Since December 2007, the antimonopoly office UOKiK has been investigating the laptop market in Poland. Yesterday, it said what it had found out.
“When you buy laptops with Microsoft software installed already, the clients cannot resign from the software and get their money back. We have launched investigation to explain this. We suspect laptop producers are in illegal agreement with Microsoft which adversely affects the clients”, Malgorzata Cieloch, UOKiK spokeswoman said.
Microsoft Polska was unavailable for comment. Toshiba Polska does not agree with the accusations.
“Toshiba offers both computers with Windows installed and those without any operating system. Clients may choose which computer they want”, Wojciech Waglowski from Toshiba explained.
“In Poland and remaining EU countries, the clients may choose from rich offer, including computers with pre-installed software. Clients who do not like our offer may choose computers of other companies”, Lenovo commented.
UOKiK hopes for intervention of the European Commission.
“Our office informs the EC that investigation is being run if it may influence the EU. This is the case here. If the EC starts procedures and confirms our allegations, laptop producers and Mircosoft may be punished”, Malgorzata Cieloch added.
Mircosoft was fined EUR 500m in 2004 by the EC, and in 2006 it was fined with
additional EUR 280.5m.