Intel Loses Battle Against 16-Year-Old Antitrust Case
The tech giant will have to fork out a hefty fine, reduced from €376 million to €237 million.
In a case that dates back to 2009, Intel has lost its final challenge against the European Commission's antitrust ruling. The company had long been fighting the €376 million ($438.7 million) fine levied on it for allegedly violating EU competition laws.
At the time, netbooks were all the rage in the PC space, and Intel was accused of using hidden rebates to push rival companies out of the market. It also made payments to manufacturers such as HP, Acer, and Lenovo between 2002 and 2006, which was deemed "naked restrictions" by EU regulators.
The case bounced back and forth through the courts for years before finally coming to an end. In 2017, Europe's highest court ordered a re-examination of the case due to concerns over economic assessments. The second-highest court later overturned the ruling on one part of the fine in 2022, only for the EU Court of Justice to confirm it last year.
But now Intel has lost its challenge against the €237 million ($276.6 million) fine imposed in 2023 after European courts upheld that portion. Instead of having it removed entirely, the company will have to settle for a reduction of one-third on the initial sum.
The decision is seen as a victory for the EU Commission, which has been pushing for tougher antitrust laws to regulate big tech companies. Intel's latest challenge was its final attempt to overturn the fine, and it appears that the company will now be forced to pay up.
It's worth noting, however, that Intel can still appeal the decision on points of law to the EU Court of Justice next year, which could potentially lead to another chapter in this long-running saga.
The tech giant will have to fork out a hefty fine, reduced from €376 million to €237 million.
In a case that dates back to 2009, Intel has lost its final challenge against the European Commission's antitrust ruling. The company had long been fighting the €376 million ($438.7 million) fine levied on it for allegedly violating EU competition laws.
At the time, netbooks were all the rage in the PC space, and Intel was accused of using hidden rebates to push rival companies out of the market. It also made payments to manufacturers such as HP, Acer, and Lenovo between 2002 and 2006, which was deemed "naked restrictions" by EU regulators.
The case bounced back and forth through the courts for years before finally coming to an end. In 2017, Europe's highest court ordered a re-examination of the case due to concerns over economic assessments. The second-highest court later overturned the ruling on one part of the fine in 2022, only for the EU Court of Justice to confirm it last year.
But now Intel has lost its challenge against the €237 million ($276.6 million) fine imposed in 2023 after European courts upheld that portion. Instead of having it removed entirely, the company will have to settle for a reduction of one-third on the initial sum.
The decision is seen as a victory for the EU Commission, which has been pushing for tougher antitrust laws to regulate big tech companies. Intel's latest challenge was its final attempt to overturn the fine, and it appears that the company will now be forced to pay up.
It's worth noting, however, that Intel can still appeal the decision on points of law to the EU Court of Justice next year, which could potentially lead to another chapter in this long-running saga.
. I mean, what did they expect? They were basically bullying other companies into submission back in the day. The EU Commission was right to crack down on them. It's like they thought they could just buy their way out of trouble all these years... and now they're getting the cold, hard cash.
it's wild they lost after all those years fighting it. i mean, i get why the eu commission wanted to crack down on big tech companies like intel doing shady stuff behind closed doors, but €237 million is still a lot of cash 
especially when you consider that they had so many chances to settle it earlier.
but at what cost? we'll see how intel handles its appeal next year 
Intel got roasted by EU Commission 
16-year-old antitrust case finally settled 
. I mean, who knew those netbooks were all the rage back then? 
They gotta pay €237 million ($276.6 million) now 
.
. They've been pushing for tougher antitrust laws for a long time 
. Now Intel has to fork over some serious cash 
, but good for the little guy 
.
Only time will tell 
. Can't have them running amok 
.
They've been going through this for like, 16 years now, and it's just been one setback after another. I get why the EU Commission is trying to keep tech companies in check, but at what cost? 
. I mean, who needs to innovate when you can just give everyone else cash and pretend it's not happening? 
. The fine might be smaller than originally proposed, but I'm sure the real prize was avoiding a potential precedent for future antitrust cases. Congrats on playing the long game... and losing 
.
maybe they'll appeal again next yr 
. I mean, Intel's been fighting this case for ages and it's crazy how they finally lost out. The whole netbook thing sounds like a wild card move by the company, but I guess you can't win 'em all 
. Intel might be able to appeal again, but for now, they've gotta swallow their fine 