Microsoft's Ongoing Antitrust Battle with the EU: A Timeline of Fines and Investigations

Microsoft has faced numerous antitrust investigations and hefty fines from the European Commission, spanning from 1998 to 2024. Key issues include the bundling of its chat and video app Teams with Office, interoperability concerns, and browser choices. Investigations and complaints have involved major players like Sun Microsystems, Salesforce’s Slack, and Amazon.

The European Commission on Tuesday charged Microsoft with illegally bundling its chat and video app Teams with its Office product.

The following are events in Microsoft's relationship with EU antitrust regulators and ongoing investigations into its other businesses: 1998 - The European Commission opens an investigation into Microsoft over interoperability issues, after a complaint from Sun Microsystems.

2000 - The Commission begins investigating the tying of Microsoft's Media Player with its operating system. 2004 - Regulators impose a 497 million euro ($533 million) fine on Microsoft for not making data available to rivals and for tying Media Player to its operating system.

2006 - The Commission levies an additional 280.5 million euro fine for Microsoft's failure to comply with the 2004 EU order to provide data to rivals. 2008 - Regulators open two new investigations, one into interoperability issues, and a second into browser choice.

2008 - The Commission imposes an 899 million euro fine, its second additional penalty, after Microsoft again fails to comply with the 2004 EU order. 2009 - Microsoft settles the 2008 investigation into browser choice with an offer to allow access to rival products.

2012 - Europe's second highest court reduces the 2008 fine to 860 million euros from 899 million euros, on appeal by Microsoft. 2013 - Competition regulators impose a 561 million euro fine for not complying with the 2009 promise on web browser choice.

2020 - Salesforce-owned Slack complains to the EU about Micrsoft bundling its chat and video app Teams with its Office product. 2022 - The Cloud Infrastructure Services Providers in Europe (CISPE) which counts Amazon as a member, complains to the Commission regarding Microsoft's cloud computing practices.

2023 - German rival Alfaview complains to the EU watchdog about the bundled Teams and Office package sold to educational institutions, leading to regulators opening an investigation. 2024 - EU seeks feedback from rivals and users about its security software practices.

2024 - Microsoft in talks to resolve antitrust complaint by the Cloud Infrastructure Services Providers in Europe (CISPE) which counts Amazon as a member. Sources: European Commission, Microsoft ($1 = 0.9324 euros) (Compiled by Foo Yun Chee; editing by Barbara Lewis)

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