Microsoft commentary slams EU ruling

Aiming to portray itself as the victim of overreaching regulators, Microsoft on Wednesday released a position paper insisting that the European Union's antitrust sanctions amount to "new law" that could hurt others in the technology industry. The seven-page paper, posted late Wednesday on Microsoft's Web site, is a cross between a treatise and a legal brief, citing both the potential damage of the ruling as well as alleged legal shortcomings of the decision.

"The Commission is seeking to make new law that will have an adverse impact on intellectual property rights and the ability of dominant firms to innovate," Microsoft said. "This adverse impact will not be confined to the software industry or to Europe."

The release of the paper comes just as the European Union is preparing to issue the full 300-page text of its ruling against Microsoft. The software maker has already seen the report, which is expected to be made public Thursday. Earlier on Wednesday, Microsoft told a U.S. judge the company was willing to extend its existing program for licensing Windows communication protocols to rivals--a move one observer said was aimed primarily at bolstering its case in Europe.

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