PCR Tech and IT retail, distribution and vendor news
The European Commission has brought a supplementary charge sheet against chip giant Intel.
This is new development to a probe launched following a complaint from AMD nearly seven years ago. Raids in 2005 were followed by a formal charge from regulators.
The first of the three new charges states that Intel supplied rebates to a leading European retailer to ensure that it exclusively stocked Intel based products.
The second charge is that it made payments to a manufacturer to delay the planned launch of AMD based products.
The third charge claims that Intel made substantial rebates to the same manufacturer to induce it to obtain all its laptop processors from itself.
It is not unusual for the European regulators to bring further charges during the course of an investigation. A spokesman for the EU clarified why the extra charges have been brought: “The Commission considers at this stage of its analysis that all the types of conduct reinforce each other and are part of a single overall anti-competitive strategy aimed at excluding AMD or limiting its access to the market.”
Intel lawyer, Steve Rodgers said: “Offering discounts is central to competition and good for consumers.”
Link: Reuters
