Intel Seeks €600 Million in Interest from EC After Antitrust Fine Win

Intel filed for damages of €593 million from the European Commission (EC) after it successfully won a legal battle against a €1 billion antitrust fine. The fine was paid 13 years ago, in 2009.

In an application to the EU General Court, Intel said its claim was based on the interest it would have accrued over the 13 years since it paid the fine. Calculations are based on an interest rate equivalent to the European Central Bank’s refinancing rate of 1.25% beginning May 2009, which increased to 3.5% from August 2009 to February this year when it received its money back. The total sum is minus €38 million the EC paid Intel in interest.

If it is successful, the US company will claim the biggest amount since a court decision in 2021 allowed companies to claim interest on fines held by the EC for years. Intel won the appeal in April this year, which was levied over anti-competitive practices between 2002 and 2007 after the EC alleged the company had paid manufacturers and a retailer to favor its chips over rival AMD. In its filing, Intel said that the EC had refused to reimburse the company the default interest.