Exclusive: Linux users file EU complaint against Microsoft The 8,000-member Hispalinux, which represents users and developers of the Linux operating system in Spain, said Microsoft had made it difficult for users of computers sold with its Windows 8 platform to switch to Linux and other operating systems. Lawyer and Hispalinux head Jose Maria Lancho said he delivered the complaint to the Madrid office of the European Commission at 0900 GMT (4 a.m. EST) on Tuesday. Microsoft said UEFI was an industry standard aimed at improving computer security and the approach had been public for some time. "We are happy to answer any additional questions but we are confident our approach complies with the law and helps keep customers safe," Microsoft spokesman Robin Koch said in a statement. A spokesman for EU Competition Chief Joaquin Almunia declined to comment. But in written comments dated March 4 to a query from an European Parliamentary lawmaker, Almunia said his administration was aware of the Microsoft Windows 8 security requirements. The Commission is monitoring the implementation of the Microsoft Windows 8 security requirements. The Commission is however currently not in possession of evidence suggesting that the Windows 8 security requirements would result in practices in violation of EU competition rules," he said in the letter posted on the website of the European Parliament. Microsoft's relations with the EU executive have been tense since 2004, when the EU found that the company had abused its market leader position by tying Windows Media Player to the Windows software package. But Microsoft broke its 2009 pledge and was fined 561 million euros by the EU Commission on March 6 for failing to offer users a choice of web browser. Additional reporting by Teresa Larraz; Editing by Julien Toyer, Tom Pfeiffer and Clelia Oziel