EU hits Intel with $400 million antitrust fine in long-running computer chip case

LONDON (AP) — European Union antitrust enforcers have slapped Intel with a fresh $400 million fine in a long-running legal fight that the chipmaker appeared to have won last year. The European Commission imposed the fine Friday after a court threw out an original 1.06 billion-euro penalty issued in 2009 over allegations that the company used illegal sales tactics to shut out smaller rival AMD. The 27-nation EU top antitrust watchdog accused Intel of abusing its dominant position in the global market for x86 microprocessors with a strategy to exclude rivals by using rebates and sales restrictions. Intel’s European press team didn’t respond immediately to an email seeking comment.