Blackmoor Vituperative

European regulators hit Microsoft with a $357.3 million fine Wednesday, citing the software giant’s continued noncompliance with its landmark 2004 antitrust ruling.

The European Commission issued the 280.5 million euro fine for the period between Dec. 15 and June 20. That figure amounts to a daily fine of 1.5 million euros, which the Commission is prepared to increase to up to 3 million euros per day if the software giant does not come into full compliance beginning July 31.

“I don’t buy Microsoft’s line that they didn’t know what was being asked of them because the March 2004 order is absolutely crystal clear,” Neelie Kroes, who heads the Commission’s antitrust bureau as its competition commissioner, said Wednesday at a press conference in Brussels. “And in order to increase the incentive for Microsoft to comply, the Commission has decided the ceiling for potential fines will be raised.”

(from ZDNet, EU knocks Microsoft with $357 million fine)

On the one hand, the comment “the Commission has decided the ceiling for potential fines will be raised” gives me the willies. I have seen firsthand what kind of power “commissions” have. They are essentially laws unto themselves, even here in the USA, and can impose fines and penalties at will. On the other hand, if it had to happen to someone, it may as well be Microsoft. After all, they can afford a $1.5 million per day fine: they earn roughly $121 million per day.