EU Browser Settlement Reached

Microsoft and European antitrust regulators have reached a final settlement in an investigation into unfair competition in the market for Web browsers. Under the settlement, OEMs and users will be provided interfaces to hide Microsoft’s Internet Explorer and install other browsers, and Microsoft will not face a fine at this time. However, other legal disputes with European regulators, including a parallel investigation into interoperability, continue.

Final Terms, for Now

The European Commission (EC), which handles fair competition enforcement for the European Union (EU), launched the investigation in early 2008 after complaints from Norwegian browser maker Opera. Opera claimed that Microsoft’s practice of bundling Internet Explorer (IE) with Windows had stifled competition in the browser market and that IE’s subsequent dominance had hampered the adoption of browser-neutral design standards by Web sites. In Jan. 2009, the EC issued a formal statement of objections essentially agreeing with Opera’s complaint and suggesting it was considering sanctions.