About Microsoft and antimonopoly legislation.
The world leader in the sphere of development of the software for personal computers company Microsoft Corp. will let out this week in South Korea two special versions of operational systems (OS) Windows according to the decision of antimonopoly body of the country, informs Associated Press referring to the data received from an anonymous source in the company.
Release of special versions of OS Windows (one - without preestablished programs Windows Media Player and Windows Messenger, another - with references to pages on the Internet where users could download alternative versions of these programs), has been ordered in February of 2006 the decision of the Korean antimonopoly department - the Commission on fair trade - in connection with that the American company abused the leading position in the market of the country, imposing some kinds of the software to the buyers, using operational system Windows. In this connection the corporation should pay the penalty at a rate of 32.5 billion (34 million dollars), and also till August, 24th of 2006 should start to give to buyers 2 special versions of OS Windows.
The company has gone on this step after in the beginning of July of 2006 the South-Korean court has rejected the appeal of the company for a delay of application of sanctions till the moment when proceeding in this occasion will be completed. The company has agreed to execute sanctions inflicted it, intending, nevertheless, to continue protection of own position in the judicial order.
Meanwhile Microsoft it is involved in similar antimonopoly process in the Europe. In July of 2006 antimonopoly adjusting bodies of the European Union (EU) have passed the decision on imposing the penalty on Microsoft at a rate of 280.5 million euro (357 million dollars) for default of the decision of court from 2004. The court has obliged the company to give to competitors the information on program codes of system Windows. This decision has been delivered after in December 2005 the European Commission has published the application in which it was marked, that Microsoft has not executed the decision of the court which has been delivered in March 2004 when the American company have accused of abusing a leading position in the market of EU and have obliged to pay the penalty at a rate of 497 million euro, and also to give to competitors an initial code of server OS. Microsoft has paid the penalty; however, in opinion of European Commission, regarding disclosing an initial code the company has not given exact and trustworthy information.
In case Microsoft and in the further will not carry out judgments, it is threatened with new collecting - on 3 million dollars a day, since July, 31st 2006.