Intel fights $1.45B Europe antitrust fine

Chipmaking giant Intel Corp. is challenging a $1.45 billion fine European regulators want it to pay for alleged monopoly practices.

Intel (Nasdaq: INTC) has asked a court to either throw out the ruling and fine altogether, or to “reduce substantially” the fine. It also asks that the European Commission be ordered “to pay Intel’s costs.”

Regulators said in May that Intel had used illegal rebates to companies making computers as a way to squeeze its Sunnyvale, Calif.-based rival Advanced Micro Devices Corp. (NYSE: AMD) out of the market.

In its appeal, Intel claims its rebate program didn’t interfere with AMD’s market access, and says in fact that AMD made higher profits in the area during the time under study.

Santa Clara, Calif.-based Intel filed the appeal in the European Court of First Instance. This is the largest fine European regulators have ever charged in an antitrust action.

Both companies have a presence in the Albany, N.Y., region. Both conduct research at the University at Albany's College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, located on the Albany NanoTech campus.

AMD has joined with Advanced Technology Investment Co. (ATIC), based in Abu Dhabi, to create GlobalFoundries. GlobalFoundries is building a $4.2 billion chip plant at Luther Forest Technology Campus in Saratoga County. The plant will make computer chips for AMD and other semiconductor companies. Link...