EU gets tough with US tech giants America's tech giants suffered a bruising week in Brussels at the hands of Europe's top competition authority. First Joaquín Almunia, the EU competition commissioner, scolded Microsoft for failing to implement a settlement pledge to offer all Windows users a choice of web browser. Microsoft quickly apologised for the "technical error." Even so Mr Almunia pledged to "punish" the US software group with potentially hefty fines once the non-compliance is confirmed by a formal investigation. More worrying still for Microsoft is that the European Commission investigation will also cover concerns about the Windows 8 operating system, a flagship product to be released in the autumn. Windows 8 is particularly important to Microsoft because versions of it will spearhead their fightback in the tablet and mobile market. Mobile services are the new frontier of the software business, a trend Mr Almunia clearly recognised in the demands he made on Google in their tense antitrust settlement talks. After weeks of high-stakes negotiations, Mr Almunia will decide early next week whether to pursue a settlement with Google or hit the company with formal charges for abusing its dominant position. His 11th hour demand is for Google to extend the concessions it has offered to mobile services as well, effectively requesting Google show restraint in a fast developing market. Should Google decide the settlement terms are too onerous, Mr Almunia will next week choose a path of formal antitrust action that could lead to multibillion-dollar fines and a protracted court battle. For Microsoft this began more than a decade ago, and the troubles appear to be far from over still.