Intel and the European Union cancel the one billion euro antitrust fine

The Court of Justice of the European Union has upheld the Court of First Instance’s decision to annul the antitrust fine imposed on Intel over a decade ago, rejecting the European Commission’s appeal. The story dates back to 2009, when the European Commission fined Intel 1.06 billion euros, accusing it of using unfair commercial practices to exclude its main competitor, AMD, from the market. Specifically, Intel had been accused of abusing its dominant position in the global x86 microprocessor market by implementing a strategy of excluding rivals through the use of loyalty discounts.

In 2022, the General Court of the European Union had annulled the fine, a decision which has now been confirmed by the Court of Justice. In a statement, Intel said it was “satisfied with the ruling issued today by the Court of Justice of the European Union and that we can finally put this part of the case behind us.” However, the legal battle is not over yet. Intel is currently challenging a separate €376.4 million fine imposed by Brussels last year over sales restrictions that the Court ruled illegal in its 2022 ruling.