Updated: Intel formally appeals $1.45 billion antitrust fine
San Francisco (CA) – Intel has formally appealed a $1.45 billion fine imposed by the EU (European Union) in response to various antitrust violations. The EU leveled the hefty fine in May after ruling that the Santa Clara-based company had abused its dominant market position against AMD (Advanced Micro Devices).
Intel – which denied the charges – continues to insist that the decision ignores the reality of a highly competitive microprocessor marketplace.
Our position is that the decision was wrong and we said that from the day it was announced," Intel spokesperson Chuck Mulloy told MarketWatch. "It was wrong on many levels. If we prevail, then we get the money back."
However, European Commission (EC) spokesperson Mattias Sundholm vehemently disagreed with Mulloy's assessment. "[We are] confident that [the EU] antitrust decision against Intel is legally watertight," stated Sundholm.
It is worth noting that the European Convention on Human Rights stipulates specific standards for criminal proceedings, including an "independent and impartial tribunal." Nevertheless, skeptics have criticized the EU for allowing a politically appointed bureaucrat to act in the role of prosecutor, judge and jury.
Indeed, although the decisions of the antitrust commissioner are formally approved by
all 27 EU commissioners, they are rarely questioned "in practice."
Intel's Chuck Mulloy tells TG Daily: "I can confirm that that we've filed our appeal of the European Commission's May 13 antitrust decision regarding Intel. The appeal is with the Court of First Instance in Luxembourg and was filed today. We believe the European Commission's decision in the Intel case is wrong and ignores the reality that the microprocessor market is highly competitive, resulting in lower prices and better products for consumers. While we are appealing, we are also working to cooperate with the Commission to ensure we're in compliance with their decision."
Aharon Etengoff
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