Europe Fines Intel a Record $1.45 Billion in Antitrust Case

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Europe Fines Intel a Record $1.45 Billion in Antitrust Case

The New York Times
By JAMES KANTER
Published: May 13, 2009

BRUSSELS — The European Commission fined Intel a record €1.06 billion on Wednesday for abusing its dominance in the computer chip market to exclude its only serious rival, Advanced Micro Devices.

The European Union’s competition commissioner, Neelie Kroes, said the penalty against Intel, the equivalent of $1.45 billion, was justified because the company had skewed competition and denied consumers a choice for chips.

Ms. Kroes said Intel had “used illegal anticompetitive practices to exclude its only competitor and reduce consumers’ choice — and the whole story is about consumers.” She said Intel’s practices had “undermined innovation.”

Ms. Kroes said Intel had pursued a strategy aimed mainly at excluding A.M.D. by paying computer makers and retailers to postpone, cancel or avoid A.M.D. products entirely. The European Commission, which is the E.U.’s executive arm, also found that Intel “went to great lengths to cover up its anticompetitive actions,” Ms. Kroes added.

[PBS Poll-435]

1. This sunk like a rock

:kick: :shrug: