By Edith Hancock
The European Union's second-highest court reduced an antitrust fine by about 140 million euros ($162.8 million) that EU officials had levied on Intel over what it alleged was abuse of dominance in the market for microprocessors.
The decision from the General Court of the European Union is another blow to the European Commission, the bloc's executive arm, after judges struck out the initial 1.06 billion-euro fine that was imposed on Intel in 2009. The EU levied a smaller fine of 376.4 million euros years later.
EU officials said in 2009 that the chip maker had abused its dominance in the market for x86 computer chips by paying manufacturers to halt or delay the launch of specific products with competing chips.
The General Court said in a statement Wednesday that a penalty of 237.1 million euros is a more appropriate reflection of the gravity and duration of what the commission sees as a breach of EU competition law.
Judges said the assessment of the amount of the fine should take into account both what they called the relatively limited number of computers affected by its business practices and a 12-month gap separating some of them.
However, the court did uphold the commission's view that the chip manufacturer abused its dominance.
A spokesperson for the commission said it took note of the decision and would reflect on next steps. Intel didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
The General Court overturned the initial fine in 2022, saying antitrust officials' analysis of the case was incomplete and didn't prove the rebates could stifle competition. The EU then imposed its smaller fine in 2023 and lodged an appeal, which was ultimately dismissed by the Court of Justice of the European Union, the EU's top court.
Intel also sought to have the new decision annulled and get the roughly 376 million-euro fine canceled or reduced.
Write to Edith Hancock at edith.hancock@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
12-10-25 0604ET
