Intel Claims EU Fine Violates Human Rights

By Jane McEntegart
published

Intel has appealed the European Union's $1.45 billion fine, claiming the fine from the European Union violates basic Human Rights.

Following a review of Intel's pricing model that spanned many months, European Union regulators slapped the chip maker with a billion Euro fine back in May. Intel has long denied charges related to rebates offered as long as manufacturers agreed to obtain the majority of their processors from Intel as well as paying them to either to delay or cancel the launch of AMD based products and when ordered to pay the company maintained its actions were within legal boundaries and vowed to appeal the ruling.

Intel is reportedly saying that the way Europe ran the antitrust hearing violated its human rights. According to the Wall Street Journal, Intel's argument could be something like this: The European Union's Antitrust Commissioner is the Netherlands' Neelie Kroe. Given that it's up to Kroe to supervise investigations, decide who's guilty and issue fines, Intel could have beef with fact that everything is decided by a political bureaucrat and not a judge and/or jury.

All of that aside, the precise details of Intel's appeal are not yet publicly known. We'll update soon as more information is available. Intel made headlines yesterday when it announced the laying off of 294 people in its Irish fab.

Jane McEntegart
45 Comments Comment from the forums
  • aspireonelover
    My thought
    But think about this Intel, you're taking down someone else's business. That's not being fair to AMD AT ALL.
    EU fined Intel a bit too much. I hope EU can at least give a few million dollars back to Intel. EU isn't being fair to Intel, but Intel isn't being fair to AMD.
    My thought :P
    Reply
  • To the best of my knowledge human rights only apply to natural persons, not juridical ones.

    Not that it matters as it's just hot air over having the lid of the cookie jar slammed down on their fingers for once.
    Reply
  • Wayoffbase
    If it is true that one individual was responsible for the whole process, that's way too much power for one person to have.
    Reply
  • pirateboy
    "Neelie Kroe" should be "Neelie Kroes"
    Now pay up you whining yanks!
    Reply
  • P_haze420
    Intel is actually suing the gov?!
    They got balls.
    Reply
  • twisted politiks
    i dont get why EU is suing and getting the money, when its AMD that was losing the money in the first place? anybody else think that sounds like another stupid lawsuit that somebody is trying to win to make some easy money?
    Reply
  • salem80
    What about Human Rights of consumers .any one take about it .
    Reply
  • IzzyCraft
    "Intel has long denied charges related to rebates offered as long as manufacturers agreed to obtain the majority of their processors from Intel as well as paying them to either to delay or cancel the launch of AMD based products and when ordered to pay the company maintained its actions were within legal boundaries and vowed to appeal the ruling."

    When it's put like that i wonder if the EU still allows that practice with drug companies as a similar process is done there too.
    Reply
  • Mr_Man
    They were probably just fed up with a bunch of frivolous suits. Can there be a class action suit against the EU?
    Reply
  • WheelsOfConfusion
    twisted politiksi dont get why EU is suing and getting the money, when its AMD that was losing the money in the first place? The EU isn't suing them, it's fining them. When you get a fine for driving over the speed limit, that's not the city suing you. When you fined, the money doesn't got to the person you cut off in traffic.
    Intel broke EU anti-competition laws, so they pay a fine.







    anybody else think that sounds like another stupid lawsuit that somebody is trying to win to make some easy money?
    Reply