BRUSSELS, Belgium, May 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The European Commission today ruled that Intel abused its dominance in the x86 microprocessor market and imposed a fine of 1.06 billion euros. Association for Competitive Technology (ACT) president Jonathan Zuck offered the following comments in response: "The European Commission's efforts to manipulate competition in the technology industry without identifying actual consumer harm are worrying. Innovation and competition are thriving throughout the industry, and even the most successful firms must continue innovating and competing on price or risk being toppled."
"The microprocessor industry is not an exception. The software industry depends on continued competition and innovation on the x86 platform, and we are worried about regulators distorting this market and potentially slowing innovation. For the past 20 years, the microprocessor industry has delivered more innovation, more speed, more functionality, and lower prices. Over the past ten years, the average price of Intel's PC microprocessors has dropped by 60%. When the only one complaining about the competitive situation is AMD, it raises serious concerns about the efficacy of this action."
Zuck added: "Despite the announcement of a more aggressive stance by the US Department of Justice, AMD will still have a tough time in the US. The US competition agencies will demand proof of actual consumer harm. Proof that we have not yet seen, and proof that seems to fly in the face of all available public data."
The Association for Competitive Technology (ACT) is an international education and advocacy group for the technology industry. Focusing on the interests of small and mid-size entrepreneurial technology companies, ACT advocates for a "Healthy Tech Environment" that promotes innovation, competition and investment. ACT has been active on issues such as intellectual property, international trade, e-commerce, privacy, internet policy and antitrust. ACT represents more than 3,000 software developers, systems integrators, IT consulting and training firms, and e- businesses from around the world.
Web site: http://www.actonline.org//