Microsoft urges EU not to give Google more power

Microsoft has drawn Google into its anti-trust case

Microsoft has argued that forcing it to bundle rival browsers with its Windows operating system will make Google even more dominant in the search market.

The software giant made the appeal in a last-minute submission to the European Commission (EC) anti-trust case that will be heard in June.

The EC has been investigating the effects of Microsoft tying Internet Explorer into Windows, which makes the browser available on 90 per cent of the world's PCs.

A complaint to the EC lodged in December 2007 by browser developer Opera argued that Microsoft had harmed competition in its market, and was threatening innovation. Opera's case has since been backed by some of Microsoft's biggest rivals, including Google and Mozilla.

The EC sent a statement of objections to Microsoft on 15 January outlining its preliminary view that the software company is infringing on European anti-trust legislation.

If the view is confirmed, the EC may impose a fine or require Microsoft to stop tying Internet Explorer to Windows in all current and future versions of the operating system. Under the ruling, Microsoft would be required to support Google's Chrome browser, and others such as Opera and Firefox, all of which have home pages set automatically to default to Google's search engine.

In response, Microsoft was reported to have filed an extra submission to the EC arguing against giving more power to Google. Microsoft's latest submission was seen by The Financial Times, and confirmed to The New York Times by sources claiming to have knowledge of Microsoft's legal strategy.

"All we can say is that we study carefully all the arguments that are set out by Microsoft in their reply to our statement of objectives," said an EC spokeswoman.

Meanwhile, Google has launched TV adverts in the US and elsewhere to try to promote its Chrome browser.