The European Union’s Competition Commission chief said Monday that Microsoft must resolve antitrust violations by the end of May.
“We made a deal that, before the end of the month, we would reach an agreement. We are waiting for the Microsoft people to do their homework,” European Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes said.
Microsoft acknowledged that it was working toward the deadline. The Redmond-based company has been ordered to share interoperability information with rivals and to make its Windows operating system available without Windows Media Player.
If the E.U. deems Microsoft’s compliance insufficient, it has grounds to fine the software company up to 5 percent of its daily global sales, or approximately $5 million daily, according to a commission spokesman.
The commission fined Microsoft a record €497 million ($624 million) in March 2004. Microsoft has appealed the commission’s antitrust decision to the E.U.’s Court of First Instance in Luxembourg.
