Compliance Toolkit

Microsoft prepares EU appeal

Ina Fried CNET News

Published: 03 Jun 2004 09:15 BST

Microsoft plans to file next week its formal appeal of a European Union ruling that the software giant violated antitrust law and should be fined and made to curtail its business practices.

Microsoft had vowed to appeal as soon as the decision was announced last March. In its decision, the EU fined Microsoft a record €497m and also ordered it to offer a version of Windows without a bundled media player. The EU also ordered the company to disclose more technical information to rivals.

"We intend to file our appeal sometime next week," Microsoft spokesman Jim Desler said on Wednesday.

Microsoft's appeal will be to the Court of First Instance in Luxembourg. The company has contended that the decision would harm its ability to innovate.

"We look forward to filing our appeal and believe we have a very strong case to present to the court," Desler said.

European regulators have said they believe that the ruling will hold up to any legal challenge.

"Of course, I'm confident we have produced a decision that will stand before any appeal," European Competition Commissioner Mario Monti said at a March press conference.

Microsoft is also expected to ask the Court of First Instance to delay any imposition of the remedies, but that request is not expected to be filed until later in June.