Microsoft on Thursday cancelled oral hearings in Brussels at which it was due to defend itself against potential European sanctions over browsers, drawing an angry complaint from a rival that it was trying to duck a showdown with Google and other critics.

The US software company said that it had called off the hearings, which had been set for June 3-5, because important European anti-trust officials would have been unable to attend. It also said it had asked the European Commission for alternative dates but that none had been offered.