EU Confirms Intel's Response To Antitrust Market Abuse Charges
24 February 2009 - 4:42AM
Dow Jones News
The European Commission Monday confirmed Intel Corp. (INTC) has
responded to its antitrust charges accusing it of squeezing out
rival computer chip maker Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD) by
illegal sales practices.
The company spokesman Robert Manetta said Intel had confirmed
answering the charges in a filing to U.S. regulatory authorities
earlier this month.
The court ruled in late January that Intel had no legal grounds
to delay the commission's probe.
The chip giant's response to the commission's charges comes some
four months after an initial Oct. 17 deadline the company missed
due to contesting the deadline at the European Court of First
Instance.
The European Commission confirmed having received Intel's
response Feb. 5.
The commission said despite the delay it would now assess
whether the information submitted "is necessary to properly conduct
the administrative procedure in this antitrust case."
However the commission rejected Intel's request for an oral
hearing, which the company had applied for when submitting its
defense.
"That request has been considered and rejected by the
Commission's Competition Hearing Officer," the commission said in a
statement.
-By Peppi Kiviniemi, Dow Jones Newswires; +32 (0)2 741 1483;
peppi.kiviniemi@dowjones.com