back to article Intel rakes in €515M from EU after ancient antitrust fine nixed

Beleaguered chip giant Intel has at least one thing to smile about after receiving a payout of €515.55 million ($536 million) from the EU in relation to an old antitrust case that it challenged. The Silicon Valley chipmaker received the €515 million in default interest from the European Commission following the company's …

  1. beast666 Silver badge

    The EU is not fit for purpose.

    1. Pascal Monett Silver badge

      No longer, indeed.

      I still uphold the ideal, but the eurocrats have ruined it.

    2. captain veg Silver badge

      Nothing is "fit for purpose" since the expression is entirely meaningless*. Purpose is an abstract noun. Would you care to give a concrete example of a purpose for which it is not fit?

      -A.

      *Brought to the public by one John Reid, a particularly useless New Labour apparatchik.

      1. mirachu Bronze badge

        You think "fit for purpose" is a new phrase? LOL.

        1. captain veg Silver badge

          No. It was fed to red top tabloids by John Reid in 2006. I think I alluded to that. NESI.

          -A.

      2. the spectacularly refined chap Silver badge

        Nothing is "fit for purpose" since the expression is entirely meaningless*. Purpose is an abstract noun.

        You begin with a false premise. If there was no verb form it would be impossible to REpurpose anything.

    3. codejunky Silver badge

      @beast666

      "The EU is not fit for purpose."

      Yet some will still cling to it.

      1. captain veg Silver badge

        Re: @beast666

        Why would anyone "cling" to it?

        Those of us in the reality-based community recognise that the EU, whether by design or happenstance, has been a nett force for good for all the member states and their citizens and/or subjects.

        No clinging required. It's really not hard to grasp.

        -A.

        1. codejunky Silver badge

          Re: @beast666

          @captain veg

          "Why would anyone "cling" to it?"

          This is where it gets compared to a religion, because against fact and reality some people will try to justify the EU's actions in any way they can no matter the mental gymnastics. The pure desperation to believe it is so good even when it is falling apart. What word would you use?

          "Those of us in the reality-based community recognise that the EU, whether by design or happenstance, has been a nett force for good for all the member states and their citizens and/or subjects."

          You can believe that. I would require some convincing but it is for the members to decide their willingness to participate. But since the UK left the growing discontent and behaviour of the EU towards its members does not seem to be doing any good. I do of course look from the UK with an idiot government trying to get back in.

          1. captain veg Silver badge

            Re: @beast666

            I don't have to "believe" it. The evidence is abundant and overwhelming.

            -A.

            1. codejunky Silver badge

              Re: @beast666

              @captain veg

              "I don't have to "believe" it. The evidence is abundant and overwhelming."

              Your word is not evidence. Watching the EU leap from crisis to crisis as its standard operation is.

              1. captain veg Silver badge

                Re: @beast666

                > Your word is not evidence.

                Indeed it isn't. That was the point. The actual evidence is abundant and overwhelming.

                > Watching the EU leap from crisis to crisis as its standard operation is.

                Well, it continues not to do that, and your fantasies do not any kind of reality make. This is rather the point.

                -A.

                1. codejunky Silver badge

                  Re: @beast666

                  @captain veg

                  "Indeed it isn't. That was the point. The actual evidence is abundant and overwhelming."

                  I am now wondering, Do you live in the EU or outside of it?

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    The legal system is a farce. Neelie Kroes fought hard for this, and now 10 years after her retirement the EU is effectively fining itself € 515m and giving it to the offender. (Yes offender, because they upheld the finding of market abuse, as can be seen below)

    https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2024/oct/24/intel-legal-battle-against-eu-880m-fine-competition

    "Intel sought to annul the ruling in 2009 and lost in the EU’s general court in 2014, but went on to succeed on appeal in 2017 when the EU’s highest court opened the case for review, declaring a legal error.

    The case returned to the general court, which in 2022 annulled part of the 2009 decision, but upheld the commission’s finding of market abuse through naked restrictions, ie those that only have the aim of eliminating rivals. In 2022, judges also cancelled the entire €1.06bn fine, as they said they were unable to determine how much of the penalty related to the naked restrictions."

POST COMMENT House rules

Not a member of The Register? Create a new account here.

  • Enter your comment

  • Add an icon

Anonymous cowards cannot choose their icon

Other stories you might like