Computer chipmaker Intel has been fined a record 1.06bn euros ($1.45bn; £948m) by the European Commission for anti-competitive practices.

电脑芯片商英特尔因违反垄断法被欧盟罚款10.6亿欧元。

It dwarfs¹（矮子，侏儒） the 497m euro fine levied²（征收，课税） on Microsoft in 2004 for abusing its dominant³ market position.

The Commission found that between 2002 and 2007, Intel had paid manufacturers and a retailer⁴ to favour its chips over those of Advanced Micro Devices (AMD).

Intel has announced that it will appeal against the verdict.

Intel's senior vice⁵ president Bruce Sewell told BBC Five Live that Intel contested the findings and was seeking a chance to "clear our name and exonerate⁶（使免罪） the company."

He denied "categorically（绝对地）" that it had paid manufacturers to favour its products over those of rivals.

"We would never pay for any kind of obligation," Mr Sewell said. "We provide incentives⁷（刺激，鼓励） to customers to buy our products."

He added that there had been no harm to customers and that prices in the microprocessor⁸ market had fallen sharply in recent years.

The fine was welcomed by AMD, which had lodged⁹ complaints in 2000, 2003 and 2006.

"The EU decision will shift the power from an abusive monopolist（独占者，专卖者） to computer makers¹⁰, retailers¹¹ and above all PC consumers," said Giuliano Meroni, AMD's European president.

'Sustained violation¹²'

The Commission said that personal computer makers Acer, Dell, HP, Lenovo and NEC had all been given hidden rebates¹³（回扣） if they only used Intel chips.

It also found that Media Saturn¹⁴, which owns Europe's biggest consumer electronics retailer Media Markt, had been given money so that it would only sell computers containing Intel chips.

"Intel has harmed millions of European consumers by deliberately¹⁵（故意地） acting¹⁶ to keep competitors out of the market for computer chips for many years," said Competition Commissioner¹⁷ Neelie Kroes.

"Such a serious and sustained violation of the EU's antitrust（反托拉斯） rules cannot be tolerated."

A Commission spokesman said there was no question of action being taken against the firms who accepted the rebates.

"They were not the ones abusing their dominant position in the market," he added.

Last year, Intel made 80.5% of all the microprocessors¹⁸ in PCs, while AMD made 12%.