Intel hit with $400 million EU antitrust fine

Updated on: 15 November 2023

Reuters

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Intel has been fined 376 million euros ($400 million) in an EU antitrust case stemming from actions that the U.S. chipmaker took between 2002 and 2006.

An initial record fine of €1.06 billion in 2009 was thrown out last year by the Luxembourg-based General Court, Europe's second highest.

The court, however, agreed with the European Commission that Intel illegally excluded rivals from the market, which prompted the EU antitrust watchdog to re-open the case.

The 2009 ruling accused Intel of blocking rival chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices.

On Friday, the EU watchdog said it had re-imposed a fine for practices between November 2002 and December 2006 when Intel paid HP, Acer, and Lenovo to halt or delay rival products.

"The General Court confirmed that Intel's naked restrictions amounted to an abuse of a dominant market position under EU competition rules," the European Commission said in a statement.

Intel did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The Commission appealed the General Court's ruling last year at the EU Court of Justice, Europe's top court.