"European Union antitrust regulators are close to issuing formal
antitrust charges against Intel, alleging that the world's biggest
chip manufacturer is abusing its dominant market position.
According to people familiar with the case, the charges would allege
that Intel has undermined competition by offering rebates to computer
manufacturers that shut out its only rival, Advanced Micro Devices.
The European Commission is also understood to be preparing charges
alleging that Intel has engaged in predatory pricing aimed at keeping
AMD's competing chips out of the market.
The Commission, the EU's top antitrust regulator, has been
investigating Intel's conduct for six years. A draft so-called
"statement of objections" containing the charges has circulated
internally for several weeks, but has not yet been given the green
light by Neelie Kroes, the EU competition commissioner and the official
who will ultimately decide the fate of the investigation.
A spokesman for Intel said: "Intel is continuing to cooperate with
regulators from the European Commission. We believe our business
practices are both fair and lawful. This is a confidential process so
we will have no further comment."
In big cases such as the one against Intel or the Commission's
long-running probe against Microsoft, formal decisions are often
delayed and the content of the formal charge sheet can be rewritten at
a late stage.
However, it is understood that the officials investigating Intel have
gathered a large amount of incriminating material against Intel over
the past years, not least thanks to a series of raids against the group
and several computer manufacturers that were conducted in July last
year.
The Commission's investigation into alleged abuses by Intel began in
2000, after AMD filed a complaint to the Brussels regulator. The probe
was almost abandoned in 2002, but gathered steam again two years ago."
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/7ec07504-53...000e2511c8.html
Intel likely to face EU antitrust charges
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