Intel Corp. faced a renewed €376.36 million ($400 million) fine from European Union (EU) antitrust regulators. This penalty follows a prior landmark ruling where a one-time record €1.06 billion penalty against the chipmaker was annulled by an EU court.
On Friday, the European Commission announced reimposing the smaller fine due to a previously established abuse of dominant market position related to x86 central processing units. The Commission found that Intel had engaged in a series of anticompetitive practices to exclude competitors from the relevant market, thus breaching European Union antitrust rules. Earlier in the year, Intel had already been alerted to the Commission’s reopening of the administrative procedure to determine a fine against the company based on allegedly abusive conduct previously established.
The earlier ruling in 2022 had seemingly marked a historic victory for Intel, overturning one of the EU’s significant antitrust cases. This ruling stemmed from the 2009 decision, wherein regulators had alleged that Intel provided illegal rebates to PC makers, aiming to edge out rival Advanced Micro Devices Inc. However, despite the partial victory, the EU General Court confirmed that Intel’s restrictions amounted to abusing its dominant market position under EU competition rules. This confirmation prompted the Commission to adopt a new decision, imposing a fine on Intel solely for these restrictive practices. This renewed fine underscores the persistent antitrust battle Intel faces in the European Union, emphasizing the gravity of ensuring fair competition within the market for computer chips.
The Commission remains committed to upholding antitrust rules, aiming to maintain a level playing field and prevent monopolistic behaviors that could stifle competition and innovation. Intel’s ongoing legal battles serve as a reminder of the vigilance and dedication required to enforce antitrust regulations effectively.
