Den svenska pressen skriver om EU:s tuffa tag mot Microsoft: DN skriver om böterna via TT:EU ger Microsoft rekordböter

Det finns ett viktigt gömd budskap i striden mellan EU-kommissionen och Microsoft som inte riktigt syns i den svenska pressen.

Det är det för de flesta amerikaner helt oförståeliga faktum att EU helt utan att straffas idag kan lägga sig i USA:s inre angelägenheter.

Stephen Castle och David Jolly skriver i New York Times om EU:s tuffa tag mot Microsoft och USA:Europe Fines Microsoft $1.3 Billion – New York Times

European antitrust regulators on Wednesday fined Microsoft $1.3 billion for failing to comply with a 2004 judgment that the company had abused its market dominance. The new fine by the European Commission was the largest it has ever imposed on an individual company, and brings the total in fines imposed on Microsoft to about $2.5 billion, in current exchange rates.

Microsoft had earlier been fined after the commission determined in 2004 that the company had abused the dominance of its Windows operating system to gain unfair market advantage. The commission imposed the new fine Wednesday, it said, because the company had not met the prescribed remedies after the earlier judgment.

“Microsoft was the first company in 50 years of E.U. competition policy that the commission has had to fine for failure to comply with an antitrust decision,” the European competition commissioner, Neelie Kroes, said in a statement.

Det här är ett synnerligen flagrant tecken på att USA inte längre kan strunta i resten av världen och gå sin egen väg. Den amerikanska supermakten blir alltmer beroende av utlandet, och det kommer att få vittgående konsekvenser i USA under de närmaste åren.

CHARLES FORELLE skriver i Wall Street Journal om EU-kommussionens tuffa chef Neelie Kroes.Europe’s Antitrust Chief Defies Critics, and Microsoft Kroes Spurns Offer From Tech Giant; ‘We Have to Act’

In no small part because of her tough tack on Microsoft, Mrs. Kroes has emerged as arguably the world’s most-feared antitrust enforcer. To many of those in Europe and around the world who have followed her ascent, the aggressive posture comes as a surprise.

When the 66-year-old Dutch politician took over as Europe’s competition commissioner three years ago, big business greeted her ascension with a sigh of relief. Mrs. Kroes had spent years climbing the ladder of the Netherlands’ pro-business party. She dabbled in corporate lobbying. In recent years, she had held board seats at a score of companies.

European advocates of a tough antitrust policy feared Mrs. Kroes would reverse the course set by her two predecessors, who had forged the EU’s reputation as a vigorous regulator unafraid to tangle with the world’s biggest corporations. The man she replaced, Mario Monti, famously torpedoed General Electric Co.’s plan to purchase Honeywell International Inc. in 2001. Mr. Monti’s parting shot in 2004 was a major case against Microsoft that imposed a fine on the company of €497 million ($613 million at the time). Mr. Monti had crusaded against corporate bullies, antitrust advocates sniped, while Mrs. Kroes served on their boards.

Vem vet, amerikanerna kanske kommer att anpassa sig till resten av världen och inte bara kräva att världen skall anpassa sig till USA.