Allegations of Microsoft Influencing Vote on OpenXML in Sweden

Aug 29, 2007

Ulrich Bantle

The Swedish Standards Institute (SiS) has approved the inclusion of Microsoft's Office OpenXML as an ISO standard. The Swedish Society for Free Information Culture (Förening för en fri informationsinfrastruktur), FFII, alleges that Microsoft influenced the vote via its Swedish partner corporations.

The report by the FFII states that, shortly before the vote, 23 new members appeared at an SiS meeting. Around 20 of them were Microsoft partners, says FFII. Whereas the mood among members had previously been dismissive, the result of the subsequent vote was a clear "Yes". As a member of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Sweden thus recommends the adoption of Office OpenXML as an ISO standard.

The new members had not participated in a single session of the committee responsible for the decision, says the FFII. Of the 23 new members, 19 had applied for membership after August 23, FFII member David Vuorio writes in his blog.

ISO members are currently voting on the adoption of Office OpenXML into the standard.

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