Intel faces yet anothrer EU antitrust case

Probe into the company's sales practices

18 July 2008 9:46 GMT / By Katie Scott

According to The Wall Street Journal, Intel could be facing yet another probe by EU authorities.

European regulators are allegedly preparing to file new antitrust charges against Intel expanding a current probe into the chipmaker's marketing and sales practices.

Amongst the most serious charges is the implication that Intel gave major European retailers inducements not to sell computers that use chips from smaller rival Advanced Micro Devices (AMD).

Last year, the EC actually charged Intel with selling its own chips at a loss and offering customers rebates to try and drive AMD out of the market.

But this latest allegation brings retailers into the probe too.

In the meantime, Intel is facing yet another investigation over the Atlantic by the US Federal Trade Commission.

"We are continuing to cooperate and really don't know what the commission will do", Intel spokesman Chuck Mulloy told the Journal, when asked about the possibility of new charges. "We believe we operate within the law."

A spokesman for EU Antitrust Commissioner Neelie Kroes told the paper the Intel probe is "ongoing".