Microsoft Corp. said Tuesday it has filed its appeal of the European Union's landmark antitrust decision, charging the changes in business practices demanded by EU regulators would undermine innovation and growth. The appeal, filed Monday, asks the European Court of First Instance in Luxembourg to annul the European Commission's March 24 decision, court and company officials said.
"We believe that the interest of consumers and other European companies should be at the heart of this case," Microsoft's top lawyer in Europe, Horacio Gutierrez, said in a statement. "The Commission's decision undermines the innovative efforts of successful companies ... (and) the legal standards ... significantly alter incentives for research and development that are important to global economic growth." The U.S. software giant was to file separately for a suspension of the EU sanctions, which include a record $606 million fine and a potentially far-reaching order to sell a version of Windows minus its digital Media Player.
News source: eWeek
