BRUSSELS/SUNNYVALE, CALIF. – July 27, 2007 -The European Commission (EC) today confirmed that it has charged Intel with violating EU competition laws by abusing its dominant position in the global microprocessor market. The Commission said in a press briefing today that “in the short, medium and long-term, we think that the actions of Intel are bad news for competition and consumers.” http://ec.europa.eu/avservices/ebs/schedule.cfm.
The EC’s Statement of Objections is based on evidence collected in a thorough, multi-year investigation of the company’s business practices which the European Commission characterized as “extremely rigorous.” Evidence seized from Intel offices and collected from PC manufacturers across Europe provided the foundation for the European Commission’s strong antitrust case.
“Consumers know today that their welfare has been sacrificed in the illegal interest of preserving monopoly profits. Intel has circled the globe with a pattern of conduct, including direct payments, in order to enforce full and partial boycotts of AMD. The EU action obviously suggests that Intel has, once again, been unable to justify its illegal conduct,” said Thomas M. McCoy, AMD executive vice president legal affairs and chief administrative officer.