Intel appeals $1.45 billion European antitrust fine

Arguing in part that its human rights were violated, chip maker Intel on Wednesday appealed the European Commission's recent decision to slap the company with a record $1.45 billion antitrust fine and order it to change its marketing practices. The 300-plus-page appeal lodged with the Court of First Instance in Luxembourg was not made public, as is common with that court. However, Intel spokesman Chuck Mulloy confirmed it was filed and that one of its arguments is that the commission's action was improper under European human rights law. At least one element of the company's argument, Mulloy said, is that the fine — the biggest ever issued by the commission — is excessive. He noted that a number of legal challenges have been raised in Europe recently about the size of the commission's fines, adding that "they are getting increasingly bigger."