European anti-trust authorities say new proposals from
Microsoft will help restore competition to the internet browser
market.
Microsoft has made 20 changes to proposals made in July to
give Windows users a choice of browser in response to feedback
from competitors and EU competition authorities.
The updated proposals form part of Microsoft's latest attempt to
resolve the EU's complaint that bundling its
Internet Explorer browser with is Windows operating system
abuses that monopoly.
Neelie Kroes, the EU competition commissioner, said at first
sight the Microsoft proposals appear to address the commission's
concerns, according to the
Financial Times.
"Hopefully, we can take a decision before the end of the year,"
Neelie Kroes said.
The EU competition commission has also expressed support for
technical changes Microsoft has proposed to make Windows work
better with third party products.
The EU investigation is supported by a group of technology
companies including IBM, Sun, Oracle and Nokia.
The
European Committee for Interoperable Systems (ECIS) group
joined Google and the Mozilla Foundation as complainants in the
case in April.
The EU investigation followed a
complaint lodged against Microsoft by Norwegian browser
developer and ECIS member, Opera Software, that other browsers
cannot compete with IE because of its bundling with Windows.