Intel Triumphs Over EU Regulators In Two-Decades-Long Antitrust Dispute

The EU Court of Justice has ruled in favor of Intel INTC, concluding a nearly two-decades-long antitrust case with EU regulators. This ruling marks a significant victory for the tech giant against the European Commission’s claims.

What Happened: The EU Court of Justice, Europe’s highest court, ruled on Thursday in favor of Intel INTC, concluding a nearly 20-year antitrust battle with EU regulators, Reuters reported on Thursday. The court dismissed the European Commission’s appeal, thereby upholding an earlier decision by the General Court.

The European Commission had previously fined Intel for providing rebates to computer manufacturers such as Dell, Hewlett-Packard Co, NEC and Lenovo for purchasing most of their chips from Intel. Regulators claimed this was an attempt to hinder competition from Advanced Micro Devices (AMD).

Regulators typically oppose rebates from dominant firms due to concerns they might stifle competition. However, companies argue that authorities must demonstrate that such discounts have anticompetitive effects before imposing sanctions. Intel’s case gained momentum earlier this year when a court adviser indicated that regulators had not adequately conducted an economic analysis.

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Why It Matters: This ruling is a significant development in Intel’s long-standing legal battle with the European Union. Earlier this year, Intel gained ground when Advocate General Laila Medina of the EU's Court of Justice issued a non-binding opinion favoring Intel. Medina argued that the European Commission failed to prove Intel’s abuse of its dominant position in the PC chip market. This opinion aligned with a 2022 ruling that annulled a 2009 decision by the European Commission, which accused Intel of illegal rebates to PC makers to edge out AMD.

The decision comes amid a broader context of regulatory scrutiny in the EU, as companies like Apple and Microsoft navigate new regulations such as the NIS 2 cybersecurity directive. This directive, now enforceable, mandates enhanced cybersecurity practices, highlighting the EU’s increasing regulatory focus on technology companies.

Price Action: At the time of writing, Intel was trading slightly higher by 0.84% during the early hours after the market opened on Thursday, according to Benzinga Pro.

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This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Pooja Rajkumari