News: Page (1) of 1 - 10/24/12

EU regulators to charge Microsoft over browser choice: source

US-EU-MICROSOFT:EU regulators to charge Microsoft over browser choice: source

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - EU antitrust regulators are set to charge Microsoft on Wednesday for breaching a 2009 ruling ordering it to offer a choice of web browsers to consumers, the first step to a possible hefty fine, a source familiar with the matter said.

The world's No. 1 software company agreed with the European Commission three years ago to offer browser choices, in a bid to settle an antitrust investigation and avoid a penalty that could have been as much as 10 percent of its global turnover.

But the EU Commission, which acts as antitrust watchdog in the European Union, said in July this year that Microsoft had not complied with the order from February last year until then. The company blamed the lapse on a technical problem.

EU Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia will hold a news conference around 6 a.m. EDT to announce his decision.

(Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; editing by Rex Merrifield)

Page: 1

Related Keywords:US , EU , MICROSOFT