COMPETITION/IT : KROES DROPS BROWSER CHARGES AGAINST MICROSOFT.

The European Commission has closed its anti-trust case regarding Microsoft's bundling Internet Explorer with Windows. It has let it be known for several months that it would accept the "commitments" taken by the Redmond-based company. On 16 December 2009 in Brussels, it made them binding for five years. As of mid-March, users of Windows, the Microsoft operating system that runs on 90% of the world's PCs, will have the choice of 12 web browsers (see below).

Before taking over the digital agenda portfolio, the competition commissioner has therefore closed one of the biggest anti-trust files that she has had to deal with. During her term, Neelie Kroes has raised Microsoft's total bill to 1.676 billion fordifferent abuses of dominant position.

Accused once again at the beginning of the year, Microsoft this time escaped a fine - which could have been as much as 10% of turnover - by proposing a ballot screen', which passed the competitors' test'. In practice, this unbiased' window will give access to the 12 most commonly used browsers on Windows: Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox (its main competitor) and Opera, as well as Google Chrome, Apple Safari, AOL, Maxthon, K-Meleon, Flock, Avant Browser, Sleipnir and Slim Browser. Competing products will be able to be used alongside or instead of Internet Explorer.

"All the brands must be on display," the commissioner summed up, estimating that the choice will benefit "more than 100 million PC users in Europe as of mid-March, and then about 30 million new users a year within five years". In practice, the screen will be accessible on the latest versions of Windows: XP, Vista and 7. Computer manufacturers will be able to install competing...