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A Norwegian company that develops Web browsers, being supported by an industry coalition, has filed a complaint against the software giant to the European Commission. It is worth mentioning that this is the first complaint after earlier this year Microsoft lost a case regarding the landmark antitrust.

According to officials from Opera Software, the software corporation performs an illegal operation by tying Internet Explorer to its own Windows operating system.

Opera's officials also mentioned that Microsoft is "hindering interoperability by not following accepted Web standards".

Jonathan Todd, the spokesman for the European Commission stated that the complaint has been received by the EU executive. The complaint comes after the EU Court of First Instance ruling, which took place on September 17 and supported a 2004 European Commission decision against the antitrust grounds of Microsoft. Todd mentioned that the EC would closely study the complaint.

It's interesting to note that Opera is one of the members included in the European Committee for Interoperable Systems, which, as a matter of fact, for a long time competes with Microsoft.

"By tying its Internet Explorer product to its monopoly Windows operating system and refusing to faithfully implement industry accepted open standards, Microsoft deprives consumers of a real choice in Internet browsers," said Thomas Vinje, ECIS lawyer.

The complaint filed by Opera resembles a 1998 case that took place in the United States. The case against Microsoft, who was accused of illegal competition against Netscape, was then won by the U.S. Justice Department.

Opera hopes the European Commission will force Microsoft to separate its browser. The company asked the Commission to make the software giant follow "fundamental and open Web standards."