A top European Commission official said on Tuesday that the EU executive would continue to monitor Microsoft"s purchase of anti-piracy software firm ContentGuard Holdings Inc. Earlier the Commission said it lacked authority to review the deal once Microsoft had extended its purchase from a two-way joint venture with Time Warner Inc. to a three-way partnership including France"s Thomson. Commission Competition Director Philip Lowe acknowledged there was no solution but to withdraw, but added: "That doesn"t necessarily remove any antitrust concerns in the long term."