Fresh from a major country victory against Microsoft, EU competition regulators, on Tuesday, said they had launched two new antitrust probes opening fresh fronts in their battle against the US software giant on suspicion it abused its market dominance. The European Commission said one investigation targeted the interoperability of a broad range of software, including Microsoft’s popular Office package, with rival products.

The other inquiry would look into whether Microsoft had illegally tied products to its ubiquitous Windows operating system, including its Internet Explorer browser.

We will cooperate

“This initiation of proceedings does not imply that the Commission has proof of an infringement,” European Union’s top competition watchdog said. “It only signifies that the Commission will further investigate the case as a matter of priority.”

Microsoft, which has clashed in the past with the Commission over antitrust charges, vowed to help regulators in their latest two investigations. “We will cooperate fully with the Commission’s investigation and provide any and all information necessary,” the company said.  “We are committed to ensuring that Microsoft is in full compliance with European law and our obligations as established by the European Court of First Instance in its September 2007 ruling,” it added.