The European Commission has imposed a record fine against Microsoft for failing to comply with its 2004 antitrust ruling. The latest fine brings the total in fines brought down on Microsoft to a staggering $2.5 billion. Back in 2004, the Commission gave Microsoft 120 days to comply with its demands and disclose information crucial to allowing competitors' products to interoperate with Windows, but Vole failed to do so.

“Microsoft was the first company in 50 years of E.U. competition policy that the Commission has had to fine for failure to comply with an antitrust decision,” the European Competition Commissioner, Neelie Kroes, said in a statement, “I hope that today’s decision closes a dark chapter in Microsoft’s record of noncompliance with the commission’s March 2004 decision.”

This story seems to be far from finished, as the company is still facing two E.U. investigations concerning interoperability and tying of separate products with Windows.

More here.