EBNews reports that sources close to the eight-month-old European Commission's antitrust investigation of Intel Corp. confirm that a complaint filed last September by Advanced Micro Devices Inc. and Via Technologies Inc played a role in the the EC's decision to pursue the issue. The US Federal Trade Commission investigation of Intel's business practices in 1997 also helped convince the EC to pursue the inquiry. If it is decided that Intel used illegal licensing and business practices, the chipmaker could be fined up to 10 percent of its worldwide revenue or cease doing business in Europe. A decision one way or the other is probably several years away.

The source article is at ebnews.com.