March 6 (Reuters) – The European Commission imposed a 561
million euro ($730.78 million) fine on Microsoft on
Wednesday for breaking a pledge to offer European consumers a
choice of web browsers.
Here are some key events in Microsoft’s relationship with EU
antitrust regulators:
1998 – The European Commission opens an investigation into
Microsoft over operating system interoperability issues, after a
complaint from Sun Microsystems.
2000 – The Commission begins investigating the tying of
Microsoft’s Media Player with its operating system.
2004 – Regulators impose a 497 million euro fine on
Microsoft for not making data available to rivals and for tying
Media Player to its operating system.
2006 – The Commission levies an additional 280.5 million
euro fine for Microsoft’s failure to comply with the 2004 EU
order to provide data to rivals.
2008 – Regulators open two new investigations, one into
interoperability issues, and a second into browser choice.
2008 – The Commission imposes a 899 million euro fine, its
second additional penalty, after Microsoft again fails to comply
with the 2004 EU order.
2009 – Microsoft settles the 2008 investigation into browser
choice with an offer to allow access to rival products.
2012 – Europe’s second highest court reduces the 2008 fine
to 860 million euros from 899 million euros, on appeal by
Microsoft.
2013 – Competition regulators impose a 561 million euro fine
for not complying with the 2009 promise on web browser choice.
Sources: European Commission, Microsoft
