1984 IBM European Commission Undertaking
During the early 1980s, the European Commission accused IBM of abusing its position as a dominant supplier by bundling its hardware and software and by not disclosing interface information. Despite concern expressed by the U.S. Antitrust Division over continuation of the European action, in 1984 the EC was on the verge of issuing a formal complaint when IBM agreed to an "undertaking.” In the Undertaking, IBM agreed to disclose interface information, at a reasonable and non-discriminatory charge, sufficient to allow both hardware and software manufacturers to attach their systems or networks to IBM mainframes and Systems Network Architecture within 120 days of the announcement of a new System 370 product, or at the time a product became generally available. It also agreed to sell unbundled System 370 computers with the amount of memory required for testing purposes within the European Common Market. Violation of the Undertaking could have lead to reinstatement of formal case proceedings. The Undertaking was to remain in effect for five years. In 1995, IBM unilaterally withdrew from its obligations covered by the Undertaking.
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