EU to Debate Microsoft Penalties

The European Commission said Friday it planned to hold a debate next Wednesday on proposed sanctions against Microsoft as part of its regular meeting. To be debated is the EC's plans to fine the Redmond company 2 million euros per day for non-compliance with a 2004 antitrust decision. European Union officials unanimously accepted that plan earlier this week, a move Microsoft called "unnecessary" based on its work to comply with the Commission's demands.

EU spokesperson Jonathan Todd confirmed that the subject of Microsoft was on the agenda during a daily news briefing Friday. The comments seemed to echo an earlier statement from EC competition commissioner Neelie Kroes, who told reporters Thursday that she saw no other route to punish Microsoft other than handing out additional fines.