Intel gains boost in battle against EU antitrust fine

BRUSSELS: U.S. chipmaker Intel’s fight against a 1.06 billion euro ($1.2 billion) EU antitrust fine was boosted on Thursday by an adviser to Europe’s top court finding EU regulators at fault on their economic analysis.

The case dates from 2009 when the European Commission fined Intel for trying to thwart rival Advanced Micro Devices by giving rebates to computer makers Dell, Hewlett-Packard Co, NEC and Lenovo for buying most of their chips from Intel.

Regulators generally oppose rebates offered by dominant companies on concerns they may be anti-competitive, while companies in turn say enforcers must prove that discounts are anti-competitive effects before sanctioning them.