Software maker's browser promise

Oct 8 2009 By The Journal

THE world’s biggest software maker Microsoft has made concessions to settle two European Union anti-trust trust cases by agreeing to give consumers more information about web browsers.

And now the EU is investigating whether the company is keeping up its promises to curb anti-competitive practises by consulting PC makers, software firms and consumers on the company’s offer to allow users to pick different browsers when they install Windows.

The proposed accord addresses EU concerns that computer users didn’t have a real "choice between Internet Explorer and competing Web browsers," said the European Commission.

Microsoft’s Windows operating system would present users with a screen explaining Web browsers and include a choice of rival browsers, the EU said.

The Competition Commissioner is trying to resolve years of conflict with Microsoft by settling the antitrust cases this year which would mean no further penalty for Microsoft, which has already been fined £1.54bn.

The commissioner Neelie Kroes said: "I’m absolutely of the opinion that this is a trustful deal that we’re making. I trust Microsoft."

Microsoft General Counsel Brad Smith said the announcement is a "big step" towards resolving differences with the EU. He said he expects to reach a final deal by the year’s end.

"It’s important to resolve the competition law issues that have been on the agenda for more than a decade," he added.

In July, Microsoft proposed a consumer choice screen that let users pick from different browsers. The commission then asked Microsoft to improve the choice screen, which it has now done. The latest proposal, and the one which the EU is consulting on, features a choice of 12 browsers.

Microsoft also made "further improvements" to its offer to disclose information that would allow competing word - processing and spreadsheet products to function more smoothly with its Word and Excel programs, the commission said.

The agreement, which would last five years, would allow PC makers to install competing Web browsers, set them as a default program and to disable Internet Explorer, it added.

The commission will publish the settlement plan on October 9 in its Official Journal and rivals and consumer groups will have a chance to comment.