Despite last year’s court victory, Intel faces another EU antitrust penalty

Author: Foo Yun Chee

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Intel could face another EU antitrust fine despite winning a $1.06 billion court fight last year

A $1.2 billion fine imposed 14 years ago for obstructing a rival, the U.S. chipmaker said in a regulatory filing.

Last year, Intel persuaded Europe’s second-highest court to overturn a fine imposed by the European Commission in 2009 for giving rebates to four computer makers to buy most of their chips from the company rather than from rival Advanced Micro Devices.

“The General Court’s decision of January 2022 did not invalidate the EC’s 2009 finding that Intel made payments to prevent the sale of certain competing products, and in January 2023 the EC reopened the administrative procedure to determine the fine imposed on Intel based on this alleged conduct,” he said. the company said in its filing on January 26.

“Given the procedural status and nature of these proceedings, we are unable to make a reasonable estimate of the potential loss or the extent of possible loss that may arise from this matter,” he said.

For breaches of antitrust rules in the EU, companies risk financial penalties of up to 10% of their global turnover.

($1 = 0.9217 euros)

(Reporting by Foo Yun Chee, editing by Louise Heavens)