The European Court of Justice upheld the General Court’s decision to annul a €1.06 billion ($1.144 billion) fine imposed on Intel by the European Commission. The case revolved around Intel’s use of rebates offered to computer makers to purchase its x86 processors, which regulators claimed were designed to stifle competition. The case has been ongoing since the fine was issued initially in 2009.
AMD had long accused Intel of engaging in unfair business practices to maintain its dominance in the CPU market. Specifically, AMD alleged that Intel used rebates and market power to encourage or pressure computer makers like Dell, HP, NEC, Lenovo, and retailers and distributors not to use AMD processors. The company filed lawsuits against Intel in major jurisdictions in 2005.
