FT社評：歐盟追究微軟是對的《金融時報》

english tutor,中學補習,補習社-FT社評：歐盟追究微軟是對的《金融時報》

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【補習社, 英文補習, 補習英文, 中文補習, 補習中文, 英文課程, 暑期課程, 補習數學, 數學補習】 FT社評：歐盟追究微軟是對的《金融時報》 Leader_EU and Microsoft 《金融時報》 The European Commission might have been accused of chasing fading phantoms when in 2009 it went after Microsoft for foisting its Internet Explorer browser on Windows users. Competition was already rapidly eroding Explorer’s lead. But Brussels is now right to take a stand against the group’s failure to abide by its own commitments to resolve the problem. 2009年，歐盟委員會(European Commission)因微軟(Microsoft)強迫視窗系統(Windows)用戶使用其綁定的IE瀏覽器對該公司施壓，此舉或被指責為多此一舉。當時，瀏覽器領域的競爭正導致IE瀏覽器的領先優勢迅速喪失。但當微軟未能遵守自身解決問題的承諾時，歐盟委員會采取嚴厲追究的態度是正確之舉。 No other company has so consistently flouted commission antitrust decisions. In the past eight years, Microsoft has paid close to €1.6bn in fines, largely for non-compliance. The settlement of 2009, where it agreed to offer users a choice of web browsers until the end of 2014, was a sensible attempt to avoid another damaging legal battle with regulators. 還沒有其他哪傢公司像微軟這樣，一貫藐視歐盟委員會的反壟斷裁決。近八年來，微軟總共支付瞭16億歐元的罰金，主要是因為違規。2009年，微軟與歐盟達成和解協議，同意在2014年底之前向用戶提供其他瀏覽器選項。這是明智之舉，可以避免再度引發與監管當局的破壞性司法大戰。 But in failing to implement its own undertakings, Microsoft is putting these accords to the test. This is the first violation since the commission acquired the power to withhold infringement proceedings in favour of such deals in 2004. Brussels’ response will determine whether in future other companies feel compelled to abide by their promises and, in consequence, whether settlements prove to be effective regulatory tools. 但微軟未能履行自己的承諾，導致其與監管當局達成的和解協議面臨考驗。歐盟委員會於2004年獲得瞭為維護此類協議而制止違約行為的權力，這是委員會獲得這項權力以來首個違反和解協議的案例。歐盟委員會的反應將決定未來其他公司是否感到有必要遵守自己的承諾，進而將決定和解協議能否成為一種有效的政策工具。 Brussels is understandably keen, where possible, to avoid using the legal system to force companies to comply with competition law. Legal proceedings can drag on for years, as Microsoft knows to its regret. Settlement deals could prove particularly useful in fast-moving, high-tech industries such as the internet. They benefit both regulators and companies by providing speedy and cost-efficient solutions to antitrust concerns. 可以理解的是，歐盟方面在但凡可能的情況下都傾向於避免借助司法體系強迫企業遵守市場競爭法規。司法程序可能拖上數年，對此微軟有慘痛的切身體會。和解協議對於互聯網等快速變化的高科技行業來說格外實用，在反壟斷問題領域能夠提供快速並且符合成本效率的解決方案，使監管當局和企業都能從中受益。 But applying them can still be tricky, especially as the antitrust battle has shifted from browsers to the far more complex world of web search engines. It remains to be seen whether behavioural remedies can be policed when services are constantly changed in real time. Yet there will be no chance to find out if the commission’s response to Microsoft fails to produce a robust outcome. 但和解協議的執行卻仍較為困難，特別是當反壟斷大戰的戰場已從網絡瀏覽器領域轉移至更復雜的網絡搜索引擎領域時。在網絡服務不斷實時變化的情況下，約束企業行為的監管要求的執行情況能否得到有效監控，這仍有待觀察。但目前已經沒有機會再去查明歐盟委員會對微軟的裁決是否未能產生良好效果。 Nevertheless, this should not be disproportionate. Even in classic infringement cases, the commission does not normally exercise its right to levy a fine of 10 per cent of revenue. In this case, Microsoft quickly admitted guilt, and said technical mistakes were to blame. This will have to be established in the coming weeks. But if Brussels finds that the breach resulted from incompetence rather than a deliberate violation, this should be taken into account to mitigate any fine. Either way, Microsoft’s credibility is damaged. 但不管怎樣，處罰內容都應當與違規行為相匹配。即便是在典型的違規案件中，歐盟委員會通常都不會動用其權力、對一傢企業處於占其營收規模10%的罰款。在此案中，微軟迅速承認瞭自己的過失，並表示技術問題是原因所在。微軟必須在未來幾周裡證明這一解釋的合理性。但如果歐盟委員會認為違反和解協議是由於能力不足而非故意違反，則歐盟方面在設定罰款金額時應將這一點納入考慮，從輕發落。但不論是哪種情況，微軟的信譽都已蒙受損失。 Tags: 補習社, 英文補習 , 補習英文, 中文補習 , 補習中文, 英文課程, 暑期課程, 補習數學, 數學補習