Judgment of the General Court of 26 January 2022 – Intel Corporation v Commission

(Case T-286/09 RENV) ¹

(Competition – Abuse of dominant position – Microprocessors market – Decision finding an infringement of Article 102 TFEU and of Article 54 of the EEA Agreement – Loyalty rebates – ‘Naked’ restrictions – Characterisation as abuse – As-efficient-competitor analysis – Overall strategy – Single and continuous infringement)

Language of the case: English

Parties

Applicant: Intel Corporation, Inc. (Wilmington, Delaware, United States) (represented by: A. Parr, Solicitor, D. Beard QC and J. Williams, Barrister)

Defendant: European Commission (represented by: T. Christoforou, V. Di Bucci, N. Khan and M. Kellerbauer, acting as Agents)

Intervener in support of the applicant: Association for Competitive Technology, Inc. (Washington, DC, United States) (represented by: J.-F. Bellis and K. Van Hove, lawyers)

Intervener in support of the defendant: Union fédérale des consommateurs – Que choisir (UFC – Que choisir) (Paris, France) (represented by: E. Nasry, lawyer)

Re:

Application under Article 263 TFEU seeking, primarily, the annulment of Commission Decision C(2009) 3726 final of 13 May 2009 relating to a proceeding under Article [102 TFEU] and Article 54 of the EEA Agreement (Case COMP/C 3/37.990 – Intel) or, in the alternative, annulment or reduction of the fine imposed on the applicant.

Operative part of the judgment

The Court:

Annuls Article 1(a) to (e) and Article 2 of Commission Decision C(2009) 3726 final of 13 May 2009 relating to a proceeding under Article [102 TFEU] and Article 54 of the EEA Agreement (Case COMP/C-3/37.990 – Intel);

Annuls Article 3 of Decision C(2009) 3726 final solely in so far as it concerns Article 1(a) to (e) of that decision;

Dismisses the action as to the remainder;

Orders the European Commission to pay, in addition to its own costs relating to the proceedings before the General Court in Cases T-286/09 and T-286/09 RENV and to the appeal proceedings before the Court of Justice in Case C-413/14 P, two thirds of the costs incurred by Intel Corporation, Inc., and by Association for Competitive Technology, Inc., in those proceedings, while Intel Corporation and Association for Competitive Technology are each to bear one third of their own costs;

Orders Union fédérale des consommateurs – Que choisir (UFC – Que choisir) to bear its own costs relating to the proceedings brought before the General Court in Cases T-286/09 and T-286/09 RENV and to the appeal proceedings before the Court of Justice in Case C-413/14 P.

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¹ OJ C 220, 12.9.2009.