Microsoft Germany Fined Nine Million Euros

By Digital Trends Staff Published October 25, 2009

Once again Microsoft has been forced to dip into its wallet to pay a fine in Europe. This time it’s in Germany, where the BundesKartellamt, or competition authority, has fined the company nine million Euros (almost $12 million) for price fixing on its Office Home and Student 2007 software suite.

In a statement, the BundesKartellamt said:

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“The product in question was heavily advertised in the autumn of 2008 in stationary retail outlets. Amongst others, a nationwide active retailer advertised the product with financial support from Microsoft. Even before the launch of the advertising campaign in mid-October 2008, employees of Microsoft and the retailer in question had agreed on at least two occasions on the resale price of the software package “Office Home & Student 2007”.”

Under German law it’s illegal for sellers and retailers to collude on future actions. Microsoft has accepted the fine.

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