According to reports, the Commission was not satisfied by an
offer to include rivals' software in a package of CDs included with
new PCs.
Rumours abound over the outcome of the Commission's
investigation into Microsoft. Launched in 1998, it is seeking to
clarify and if necessary rectify allegations that the company
failed to give competitors details of the hardware specifications
necessary to integrate non-Microsoft software into corporate
networks.
An official ruling is not expected until the spring, but rumours
surfaced early this month that the decision will go against
Microsoft.
At the time European Competition Commissioner Mario Monti
confirmed that a draft decision has been reached, but he refused to
reveal its details, nor comment on press speculation that the
company will be fined €100 million – less than 0.4% of its global
annual turnover.
According to a report on Tuesday in the Financial Times,
Microsoft has recently offered to package rivals' software into CDs
that will be included as standard with a newly purchased PC, only
to have the offer rejected by the Commission. Reuters reports
sources close to the Commission as saying that the Commission felt
that the CDs were unlikely to be used.
Neither the Commission nor Microsoft have made any official
comment.
