Microsoft may face a fine of up to 2 million euros (2.4 million US dollars) per day if it fails to comply with a March 2004 anti-trust decision of the European Commission.

Microsoft is given five weeks to respond to a statement of objections of the commission issued on Thursday, said the commission, the executive body of the European Union (EU).

The statement of objections was issued against Microsoft for its failure to comply with certain of its obligations under the March 2004 commission decision.

That decision found Microsoft abused its dominant position by leveraging its near monopoly in the market for PC operating systems onto the markets for workgroup server operating systems and for media players.

One of the remedies imposed by the decision was for Microsoft to disclose "complete and accurate" interface documentation which would allow non-Microsoft workgroup servers to achieve full interoperability with Windows PCs and servers.

However, Microsoft was not require to disclose the internal workings of Windows, or the source code.

The statement of objections indicates that Microsoft has not yet provided complete and accurate specifications for this interoperability information.

"I have given Microsoft every opportunity to comply with its obligations. However, I have been left with no alternative other than to proceed via the formal route to ensure Microsoft's compliance," said EU Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes.

If Microsoft fails to respond in five weeks, a fine of 2 million euros a day may be applicable and the starting date could be Dec. 15.

Source: Xinhua