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March 24, 2004
EU Orders Microsoft to End Monopoly Abuse
European Union regulators ordered U.S. software giant Microsoft Corp on Wednesday to pay a record fine for violating EU antitrust law and change its business model fundamentally to stop crushing rivals. The European Commission said Microsoft must act within four months to give competitors in audio-visual software and servers used in millions of offices in Europe a fairer chance to compete "because the illegal behavior is still going on."
The Commission -- enforcer of EU competition law -- levied a record 497.2 million euros ($611.8 million) fine, ordered the unbundling of Windows Media Player within 90 days and required that "complete and accurate" information be given to rival makers of computer servers within 120 days. "Today's decision restores the conditions for fair competition in the market concerned and establishes clear principles for the future conduct of a company with such a strong dominant position," Competition Commissioner Mario Monti said.
In a historic decision mirroring a U.S. appeals court finding, the Commission described Windows, which runs on more than 95 percent of all personal computers, as a "near monopoly."
Cindy
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