How the Intel case changed our understanding of the objectives of EU competition law

Abstract:

This article discusses the decisions made in the Intel case by the General Court and the European court of justice.

To assess the change which took place in the Intel decision, this article first describes the aims of EU competition law and the different approaches taken to interpret its provisions.

It then displays the differences between the decisions made by the General Court and the European Court of Justice and carves out their influence on the understanding of Competition law.

In so doing, it illustrates that the decision made by the European court of justice displays a shift in the understanding of competition law from an Ordoliberal understanding to a broader more consumer focused understanding. Taking this change into account the article shows that a new understanding of EU competition law is necessary for the maintenance of the EU itself.