On Tuesday, the European Union (EU)'s executive body, the European Commission (EC) disclosed in an announcement that it was initiating new antitrust proceedings against Microsoft to ascertain whether the software giant had kept the antitrust commitments it made in 2009; and added that "severe" penalties will be imposed on the company for non-compliance.

Stating that Microsoft had apparently failed to take adequate steps to open up the market for Internet browsers, the EC said that the new antitrust inquiry results from the analysis that the company has probably not lived up to its three-year-old deal, under which it had agreed to give the Windows users improved access to the Internet browser software of its competitors.

Microsoft has already admitted that, because of some "technical error," it had "fallen short" of its commitment which involved giving the Windows users a "browser choice screen" (BCS) which would enable them to select some other browser in place of the company's own Internet Explorer.

Though Microsoft said that the computers running the original version of Windows 7, Windows XP and Windows Vista had the BCS, EU Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia said that the screen has not been provided since February 2011 - despite Microsoft's 2009 commitment - and, thus, it has not been seen by 28 million customers who should have seen it.

Vowing to use "legal instruments with all my capacity to deter and to punish" Microsoft for non-compliance, Almunia said: "If the infringements are confirmed, there will be sanctions."