May 18th, 2009
After EU fine, Intel will face rash of lawsuits
Intel’s $1.44 billion fine imposed by the EU is probably just the beginning of Intel’s European problems. Look for AMD to deliver a civil lawsuit now that the EU decision is in, PC World says. The article quotes British antitrust lawyer Alan Davis, PC World says:
This will open the floodgates for competitors to sue. There was a complainant in this case, AMD, and without question they and other competitors will pursue a case for damages. The fine goes to the European Commission’s coffers, not to the competitors who suffered damage to their businesses because of Intel’s anti-competitive practices. What is likely to happen is that action will be started and a massive settlement will be made.
And it won’t be just AMD and other chipmakers. The OEMs themselves were injured by Intel. Even if they got cheaper prices in the short run, by locking out AMD they lost the benefits of a competitive marketplace. Now AMD is no longer a serious player and Intel can name its price. So, why shouldn’t IBM, Dell and HP sue, as well?
And don’t forget class actions on behalf of consumers.
As to the details of what the suit would look like, one needs only peruse the lawsuit AMD filed against Intel in 2005.
