Intel rejects millionaire fine for anti-competitive practices against amd

In 2009, the EU imposed a fine of 1.06 billion euros ($ 1.2 billion) on Intel for anti-competitive practices against AMD. Since then, a round trip battle has lasted. Intel said today that the fine imposed by EU antitrust regulators is invalid, Reuters reported.

Intel rejects 1060 million euro fine for anti-competitive practices against AMD

The charges against Intel are that it tried to block AMD's growth in the market by offering PC manufacturers, such as Dell and HP, incentives to buy most of their CPUs from Intel. Intel paid the fine in full in 2009, however in 2014 Intel contested the decision of the EU General Court Commission. After an extensive evaluation, the General Court confirmed the fine.

However, in 2017, Intel brought the case to the EU Court of Justice (CJEU). The CJEU disagreed with the decision of the General Court in 2014 and ordered the general court to re-examine the case once again. This process has been ongoing until today.

The legal battle continues to this day, 11 years later, Intel's anti-competitive practices continue to be the subject of debate in justice.

A consensus has not yet been reached. Although the French consumer body UFC is supporting the General Court, the Association for Competitive Technology is on Intel's side.

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The reason for the conflict is the so-called 'AEC' test, an economic analysis that aims to determine whether a dominant company is using anti-competitive behavior to suppress other equally efficient or more efficient competitors, but to 'expel' inefficient competitors, in the eyes from regulators. It does not pose a problem.

What Intel claims is that AMD was not an 'efficient' competitor, whereas for the EU it was.

A sentence is expected to be announced next year, although the losing party may, once again, appeal the case to the CJEU. We will keep you informed.

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