Brussels, 17/11/2003 (Agence Europe) - Microsoft's oral hearing closed on Friday, a day when its adversaries tried to counter the arguments that it had presented two days earlier. Debates remained strictly confidential, but it would seem that Microsoft had deployed major means, surrounding itself with specialised lawyers and experts, in order to convince Commissioner Monti's team of the soundness of its arguments. One of its adversaries, RealNetworks, tried to demonstrate that suppression of the multi-media Media Player reader of Windows was not a handicap to the correct functioning of the user system and would not make it compulsory to propose a product of lesser quality, as Microsoft affirms. Ed Black, President of CCIA, an association grouping most of Microsoft competitors, did not comment on the debates but felt that a compromise would mean that the European Union is capitulating like the United States and the US Department of Justice. Clearly more optimistic, Microsoft has published a release in which it "thanks" the Commission for having organised these meetings described as very "helpful". The group "recognises that, as an industrial leader, it has a special responsibility to consumers, the industry and the Commission to work things out" and that debates have been a "positive step towards a meaningful solution". The Commission is not expected to give its verdict before spring, or even summer, 2004.