{mosgoogle}Philips Electronics has changed its licensing program for the technology to make recordable CDs, prompting the European Commission to end an investigation into it. News.com has the story. Here's a brief:

"The new licensing conditions offered by Philips are likely to bring about lower prices and more transparency for millions of consumers of recordable CDs," the commission said in a statement.

A small group of companies holds patents for CD and DVD standards, and others who make discs must pay them. In a number of cases, licencees have complained that they are treated unfairly.

A coalition of parties that says it's seeking fair competition in the optical-media sector had complained about the CD-R terms from Philips.

Read the full story at News.com.