EU Microsoft Appeal Set for September

The European Court of First Instance has set a date of September 17 to rule on Microsoft's appeal of a 2004 antitrust verdict that forced it to pay over $600 million in fines and make changes to its Windows operating systems. Microsoft has maintained it did nothing anti-competitive.

As the Court of First Instance is the EU's second highest court, its ruling can be appealed by both sides to the European Court of Justice, but the long-awaited decision is being closely watched. Microsoft's spat with the EU has continued, and the company was fined another 280.5 million euros for not complying with the original order, a decision the company also plans to appeal.