also get a hefty fine.

Microsoft was fined 899 million euros ($1.2 billion) in February on charges it used high prices to thwart rivals and for not complying with a previous antitrust decision by the Commission.