Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer in talks with EU
Reuters | at | by Mike
Microsoft's chief executive met the European Union competition czar on Tuesday in a dramatic final bid to settle a landmark antitrust case, eight days before Brussels was set to rule against the U.S. software giant.
Disclosing no details after the surprise talks between Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and Chief Counsel Brad Smith and EU Competition Commissioner Mario Monti, both sides said only that the dialogue would continue.
If Ballmer and Smith can convince Monti to settle the case, there would be no legal finding against the company. Twice before, in 1994 and 1997, the Commission settled charges against Microsoft without a formal ruling. The decision may be Monti's toughest in five years as the EU's top competition regulator.
If he settles, Monti would avoid the certainty of a Microsoft challenge in European courts which have overturned several of his department's rulings in the last two years.