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Possible Use For The Eu?
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Microsoft agreed in court to a settlement.
Less than a year later, they stopped abiding by that agreement and so have been further fined.
Not sure what the problem is or why this is being held up for EU bashing. If anything, it is a very minor victory over a huge foreign multinational.
Maybe the EU should have a crack at Amazon and Google as our useless Government are turning a blind eye to them robbing the exchequer of £millions
Less than a year later, they stopped abiding by that agreement and so have been further fined.
Not sure what the problem is or why this is being held up for EU bashing. If anything, it is a very minor victory over a huge foreign multinational.
Maybe the EU should have a crack at Amazon and Google as our useless Government are turning a blind eye to them robbing the exchequer of £millions
Yes you can imagine it. You go to the Virgin Atlantic website to book a flight to New York. Up pops a message "Don't forget you can also travel by BA or American Airlines. They offer flights at similar prices to ours but they may even be better value. Click here for details..."
This is why the EU gets a bad press. It is quite obvious that Microsoft is going to bundle its products together and offer them together as a package. Computer users must use their own nous to decide whether thay want to vary this bundle by buying other components. It is not a job for national or supra national governments to do this for them.
This is why the EU gets a bad press. It is quite obvious that Microsoft is going to bundle its products together and offer them together as a package. Computer users must use their own nous to decide whether thay want to vary this bundle by buying other components. It is not a job for national or supra national governments to do this for them.
// Microsoft must be the only company that can get fined for failing to promote other company's rival products. //
It is the job of the EU to regulate and police trading in its area. They have not been fined for not promoting rival products, they have been fined for not abiding by a previous agreement relating to anti-competative practises.
In short, a company in a country which is a Member of the European Economic Area complained their browser was the victim of anti-competitive practices because Microsoft had a monopoly on computer operating systems installed and bundled Explorer as well. Opera's browser was put at a distinct disadvantage. The lawyers said it was anti competitive and Microsoft agreed rather than take a huge fine. Then they renaged on the agreement.
It is the job of the EU to regulate and police trading in its area. They have not been fined for not promoting rival products, they have been fined for not abiding by a previous agreement relating to anti-competative practises.
In short, a company in a country which is a Member of the European Economic Area complained their browser was the victim of anti-competitive practices because Microsoft had a monopoly on computer operating systems installed and bundled Explorer as well. Opera's browser was put at a distinct disadvantage. The lawyers said it was anti competitive and Microsoft agreed rather than take a huge fine. Then they renaged on the agreement.
The EU ruled that microsoft was behaving in a anti-competetive manner
Microsoft ignored their ruling
The EU fined Microsoft
They have also fined TV manufacturers
http://
Intel
http://
and others
The UK competetion commission has thrown it's weight about a bit with British companies but has been somewhat reluctant to take on the big multi-nationals.
This is why so many of the big Newspaper barons dislike the EU
EU regulation has real teeth because of the size of the market
Can you imagine the UK competition authority having the you-kno-what to take on Microsoft?
No I can't either
Microsoft ignored their ruling
The EU fined Microsoft
They have also fined TV manufacturers
http://
Intel
http://
and others
The UK competetion commission has thrown it's weight about a bit with British companies but has been somewhat reluctant to take on the big multi-nationals.
This is why so many of the big Newspaper barons dislike the EU
EU regulation has real teeth because of the size of the market
Can you imagine the UK competition authority having the you-kno-what to take on Microsoft?
No I can't either
// Amazon's Luxembourg arrangements have deprived European governments of hundreds of millions of dollars in tax that it might otherwise have owed, as reported in European newspapers. But a Reuters examination of accounts filed by 25 Amazon units in six countries shows how they also allowed the company to avoid paying more tax in the United States, where the company is based.
In effect, Amazon used inter-company payments to form a tax shield for the group, behind which it has accumulated $2 billion to help finance its expansion.
Amazon revealed last year that the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) wants $1.5 billion in back taxes. The claim, which Amazon said it would "vigorously contest", is linked to its foreign subsidiaries and payments made between them.
//
It sounds like the IRS believes they have been robbed. That should be one to watch. Can't imagine our lot standing up to Amazon.
In effect, Amazon used inter-company payments to form a tax shield for the group, behind which it has accumulated $2 billion to help finance its expansion.
Amazon revealed last year that the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) wants $1.5 billion in back taxes. The claim, which Amazon said it would "vigorously contest", is linked to its foreign subsidiaries and payments made between them.
//
It sounds like the IRS believes they have been robbed. That should be one to watch. Can't imagine our lot standing up to Amazon.
// They have not been fined for not promoting rival products, they have been fined for not abiding by a previous agreement relating to anti-competative practises. //
Yes, they agreed to promote rival products. They were fined for reneging on the agreement, they were fined for failing to promote rival products. Potatoes, potartoes.
Yes, they agreed to promote rival products. They were fined for reneging on the agreement, they were fined for failing to promote rival products. Potatoes, potartoes.
"Can you imagine the UK competition authority having the you-kno-what to take on Microsoft? "
No I'm pleased to say I cannot. I don't know what it will take to demonstrate to the EU (and to a lesser degree, the UK government) that heavy handed regulation and red tape is the key to the demise of commerce and industry throughout the bloc. If Opera's browser was so good it would stand on its own merits. Software companies other than Microsoft do develop successful products without EU protectionism.
As far as the seemingly unrelated tax issue goes, there is nothing illegal in these companies’ practices. They are doing what needs to be done, within the law, to protect their revenue from appropriation by various governments. These governments have an insatiable desire to accumulate funds which they seem to take peculiar delight in wasting. One of the large areas of waste by most prosperous European governments is their contribution to the corrupt and wasteful EU. This, of course, enables that organisation to heavily regulate the very companies which generate genuine revenue. So it’s little wonder that those organisations do all they can to keep hold of their own money.
The secret to genuine economic growth (which all parties seem to crave but are unable to achieve) is light regulation, low taxation and small government. None of this will be achieved whilst the EU exists and Europe will continue to fall behind the emerging economies for many years to come.
No I'm pleased to say I cannot. I don't know what it will take to demonstrate to the EU (and to a lesser degree, the UK government) that heavy handed regulation and red tape is the key to the demise of commerce and industry throughout the bloc. If Opera's browser was so good it would stand on its own merits. Software companies other than Microsoft do develop successful products without EU protectionism.
As far as the seemingly unrelated tax issue goes, there is nothing illegal in these companies’ practices. They are doing what needs to be done, within the law, to protect their revenue from appropriation by various governments. These governments have an insatiable desire to accumulate funds which they seem to take peculiar delight in wasting. One of the large areas of waste by most prosperous European governments is their contribution to the corrupt and wasteful EU. This, of course, enables that organisation to heavily regulate the very companies which generate genuine revenue. So it’s little wonder that those organisations do all they can to keep hold of their own money.
The secret to genuine economic growth (which all parties seem to crave but are unable to achieve) is light regulation, low taxation and small government. None of this will be achieved whilst the EU exists and Europe will continue to fall behind the emerging economies for many years to come.
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