EU court upholds $1.4 billion fine for Intel

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Brussels • A European Union court on Thursday upheld a $1.4 billion fine against Intel, the American microchip manufacturer, for abusing its dominant position in the market for computer central processing units.

EU officials assessed the fine in 2009 after determining that in 2002-07, Intel awarded rebates to computer makers if they bought exclusively or mostly Intel-made CPUs, commonly known as the brains of a computer.

Intel also made payments to computer makers if they agreed to postpone or cancel the launch of computers that contained CPUs made by a rival manufacturer, EU officials found.

Intel had sought the annulment of the decision or, failing that, a substantial reduction of the fine. On Thursday, the EU's General Court dismissed the action and upheld the findings and the fine.