A legal dispute that had threatened the spin-off of Skype from online auction group Ebay was resolved yesterday, capping an effort by the two European entrepreneurs who founded the world's biggest internet calling service to elbow their way back into a position of influence at the company.

Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis, who had sold Skype to Ebay and quit two years before, will get a 14 per cent stake and board representation in return for dropping their legal action.