Rival join up to enter Microsoft Anti-Trust case

The European Commission’s anti-trust case against Microsoft has gained additional credibility and a new source of technological and legal advice with the application of several companies, under the name European Committee for Interoperable Systems (ECIS) to join the anti-trust case against the computer giant.

Members of the ECIS include IBM, Oracle, Nokia, Red Hat, and RealNetworks. The case against Microsoft lost some of its sheen when several groups in the case against them, including Sun, Novell, and the Computer and Communications Industry Association settled out of court and dropped out of the case.

It is not clear whether the ECIS will be granted official standing in the case after they missed a filing deadline with the court, but even if their bid to join the case is not approved, they will still be able to offer advice to the European Commission on an unofficial basis.

The ECIS will also still be able, even if their application to join the case is not approved, to apply to participate in oral arguments on the appeal.

Story link: Rival join up to enter Microsoft Anti-Trust case