EU acts against Microsoft

The European Union has begun legal proceedings against the giant American computer company, Microsoft, accusing it of abusing its dominant place in the market for computer software.

The move followed a complaint from one of Microsoft's American rivals in the European market, Sun Microsystems.

The BBC business correspondent says it's the second investigation to be launched into Microsoft's business practices by the European Commission -- the executive arm of the European Union.

Separate legal proceeding in the United States have already resulted in Microsoft being ordered to split itself up because it so dominates the market.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service