European Union may severely punish Microsoft

[Warren Togami]

Microsoft may face huge fine from EU
http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,2817132,00.html

WASHINGTON -- European antitrust enforcers may seek a massive fine from
Microsoft Corp. and demand that it drop some features from its dominant
Windows software, according to a confidential European Commission document
outlining its case.
The commission, in unusually harsh language, also alleged that Microsoft
misled investigators and sought to obstruct the case. As a result, any fine
would be higher than it would have been if Microsoft cooperated, the
document states. The commission, the European Union's executive body, has
authority to impose a fine of as much as 10 percent of Microsoft's annual
revenue, or $2.5 billion...

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European Commission Accuses Microsoft of Deceit
http://www.osopinion.com/perl/story/14063.html

The European Commission (EC) has accused Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) of
trying to obstruct an investigation into the company's alleged antitrust
behavior, and of misleading investigators by falsely presenting supporting
evidence, according to published reports.
The EC, which is conducting an antitrust investigation into Microsoft
separately from the U.S. government's case, may seek a heavier fine -- up to
$2.5 billion -- because of the company's alleged obstruction and deception,
the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday, citing a confidential European
Union (EU) document that purportedly outlines the case against the world's
largest computer software maker...