Microsoft pulls EU-mandated Browser Choice website down after five years

After complying with a European Union mandate for five years, Microsoft has killed off the Browser Choice site.

In a settlement with the EU’s Competition Commission, Microsoft created a screen in Windows and on the Web that offered links to alternative Web browsers. At the time, the EU contended that bundling Internet Explorer with Windows was anti-competitive. The Browser Choice site was a part of the settlement with the commission.

Today Microsoft replaced the browsers on the browserchoice.eu site with the following message:

This website was created by Microsoft in accordance with a decision issued by the European Commission in December 2009. The obligations imposed by the decision have now expired and Microsoft will no longer maintain this website. Microsoft encourages customers who want more information about web browsers or want to download another browser to do so by visiting the websites of web browser vendors directly.

It also posted a support page for IT professionals to remove the screen from their company’s computers. For any new consumer users, the Browser Choice update will no longer be displayed.

We’ve reached out to Microsoft about the Browser Choice site and screen and will update this article when they reply.

➤ Via Computerworld