This. Sony only held a US license to Howards End and that expired 20 years ago.
Ironically they do own Merchant Ivory's follow up The Remains of the Day in perpetuity but that's not a SPC film.
JFTR, Sony doesn't own the movie they launched the Sony Pictures Classics banner with anymore.
Also I find it hard to believe that they would do a box set like this and NOT include Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.