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ARTICLE · 24 MARCH 2009

Antitrust In Europe And Asia - Back To The Future For Microsoft And IBM?

Norton Rose Fulbright LLP
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The start of the year has seen antitrust authorities in Europe consider new cases against familiar foes. A new set of concerns have been raised in respect of the way in which Microsoft packages its web browser Internet Explorer with its dominant Windows PC operating system.

GlobalAntitrust/Competition Law
Mark Tricker
Mark Tricker
Marc Waha
Marc Waha

Contents

  • Introduction
  • Microsoft
  • IBM
  • Other developments in Europe
  • Developments in Asia

 

Introduction

The start of the year has seen antitrust authorities in Europe consider new cases against familiar foes. Just when Microsoft thought that the European Commission might be moving on to new technology sector targets [ See our briefing in November 2008 for details], a new set of concerns have been raised in respect of the way in which Microsoft packages its web browser Internet Explorer with its dominant Windows PC operating system. In addition, IBM, one of the first technology sector companies ever to be investigated by the European Commission in the early 1980s, has been the subject of an antitrust complaint to the European Commission by T3 Technologies, one if its competitors for mainframe products alleging that IBM is abusing a dominant position in the European mainframe market.

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