European Commission will force Microsoft to hand over what the US software giant claims is sensitive and valuable technical information about its Windows operating system for almost no compensation, the Financial Times reported Wednesday, citing a confidential document.

The world's biggest software maker is required to license the technical information to competing groups under the terms of the European CommissionÂ?s antitrust ruling issued three years ago, the newspaper said.

The Commission last month accused Microsoft of demanding excessive royalties from licences. Microsoft wants as much as 5.95 percent of companiesÂ? server revenues to license the information.

But the FT said the confidential statement of objections from the Commission "makes clear that Microsoft will at best be allowed to levy a tiny fraction of the royalties it is demanding."

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EU, Europe, Commission, Microsoft, Windows, License, Licensing, Pittance