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Issue: 16 - 22 Dec, 2009
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Intel loses EC anti-trust case

David Manners
Wednesday 28 January 2009 11:33

Intel's attempts to delay publication of the EU's decision on the anti-trust proceedings it is facing suffered a reverse with the European Court of First Instance rejecting a request for a delay.

It was reported last summer that the EC competition directorate had made up its mind that Intel had breached EU competition law by unfair trading practices in an abuse of a dominant trading position.

Official announcement of the decision, expected last October, was postponed following Intel filing a case with the EC court alleging Intel needed to see more documents to defend itself properly. The court has ruled that it doesn't need to see the documents to defend itself properly.

Marc Jaeger, the president of the Court of First Instance, said that Intel "was in no way prevented from preparing and submitting, in good time, its reply."

The allegations mostly relate to Intel's alleged practice of giving rebates to customers which used only a limited number of AMD chips.

Intel has already been found guilty of such practices by the competition authorities in Japan and Korea and is being investigated on similar chargers by the attorney-general of New York.

Intel used the EC court case as a reason not to file a reply to the EC competition directorate charges by the deadline date for filing which was October 17th. Now it looks as if Intel will have to file the reply.

Intel boss Paul Otellini has dismissed the threat of the maximum possible fine of ten per cent of its revenues as just a matter of 'writing a cheque'. (Even though it may be a $300m cheque). But Intel may still feel worse about being ordered by the EC to stop the alleged unfair trading practices.

See also: Electronics Weekly's Focus on Intel, a roundup of content on the chip giant's technology. As well as presenting news coverage from Electronics Weekly, we draw on wider resources available on the Web.

See also: Mannerisms, the blog of David Manners. Updated twice daily, it's the distinctive, entertaining, authoritative and never dull commentary on the semiconductor industry, from someone who knows. Sign up for the Mannerisms eNewsletter.

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