Microsoft urges EU not to jeopardise security in Vista row

Microsoft's top legal advisor in Europe urged the European Commission on Tuesday not to insist that key security features be stripped from its new Windows Vista operating system, amid an ongoing dispute.

"Security is a top concern for European consumers, and we hope the Commission will not require removal of these important security features in Europe," said Microsoft Vice President Erich Andersen, the company's Associate General Counsel for Europe told reporters in Brussels.

In March, the European commission sent a letter to Microsoft warning the company that it had concerns about the Windows Vista computer operating system.

The commission argued that the product could not be launched in Europe with pre-installed programs that are sold automatically in the system's package.

In July, Microsoft sent a proposal to the commission offering to make changes to Windows Vista.

While stressing in Brussels Tuesday that the US giant intended to launch Vista "in a fully lawful manner," Andersen added that "we want to avoid regulatory decisions that could increase security risks for European consumers".

Jonathan Todd, spokesman for European Commission European competition commisioner Neelie Kroes, was swift to react.

He said that Brussels "understands Microsoft's desire to make Vista more secure than its predecessors" but that the commission believes that "computer security depends on diversity and innovation in the field of security software," and that such diversity "could be at risk if Microsoft was allowed to foreclose the existing competition in security software markets".

If Microsoft were to bundle its own security products into its dominant Windows operating system, "less diversity and innovation would ultimately harm consumers through reduced choice and higher security risks," he told reporters in Brussels.

Microsoft has said it was targeting worldwide availability of Vista for corporate customers in November and retail availability in January, with the exact delivery date yet to be determined.

The group said last week that it was still awaiting an EU response to know whether it must make additional chances which would mean a delay to the European launch.