When does Intel have to pay?
Does Intel have to pay the fine immediately?
The fine must be paid within three months of the date of notification of the Decision.
Where does the money go?
Once final judgment has been delivered in any appeals before the Court of First Instance (CFI) and the Court of Justice, the money goes into the EU's central budget, thus reducing the contributions that Member States pay to the EU.
Does Intel have to pay the fine if it appeals to the European Court of First Instance (CFI)?
Yes. In case of appeals to the CFI, it is normal practice that the fine is paid into a blocked bank account pending the final outcome of the appeals process. Any fine that is provisionally paid will produce interest based on the interest rate applied by the European Central Bank to its main refinancing operations. In exceptional circumstances, companies may be allowed to cover the amount of the fine by a bank guarantee at a higher interest rate.
What percentage of Intel's turnover does the fine represent?
The fine represents 4.15 % of Intel's turnover in 2008. This is less than half the allowable maximum, which is 10% of a company's annual turnover.
How was Intel able to exercise its rights of defence?
Intel has been provided full access to the Commission's file, with the exception of legitimate claims relating to business secrets of other companies and internal Commission documents. Intel has been able to fully comment on the evidence on which the Commission has based its Decision. The file in this case comprises several hundred thousand pages and the Decision is based on a broad range of contemporaneous evidence from a variety of sources.
How long is the Decision?
The Decision is 542 pages long.
When is the Decision going to be published?
The Decision in English (the official language version of the Decision) will be made available as soon as possible on DG Competition's website (once relevant business secrets have been taken out). French and German translations will also be made available on DG Competition's website in due course. A summary of the Decision will be published in the EU's Official Journal L series in all languages (once the translations are available).
