The European Commission confirmed Tuesday that it has relaunched a long-running investigation into Intel"s business practices.
Sources had earlier informed Reuters of the commission"s new moves, which involved sending detailed letters of inquiry to computer makers and retailers. A commission representative said at a news conference that the European Union"s executive had sent the letters so it could determine whether there is a case following complaints by Intel"s smaller rival, AMD. "It is still at the beginning," she added. "I suppose it is fair to characterize it as a new fact-finding phase."
Until the latest move, the Intel case has been dormant for years. In 2001, the commission said it had looked into allegations Intel "abused its dominant position in the market for Windows-capable microprocessors by engaging in abusive marketing practices." At that time, it also sent information requests to makers of personal computers and retailers.