The European Union fines Microsoft $1.3 billion for...

[Ryan in Maine]

overcharging rivals for software information.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080227/ap_on_re_eu/eu_microsoft

Record EU fine for Microsoft

1 hour, 16 minutes ago

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Union is fining Microsoft Corp. $1.3 billion for charging rivals too much for software information.

EU regulators say the company charged "unreasonable prices" to software developers who wanted to make products compatible with the Windows operating system. The fine is the largest ever for a single company and the first time the EU has penalized a business for failing to obey an antitrust order.

[Manedwolf]

So, no MS Office for Europe. Why not?

Not like companies in France and the UK especially could have balance sheets that look any more like a double-diamond ski slope. Besides, they can just put more people on welfare.