See also: Europe fines Intel €1bn
Intel has come out fighting in response to the EU's decision to fine it €1bn for anti-competitive practices.
The key allegation made against Intel is, as EC Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes (pictured, right) said this morning in Brussels, that: "Intel excluded its competitor in two ways: through illegal loyalty rebates, by paying manufacturers and retailers to restrict the commercialisation of competitors' products."
Kroes added that rebates are not necessarily illegal. "Not all rebates are a competition problem," said Kroes, "but the Intel rebates in this case were a problem because of the conditions that Intel attached to its rebates."
Now the crucial response of Intel to this allegation is that there were no conditions attached to the rebates.
"We have never conditioned a rebate on an agreement not to buy from AMD," said Bruce Sewell (pictured below), Intel's general counsel, at today's press conference in Brussels.
Another major allegation against Intel is that it paid manufacturers to delay AMD product launches. Asked if Intel had done this, Sewell responded: "I can absolutely and categorically deny it, and I do deny it."
Electronics Weekly put to Sewell, Kroes' statement this morning: "The Commission has specific, documented examples, of Intel paying other manufacturers to, for example, delay the launch of an AMD-based PC by six months,"
Asked by Electronics Weekly if the Commissioner was lying, Sewell replied: "I am not aware of any such document."
This morning, Kroes said: "The Commission Decision contains evidence that Intel went to great lengths to cover-up many of its anti-competitive actions."
Asked for a response, Sewell said: "I know of no instance when Intel has tried to hide something."
As for Kroes' statement this morning that: "The Commission had ordered Intel to cease the illegal practices immediately", Sewell responded: "I can't say what it is that we're being told not to do."
Sewell also said: "We have had no discussions with the Commission on any aspect of this."
With the investigation underway for about nine years, the question is: Why not?
Bruce Sewell, Intel's general counsel