Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) wants to make nice with the European Union, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal.
The world's biggest software company is accused of intentionally keeping its code under wraps so that servers made by companies like Sun Microsystems(Nasdaq: SUNW) have difficulty communicating with personal computers running Windows. It's also charged with abusing its market position to promote the bundled Windows Media Player at the expense of rival music software.
The Redmond, Wash.-based company will soon present a series of proposals to the European Commission, the executive body of the E.U. In the document, Microsoft will lay out exactly how it intends to resolve European regulators' anti-trust concerns. The company hopes it can point to its U.S. settlement with the Justice Department as evidence that many of the E.U.'s concerns have been alleviated.
However, the commission may suggest Microsoft needs solutions better tailored to Europe. Industry groups unhappy with the U.S. settlement have been lobbying the E.U. to bring down harsher penalties on the company. Regulators want Microsoft to remove its Media Player from Windows altogether and sell it separately, for example.
In its settlement with the Justice Department, on the other hand, Microsoft agreed to let computer makers and end customers hide icons for certain Windows software, but the programs would still be a part of Windows. It also agreed to disclose some of its code to rivals to ensure better compatibility.
The commission can either settle with Microsoft, much like the Justice Department did, or it can impose remedies upon the company. Microsoft will, of course, likely appeal any judgment handed down from the E.U.
LouAnn Lofton owns shares of Microsoft.
