European Commision reusmes hostilities with Microsoft

There’s  been an interesting new twist in the browser wars. The European Commission have issued a new ruling stating that Microsoft are harming competition by bundling Internet Explorer with Windows. They claim that Microsoft tying the browser to their operating system “Harms competition between web browsers, undermines product innovation and ultimately reduces consumer choice,” – Statement.

It took the European Commission two years to get to this point after an investigation which was instigated after complaints from the team behind the Opera browser. The EC have delivered a statement of objections to Microsoft HQ, to which they have eight weeks to respond.

This is not the first time Microsoft has been censured by the commission. In 2004 they were fined a massive €497 million euros for the same sort of thing, followed by a €280 million euro fine in 2006 and, last year, they received a further €899 million Euro fine for not complying with the previous rulings and fines. Microsoft is the first company to be fined by the EC for non compliance.

IE is still by far the most popular browser with about 70% of market share. This ruling however, is another example of why it is going to have to start competing on merit in 2009. That may be difficult, especially with Chrome and Firefox growing in popualrity by the day.

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