MICROSOFT FINED IN GERMANY

By M.S.Welles

While not agreeing with the decision made by The Bundeskartellamt, Microsoft has agreed to pay a 9 million euro fine ($11.9 million).

The Bundeskartellamt is Germany's competition authority that this month found Microsoft illegally working with a retailer to fix prices of its Office software.

According to German authorities, there were at least two meetings between employees of a German national retailer and Microsoft where they agreed on fixing the resale price of the Office Home and Student 2007 suite

Microsoft acknowledged the meetings but denied that it reflected any ongoing or consistent practice and involved only one retailer.