Europe's antitrust chief has sent the strongest signal yet that Microsoft faces heavy financial penalties after the software giant failed to include a "browser choice" screen for European users in the latest version of
Windows 7.
In an interview
with the AFP news agency, European Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia reportedly said that fault had been admitted and said the European Commission needed to "react," suggesting heavy fines were on the way.
"The fault is there, it has been there for more than a year and it is clear that we need to react," he said, adding: "It is not only the distortion of competition during this period which concerns us; it is very serious, from my point of view, that the remedies imposed on Microsoft have not been applied."
He added that it would be easier for European authorities to progress in its investigation "if a company which has broken competition rules recognizes the fact."
