Microsoft Gets Reprieve from EU Commission

The European Commission has halted an order requiring Microsoft to change its business practices upon review by the EU's highest court on a request by the software giant to suspend the measures. Microsoft lost an anti-trust ruling in March that said the company had abused its market dominance in Europe. The commission ruled that the Seattle-based company had to put a series of "remedies" in place by Monday, including offering a European version of its Windows operating system stripped of its audio and video player. Microsoft argued that it faced "irreversible" damage if the measures were imposed before a decision was made on an appeal to the ruling. The commission has said its decision to postpone the punishment was "without prejudice to Microsoft's obligation to implement the remedies" should the court reject the company's request. The court could rule on the suspension request within two months.