LONDON — Intel scored a significant legal victory Thursday in its longstanding legal battle against European Union competition regulators, as the EU’s highest court upheld a previous ruling to annul a billion-euro antitrust fine. The decision marks a milestone in Intel’s drawn-out clash with EU regulators over antitrust practices in the semiconductor market.

The EU Court of Justice confirmed the annulment of the €1.06 billion ($1.14 billion) fine, imposed by the European Commission in 2009. In a statement summarizing the decision, the court “rejected all grounds of appeal raised by the Commission,” thus upholding the earlier ruling by the EU’s General Court, which had sided with Intel last year.

Intel expressed satisfaction with the ruling, stating it was “pleased with the judgment delivered by the Court of Justice of the European Union today and to finally put this part of the case behind us.”

The antitrust case originated over a decade ago when EU competition authorities accused Intel of using illegal sales tactics, such as offering rebates, to limit competition from smaller rival AMD. The Commission claimed Intel’s strategy was designed to undermine competitors and maintain its dominance in the x86 microprocessor market. However, Intel successfully challenged the initial fine in 2022, when the EU’s General Court annulled the penalty, a decision now upheld by the Court of Justice.

While Thursday’s ruling represents a major win for Intel, the case is not fully resolved. Intel continues to dispute a separate €376.4 million ($406.6 million) fine imposed last year by the European Commission, which alleges additional anticompetitive practices linked to Intel’s sales restrictions. This ongoing penalty has not yet been dismissed and may require further legal scrutiny.

Intel’s stock rose slightly before the U.S. market opening on Thursday, reflecting investor optimism over the court’s ruling.

This case highlights the EU’s aggressive stance on antitrust enforcement, particularly against U.S.-based tech giants, and underscores the prolonged legal processes companies can face when appealing regulatory actions within the bloc.

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