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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."
It's not Intels fault they kick so much ass :O
Governments need someone to pay for the huge debt they're accumulating. Hey Intel, these guys, they have money. We can take it and spend it on programs that will make us look good, potentially reelected.
Sickening.
Cue the brainwashed anti-trust crowd.
\u262D = \u5350
In what alternate dimension does the EU exist where the above are illegal? Because AMD isn't large enough to do the same they get to have the EU demand minimum prices on processors?
"I use a Mac because I'm just better than you are."
Intel hasn't prevented people from getting what they wanted. People pay for what they want unless the Gov gets involved. I've paid more for both when I wanted something based on the quality.
You know by this same logic MS should get paid by Redhat because you get a free os which is less than the cost to make it.
EU is just looking to make a buck and redistribute wealth. Socalists and Facist suck.
This is $4 from every American, and the money goes to European governments to increase their abuse of both their own citizens and Americans. Everyone loses.
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I predict that [H]ard|OCP will start posting all pissy news items about this, bitching that it's unfair that a US company has to abide by the laws of the EU, just because they do business there.
Granted, they'll phrase it differently and less obviously, but they've kept it up for Microsoft the entire time since they were first fined for breaking the law, so I doubt it'll be different for Intel.
if AMD had gone out of business because of it, your argument might make sense. But so far as I know, AMD still exists, so obviously the thing we're punishing someone for doing didn't actually happen.
If you're going to harsh someone for being competitive based on anything other than skill at making the product, then why the fark did the EU extend copyrights to 70 farking years? Yes, business get involved in marketing, competitive pricing, and etc. They also get involved in sitting on asine patents - want to actually do something about stupid-ass anti-innovation, non "fair" business practices? Then why do patent/trademark/copyright laws get worse every year, in both the EU and the US?