Microsoft Off the EU Hook Over IE Antitrust

Computergram International, May 11, 1999

The European Commission has cleared Microsoft Corp's strategy for licensing Internet Explorer to internet service providers after over two years of legal debate. In February 1997, the Commission began to investigate whether MS was breaking EU competition laws by insisting that ISPs wishing to license IE did so on the condition they met certain distribution targets and agreed not to promote competing browsers.

A year later MS backed down, changing its deals with 30 European ISPs and altering its contracts for future licensing. The EU's DG-IV yesterday issued MS a 'comfort letter' clearing its new licensing structure.