The issue at hand dates from the beginning of this month and is related to Microsoft's decision to include native support for .pdf files in its Office 2007. The Redmond company finally gave in to Adobe's legal action threats over antitrust violations and renounced to insert the Save as PDF option from Office's menu but announced that it will release a free patch concerning the matter.

Adobe is expected to take legal action against Microsoft in Europe where the antitrust agenda has clear boundaries and acted against the US giant before. In this regard, EU may act on its own. Just this Wednesday, Jonathan Todd, spokesman for the EU Competition Committee, has announced that Neelie Kroes, commissioner within the Competition Committee, has expressed his concerns about the way Vista will integrate .pdf documents and that he is in contact with Microsoft representatives on this issue.

Recently Adobe said that it had not come to a final decision in the matter of a law suit. "Microsoft has demonstrated a practice of using its monopoly power to undermine cross platform technologies and constrain innovation that threatens its monopolies," Adobe said just last week. "Microsoft's approach has been to 'embrace and extend' standards that do not come from Microsoft."