He said that if a company "believes that its position in the market has been unfairly hindered by a particular standards decision, it may sue its competitor who has advocated that decision, alleging violations of the
anti-trust laws, and in many cases will sue the standards development organization as well."
European regulators have slapped a record pounds 331 million fine on US software giant Microsoft for violating EU
anti-trust law -and ordered it to take immediate steps to change the way it does business.
* "If the purpose of the
anti-trust laws was to smash big business, then why has the American economy become much more centralized since their passage?"
Henry Hyde (R-Ill.), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, called for the investigation by the Federal Trade Commission, which enforces the federal
anti-trust laws.
"You can be assured that if we conclude that the venture violates the
anti-trust laws, we will take appropriate action," Klein wrote in a letter to state officials.
The judge's ruling came two months after he concluded the software company violated
anti-trust laws by using illegal methods to protect its monopoly in computer operating systems.
Freiband also recommended that activists explore legal action to block mergers, noting that federal
anti-trust laws may apply in some cases.
On April 27, 1999, Oneida filed suit against Libbey, claiming the loyalty provision of Libbey's customer rebate program violated several
anti-trust laws.
The Japanese Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) has ruled that the domestic subsidiary of Microsoft Corp broke Japan's
anti-trust laws by promoting software in a way that disadvantaged rival's products.
Pro-choice advocates wonder why the government hasn't treated some of the mergers as violations of
anti-trust laws. They also wonder why federal and state laws allow church hospitals to have "conscience clauses" that permit them to opt out of procedures on religious or moral grounds.
Not according to one Colorado lawmaker who wants to skirt
anti-trust laws so hospitals can create cooperative partnerships.
chairman Lutz Issleib told the Milwaukee Journal that he plans to study the Miller Molson deal to see if it violates
anti-trust laws.