Sources: Agencies
 Microsoft urged to cut market share. |
The EU competition commissioner has warned Microsoft to comply with its legal duties to desist from engaging in anti-competitive ways.
Neelie Kroes, who took on the case from former Commissioner Mario Monti, said that she expects Microsoft to cut its dominant market share to comply with a 2004 European Commission anti-trust ruling.
The warning came hours after the European Court of First Instance, Europe's second-highest court, upheld most of the European Commission's ruling against Microsoft, including a record fine of 497 million Euros, ($690 million).
The Luxembourg-based court confirmed that Microsoft had used its massive share in operating systems in personal computers to crush rivals in other linked markets.
"The court has upheld a landmark commission decision to give consumers more choice in software markets. The decision sets an important precedent in terms of the obligations of dominant companies to allow competition, in particular, high tech industries," Kroes said.
She noted the court ruling shows that the commission was right in taking its decision.
Kroes vowed to make certain that the US software giant would respect the Commission's decision, saying "The commission will do its utmost to ensure that Microsoft complies swiftly.''
