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EU: Samsung might need to do more to satisfy our concerns

Speaking at a conference on Monday, European Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia said Samsung may need to provide more concessions if it wants to get out of his line of sight.

Don Reisinger
CNET contributor Don Reisinger is a technology columnist who has covered everything from HDTVs to computers to Flowbee Haircut Systems. Besides his work with CNET, Don's work has been featured in a variety of other publications including PC World and a host of Ziff-Davis publications.
Don Reisinger
European Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia.
European Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia. European Commission

Samsung's attempts earlier this year to quell unrest over its use of standard-essential patents might not prove to be enough.

Speaking at a patent conference on Monday, European Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia said that there's a strong likelihood that Samsung will need to come up with more concessions before he and his team will walk away from their investigation.

According to Reuters, which was in attendance at the event, Almunia has received feedback from many of Samsung's competitors, all of which seem somewhat displeased with the company's offer for solving the ongoing dispute.

Almunia's office has moved swiftly to take aim at Samsung's alleged abuses of its dominant position as a standard-essential patent holder. In that capacity, Samsung is forced to offer competitors its standard-essential patents on a fair and reasonable basis. The European Union has suggested that Samsung's use of lawsuits against Apple, alleging the iPhone maker violates its standard-essential patents, might have gone too far.

For its part, Samsung in September offered to end the unrest by placing a moratorium on lawsuits for a period of five years. Samsung also agreed to negotiate licensing fees through arbitration or a court hearing if a disagreement was prompted between it and another firm.

Almunia has yet to officially chime in on Samsung's proposal. Judging by his statement today, however, it appears the response won't be so laudatory.