In 2009, the European Commission imposed a hefty antitrust fine of 1.06 billion euros on Intel, equivalent to $1.2 billion, citing allegations that the US-based tech giant had unfairly leveraged its dominant position in the global chip market between 2002 and 2007 to edge out competitors. After an initial failed appeal in 2014, a reevaluation of the case was ordered by the EU’s highest court in 2017.
Following the recent reconsideration, Intel emerged victorious as the EU General Court nullified the European Commission’s penalty, noting a lack of thorough analysis regarding the impact of an Intel rebate program crucial to the original ruling.
“The Commission’s assessment was deemed insufficient to prove with legal certainty that the rebates in question could have anti-competitive implications,” the General Court announced in a public statement.
Intel secures a significant win in its battle against the EU courts over a record-breaking $1.2 billion antitrust fine https://t.co/P8SQfwzVtw
— Bloomberg (@business) January 26, 2022
While this development marks a positive turn for Intel, the extended duration since the initial penalty necessitates further assessment to fully gauge the repercussions of the overturned verdict. A spokesperson for Intel stated to CNBC, “We will provide additional insights following our preliminary review.”
