Intel wins competition case against European Commission

Intel Corp achieved a significant victory in its antitrust dispute with the European Commission on Thursday, as the European Court of Justice (ECJ) upheld the annulment of a €1.06 billion fine.

Intel wins competition case against European Commission

This decision effectively dismisses an appeal from the Commission following a previous ruling by the EU General Court. The lengthy legal saga began in 2009 when the Commission imposed a record fine on Intel for abusing its dominant position in the market for certain central processing units (CPUs). The EU's chief competition authority accused the U.S. chipmaker of trying to eliminate competitors by offering loyalty rebates to major computer manufacturers.

Rebates were contingent on manufacturers

These rebates were contingent on manufacturers exclusively using Intel products rather than those of rivals, according to the Commission's allegations. Intel's challenge to the fine sparked a protracted legal battle, culminating in the EU General Court ultimately overturning the Commission's original decision. The Court found that the Commission's economic analysis failed to meet the required legal standard to prove that Intel's practices had anti-competitive effects. Thursday's ECJ ruling, which rejected the Commission's appeal, marks the conclusion of this 15-year legal struggle. In response to the ruling, a spokesperson for the Commission stated, "We take note of the judgment, and we will, of course, carefully assess it."