Bo Vesterdorf, president of the Court of First Instance, gave the dates of December 18-20 for the ruling after convening parties to the case including Microsoft and the EU's executive commission for a meeting.

The meeting was called to determine whether testimony from software firm Novell and the Computer and Communications Industry Association should be scratched from the record after they reached a settlement with Microsoft.

It was agreed that the prior testimony of the two former supporters of the European Commission's case would remain on the record, clearing the way to a mid-December ruling, sources present at the meeting said.

"I can confirm that the prior testimony of Novell and the CCIA remains on the record," a Microsoft spokesman said.

The Seattle-based company has asked for a stay of the European Commission's anti-trust sanctions -- a hefty fine and enforced product changes to its Windows operating system -- until the court can eventually rule on its appeal.

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