EU Court Upholds Qualcomm Antitrust Penalty Despite Trimming Fine
Qualcomm's legal battle to overturn a European Union antitrust penalty suffered a setback as the top court upheld the majority of the penalty in a case related to cellphone chipsets.
The European Union court largely upheld Qualcomm's antitrust penalty in a 2019 case but slightly reduced the fine amount, marking a significant development in the legal battle between the technology giant and EU regulators. The court's decision came after Qualcomm's arguments were mostly rejected, indicating a blow to the company's efforts to challenge the penalty.
In the original case, Qualcomm faced accusations of breaching EU competition rules by employing predatory pricing tactics in the market for 3G baseband chipsets. While the antitrust penalty has been upheld, the fine imposed on Qualcomm was trimmed, suggesting a partial victory for the technology company.
The ruling highlights the EU's commitment to regulating competition in the tech industry and holding companies accountable for anticompetitive practices. Qualcomm's ongoing legal challenges demonstrate the complexities of antitrust enforcement in the rapidly evolving landscape of digital technologies.