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Microsoft faces EC probe
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October 21, 1997: 8:35 a.m. ET
Company may have pushed European licensees to accept other software
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NEW YORK (CNNfn) - Microsoft Corp. may be fighting a battle on both sides of the Atlantic as the European Commission is conducting its own investigation of the software company's practices.
On Monday, the U.S. Justice Department charged Microsoft with ignoring an anti-competitive practices pact it reached with Justice in 1995.
U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno sought a federal judge to impose a $1 million per day fine on Microsoft for requiring PC manufacturers to bundle Microsoft's Web browser, Internet Explorer, with the Windows 95 operating system.
The European Commission has been investigating contracts between Microsoft and European Internet service providers, sources told Reuters.
Microsoft licenses software to those providers, and the EC is looking into whether the company pushed the ISP's to get licenses for other software as well.
Windows is the dominant computer operating system in the world, and regulators on both sides of the Atlantic feel that Microsoft has been using its strong position to force acceptance of its other products.
Any conclusions from the EC probe are probably months away, Reuters reported, adding that the EC hadn't yet informed Microsoft of its charges, if any.
Approximately six months ago the EC issued a "statement of objections" to Microsoft about its licensing agreements after receiving a complaint.
Currently, about 12 investigations are under way into Microsoft's practices.
-- From staff and wire reports
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