• Intel lawyer: `uphill battle' to fight EU charges
By The Associated Press

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) – Intel Corp.'s top lawyer says that fighting the European Union's record $1.45 billion antitrust fine (story here) will be an "uphill battle." And if the Obama administration is serious about more aggressively responding to antitrust complaints in the U.S., some of technology's biggest companies could have an uphill battle, as well (story here).

Bruce Sewell, general counsel for Intel – the world's No. 1 computer microprocessor maker – said at the company's annual shareholder meeting Wednesday that Intel expects European courts to show deference to the EU's decision.

Even so, he said Intel plans to appeal last week's ruling. It punishes Intel for allegedly selling some of its chips below the cost of making them, and paying retailers and computer makers not to use chips from rival Advanced Micro Devices Inc. Intel has denied the charges.

Sewell said, "We have our work cut out for us, but I'm hopeful we can overturn this."