Microsoft has already said it plans to introduce a special European edition of Vista, and now the company faces, "fresh antitrust pressure from the European Commission on Wednesday, a day before it fights to stave off fines handed down in a previous case by EU competition regulators," says Reuters.

"The Commission said European Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes had written to Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer to express worries about the company's new operating system, Vista," says the story.

At the beginning of the month, in another Reuters item, Neil Holloway, Microsoft 's president for Europe, Middle East and Africa, "declined to say how many additional variations would be released to comply with a European Commission order," but, "Will there be a version that is specific for the European union? Yes, there has to be."

The EC is, "concerned Vista may package Internet search functions or software to create fixed document formats, such as the 'pdf' format, posing a threat to companies such as Google or Adobe that provide similar products," says the more recent Reuters story.

"We are concerned about the possibility that the next Vista operating system will include various elements which are currently available separately from Microsoft or other companies," commission spokesman Jonathan Todd is quoted as saying.

There was as yet no formal investigation into Vista, "but that the Commission expected Microsoft to react" and, the EU executive will, "open proceedings against the company over Vista should it find that the operating system broke competition laws, he added," says Reuters.

Reuters - EU pressures Microsoft over new Vista system, March 29, 2006
another - Microsoft to provide special EU Vista, March 1, 2006