Higher fines possible (Score 5, Interesting)

From the FT: 'Under European Union competition rules companies that fail to comply with a Commission ruling can be fined up to 5 per cent of their daily worldwide turnover.

In Microsoft's case this would be about $5.5m-a-day.'

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/c55bc756-1047-11db-8f6f-00 00779e2340.html

I would imagine that there would be stiffer penalties (i.e., non-financial aimed at curtailing MSFT's ability to trade in the EU) available if MSFT continued to defy the commission. If there were not this would be a de facto admission that companies can break the law in the EU with impunity if they are rich enough. I very much doubt the commission would tolerate that state of affairs.