Two US software firms are asking the European Commission to take action against Microsoft's new Vista operating system, the Wall Street Journalreported today.
Adobe Systems has told EU regulators that Microsoft should be banned from incorporating free competing software for reading and creating electronic documents with Vista, the paper reported.
Anti-virus software maker Symantec will send officials to Brussels next week to brief journalists about features of Vista that it has told EU regulators will undercut rival makers of computer security software, the paper said.
The commission has expressed concerns about Vista, saying there was a risk Microsoft could foreclose competition in computer security by tying new security features into the system.
Microsoft, which hopes the commission will not require removal of security features in Europe, has said the product is on course for a public launch in January.
In 2004, the commission found Microsoft had abused its market dominance in audiovisual software players and office servers. It forced the US firm to strip out Windows Media Player from its operating system.
The commission levied a record €497 million fine - which Microsoft has challenged. In July, EU regulators fined the company a further €280.5 million for defying the ruling, which required it to share information on its servers with rivals