Intel has been hit with a €376 million ($621 million) fine by the European Union (EU) in an antitrust case stemming from actions taken between 2002 and 2006. This fine comes after an initial record fine of €1.06 billion ($1.75 billion) in 2009 was overturned by the General Court last year.
The EU antitrust watchdog re-opened the case and confirmed that Intel had engaged in illegal practices that excluded rivals from the market.
The 2009 ruling accused Intel of blocking rival Advanced Micro Devices (AMD). The recent fine is related to actions taken by Intel between November 2002 and December 2006 when the company allegedly paid HP, Acer, and Lenovo to halt or delay the introduction of rival products.
EU Antitrust Findings
The European Commission found that Intel’s actions constituted an abuse of dominant market position under EU competition rules. While Intel has not yet responded to these latest developments, the Commission has appealed last year’s General Court ruling at the EU Court of Justice, Europe’s highest court.
Intel’s ongoing antitrust battle with the EU has resulted in a €376 million fine, with further legal proceedings pending. The case centers on alleged anti-competitive behavior by Intel during the early 2000s, and the EU’s efforts to enforce competition rules and ensure a level playing field in the tech industry.