EC retires the Microsoft watchdog

Monitoring trustee gets laid off

The European Commission has relaxed the requirements of the 2004 anti-trust order against Microsoft – the software giant no longer needs its behaviour watched by a full-time “monitoring trustee”.

Brussels said it no longer needed a permanent observer to ensure Microsoft was obeying a European Union order to share technical information with its rivals that would help them make their products interoperable with MS servers.

“In light of changes in Microsoft’s behaviour, the increased opportunity for third parties to exercise their rights directly before national courts and experience gained since the adoption of the 2004 decision, the Commission no longer requires a full time monitoring trustee to assess Microsoft’s compliance,” said the EC.

Read more: theregister.co.uk