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Intel Faces $1.3B Fine In Europe
Hugh Pickens writes "European antitrust regulators, who have been aggressively pursuing what they see as anticompetitive practices among technology companies, could impose their largest fine ever in a market-dominance case against Intel. The commission began investigating Intel in 2000 after Advanced Micro Devices, its arch-rival, filed a complaint. In two sets of charges, in 2007 and 2008, the commission accused Intel of abusing its dominant position in chips by giving large rebates to computer makers, by paying computer makers to delay or cancel product lines, and by offering chips for server computers at prices below actual cost. Some legal experts speculate that Intel's fine could reach about a billion euros, or $1.3B. 'I'd be surprised if the fine isn't as high or higher than in the Microsoft case,' said an antitrust and competition lawyer in London. In 2004 Microsoft paid a fine of €497M, or $663M at current exchange rates, after being accused of abusing its dominance; the EU imposed another $1.3B fine in Feb. 2008."
Truly, this is being intellectually dishonest.
The fact that they're planning to take money from Intel, under the guise of Intel's supposed predatory behavior, is just that - a guise. The real purpose is to fill the coffers of the EU. Yes, they use a real justification which the majority of people will likely accept, but it's not the real reason they're doing it.
~/ssh slashdot.org ssh: connect to host slashdot.org port 22: too many beers
What law has Intel objectively broken before the fact? None! Antitrust law is all subjective rulings after the fact. By its nature it is bad law, and does far far more to limit competition from new upstart companies than it does to beat down old established monopolies.
Nice tale, except that it has NEVER HAPPENED in real life. Never. Oh sure, lots of companies have tried it, but all have failed. The most entertaining example was the bromine market. Look up Herbert Dow.
Don't blame me, I didn't vote for either of them!
That's fine, so long as they only raise the prices for those hippies in Europe. I want my superior chip to still be the cheapest. It's like buying a Ferrari for the price of a Ford. Quit your whining Europe, or I'll send you an invoice for the difference when I buy my next processor (which will be intel... cause its better.... and I'm not European).