微软(Microsoft Corp.)威胁说，由于与欧盟在Vista的设计上存在纷争，这种最新一代操作系统可能在欧洲延迟推出。

微软的发言人称，欧盟监管机构曾对Vista表示了各种忧虑。微软在今春时表示已制定了明确的方案来平息欧盟的这些担忧。

该发言人称，一旦微软接到欧盟委员会的回应，就会知道他们是否希望微软在产品设计方面做新的改动，而设计上的调整将导致产品在欧洲的推迟上市。微软称，已在过去15个月中向欧盟提交了有关Vista的详细简报，为了方便欧盟审查，还向监管机构提交了Vista的几份样品。

欧盟反垄断监管机构的发言人乔纳森•托德(Jonathan Todd)表示，微软的言下之意是在说欧盟监管部门造成了Vista的延迟上市，微软的这种做法是在蛊惑人心。监管机构已经在7月初的一份清单上详细列举了对Vista的种种担心。微软请求延期做出回复，最终在8月底的时候给出了回复。托德表示，8月22日，欧盟委员会反垄断专员尼莉•克罗斯(Neelie Kroes)在电话中与微软首席执行长巴尔默(Steve Ballmer)进行了交谈。

2004年3月，欧盟委员会曾对微软课以4.97亿欧元（合6亿多美元）的罚款，并责令微软对其商业做法进行整改。微软于今年4月向欧盟一家法院提起上诉。预计该法院将于明年做出裁决。

今年7月，欧盟委员会以未遵守反垄断裁决为由再次对微软处以2.805亿欧元的罚金。微软表示，也将对追加处罚的裁决提起上诉，并准备在今后几周里提交诉讼文件。

另外，欧洲议会的四位议员对欧盟监管机构调查微软的做法提出批评，称监管机构抓住微软不放可能导致微软的产品在欧洲推迟上市。

这四位议员在写给克罗斯的信函中表示，Vista的延迟上市将带来严重的经济后果。

托德驳斥了这些议员的观点。他表示，微软在没有充分遵守竞争法规的情况下向欧洲市场销售Vista是无论如何都说不通的。

Microsoft Corp. threatened a delay in the launch of its next-generation Vista operating system in Europe because of a standoff with regulators.

European Union regulators had 'raised various concerns' about the product, a company spokesman said. Microsoft said it made 'concrete proposals' to resolve these worries in the spring.

'Once we receive the [European Commission's] response, we will know whether the commission is seeking additional product design changes that would result in delay in Europe,' the spokesman said. Microsoft said it has provided regulators with 'extensive briefings' on Vista during the past 15 months and has given regulators copies of the product to review.

In a written response, EU antitrust spokesman Jonathan Todd said it is misleading for Microsoft to imply regulators are delaying the launch of Vista. Regulators sent Microsoft a 'detailed list' of concerns about Vista at the beginning of July. Microsoft asked for an extension to reply and finally did so at the end of August. The European Union's top antitrust regulator, Neelie Kroes, spoke by telephone about the issue Aug. 22 with Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer, Mr. Todd said.

In March 2004, the European Commission fined Microsoft a record 497 million euros, or more than $600 million, and ordered it to change some of its business practices. The company appealed that ruling in April at an EU court. The court's decision is expected next year.

The commission fined Microsoft an additional 280.5 million euros in July for defying its antitrust orders. Microsoft said it will appeal that decision, too, and is expected to file court documents within the next few weeks.

Separately, four members of the European Parliament, three from the United Kingdom and one from Poland, criticized European Union regulators for their handling of an antitrust investigation into Microsoft, saying regulators''ongoing pursuit of Microsoft' could result in delayed release of the company's products in Europe.

A delay in the release of new Microsoft products in Europe could have grave economic consequences, the parliamentarians said in a letter to Ms. Kroes.

'We have concerns that the consequences of the commission's actions are undermining Europe's goal to become the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-driven economy in the world by 2010,' the letter reads.

Mr. Todd rejected the lawmakers' assertions. 'There is no reason why Microsoft cannot market Vista in a way that is fully compliant with competition regulations,' he said.