Microsoft faces EU antitrust fine

US technology giant Microsoft is set to be heavily punished by European regulators after breaking an antitrust promise, with reports suggesting a fine running into hundreds of millions of dollars.

Microsoft: broken promises

According to a report in the Guardian newspaper today, European Union antitrust enforcers will move against the Redmond-based software developer after it broke a promise to offer consumers using its Windows system a choice of rival Internet browsers.

Competition

EU competition commissioner, Joaquín Almunia, is expected to make an example of Microsoft when announcing the fine today.
Under EU rules, Microsoft could be fined up to 10 per cent of its fiscal 2012 revenues – which amounts to almost £5 billion – but a fine of that magnitude is not expected.
Both the European commission and Microsoft declined to comment.

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