A group of companies including International Business Machines, Nokia and Oracle filed a new complaint against US software giant Microsoft Corp with EU anti-trust regulators on Tuesday. The group of competitors said that appealing to the European Commission is the only way to make Microsoft correct its anti-competitive behavior. The companies said they are targeting "Microsoft's existing monopolies" as well as plans to "extend its market dominance into a range of existing and pre-announced future product areas".

The European Commission said it had received the complaint and that it will review it.

Microsoft is already embroiled in a standoff with the European Commission on whether or not the group is complying with a March 2004 anti-trust decision against it, in which the software company was fined a record 497 million Euros ($588 millions) for abuse of its market position.

Microsoft was also ordered to sell a version of its Windows operating system that does not include its Media Player software and to divulge information on its operating system needed by manufacturers of rival products.

Microsoft appeared unperturbed by the new complaint as it declared in a statement:
"We have come to expect that as we introduce new products that benefit consumers, a few competitors will complain. We will respond quickly and comprehensively to any requests for information from the Commission on this complaint, but no such requests have been received so far," the firm said.