Memo: Antitrust: Commission publishes decision concerning Intel’s abuse of dominant position

On 21 September 2009 the European Commission published a non-confidential version of its Intel Decision, adopted on 13 May 2009, together with a summary of the key elements of the Decision. That Decision found that Intel broke EC Treaty antitrust rules (Article 82) by engaging in two types of illegal practice to exclude competitors from the market for computer chips called x86 central processing units (CPUs). These practices harmed consumers throughout the EEA. By undermining its competitors’ ability to compete on the merits of their products, Intel’s actions undermined competition, reduced consumer choice and hindered innovation. On the basis of a significant amount of contemporaneous evidence and company statements, the Decision demonstrated how Intel broke the law.

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