Alain Fontaine’s Jabberbox

Intel Faces $1.3B Fine In Europe

via Slashdot | Intel Faces $1.3B Fine In Europe.

“European antitrust regulators, who have been aggressively pursuing what they see as anticompetitive practices among technology companies, could impose their largest fine ever in a market-dominance case against Intel. The commission began investigating Intel in 2000 after Advanced Micro Devices, its arch-rival, filed a complaint. In two sets of charges, in 2007 and 2008, the commission accused Intel of abusing its dominant position in chips by giving large rebates to computer makers, by paying computer makers to delay or cancel product lines, and by offering chips for server computers at prices below actual cost. Some legal experts speculate that Intel’s fine could reach about a billion euros, or $1.3B. ‘I’d be surprised if the fine isn’t as high or higher than in the Microsoft case,’ said an antitrust and competition lawyer in London. In 2004 Microsoft paid a fine of €497M, or $663M at current exchange rates, after being accused of abusing its dominance; the EU imposed another $1.3B fine in Feb. 2008.”

Now this is a lot of money. Then again, will this really hurt a multi-billion corporation like Intel, or do they accept the fact that this is the price to pay every couple of years and just go on with their business as before ?

As the EU is apparently in need of money, it wouldn’t be surprising to see a couple more of these news in the next weeks and months.

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