More on European Antitrust Activism

by on October 1, 2007 · 2 comments

If you thought this post was going to be about Microsoft, you’re wrong. Now that the Redmond firm has been smacked down by EU regulators, other companies await a similar fate. The latest target is Qualcomm, who competitors say is charging too much in royalty fees for next-generation mobile phone chips. This is a very bad sign for continuing intellectual property development as it sends a message to technologists that you don’t really get to own what you create. EU regulators apparently think they should be the ones to decide what companies can charge for their goods. This is a fine state of affairs in the short term for competitors, but it doesn’t go over well with investors or for anyone who is hoping for greater innovation in the long run.

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About Sonia Arrison

Sonia Arrison is an author and policy analyst who has studied the impact of new technologies on society for more than a decade. A Senior Fellow at the California-based Pacific Research Institute (PRI) and a columnist for TechNewsWorld, she is author of two previous books (Western Visions and Digital Dialog) as well as numerous PRI studies on technology issues. A frequent media contributor and guest, her work has appeared in many publications including CBS MarketWatch, CNN, Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today. She was also the host of a radio show called "digital dialogue" on the Voice America network and has been a repeat guest on National Public Radio and CNN's Headline News.

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  • http://www.skipoliva.com Skip Oliva

    The U.S. Federal Trade Commission did the same thing in its Rambus decision–using antitrust as a Trojan horse for limiting patent royalties.

  • http://www.skipoliva.com Skip Oliva

    The U.S. Federal Trade Commission did the same thing in its Rambus decision–using antitrust as a Trojan horse for limiting patent royalties.

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