Microsoft's European Antitrust Lawsuit

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collaboration arrangement to enable their products to work better together and to settle all pending litigation between the two companies. The companies have also entered into agreements on patents and other issues." (Microsoft and Sun Microsystems Enter Broad Cooperation Agreement; Settle Outstanding Litigation)
The case against Microsoft has been brewing for at least six years now. The case is based on Microsoft's business practice of a concept called bundling. Microsoft desperately tried to prove in front of European competition regulators that were not breaking the European Union's antitrust laws by combining different types of software into their popular operating system that 'mandated' users to only use Microsoft products when listening to music or entering the World Wide Web. Microsoft has always contended that users either need seamless software use or demand bundled software for ease of use. "The Commission's case is built on two specific arguments. It contends ...

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a Washington-based industry trade association, which said in January that: "The latest version of Windows XP takes Microsoft's abusive practices to a new level."" (Microsoft Faces European Antitrust Scrutiny) However, the underlying tone is that Microsoft is too big and has too good a legal team to not either win or settle out of court. One of the biggest issues was that Microsoft had a fair trial. "Also attending the hearing are representatives of national competition authorities from the 15 member states and the hearings officer, Karen Williams, a E.U. official with no connection to the antitrust case team. She must steer a neutral line and ensure Microsoft gets a fair hearing." ...

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