Intel ordered to pay EU €376.36M over 'naked restrictions'
The European Commission announced on Friday that it has reintroduced a fine of €376.36 million against Intel for allegedly violating European Union (EU) antitrust laws by engaging in anticompetitive behavior and abusing its "dominant position in the market for computer chips called x86 central processing units (CPUs)."
The new penalty covers "naked restrictions" that occurred between 2002 and 2006 and consisted of "payments made by Intel to three computer manufacturers (i.e., HP, Acer and Lenovo) to halt or delay the launch of specific products containing competitors' x86 CPUs and to limit the sales channels available to these products."
Back in 2009, the Commission penalized Intel for its alleged efforts to hamper Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.'s (AMD) business by giving rebates to firms that would agree to buy semiconductors from it. In 2022, the European General Court partially overturned the decision.