BRUSSELS, May 19 (Reuters) - Nine memory chip makers,
including Samsung Electronics, Infineon
and Hynix Semiconductor, were fined a total 331
million euros ($411 million) by EU regulators on Thursday for
illegally fixing prices.
The EU antitrust watchdog levied a 145.73 million euro fine against Samsung, the biggest penalty, while Infineon was fined 56.70 million euros and Hynix 51.47 million euros.
The other companies in the cartel were Hitachi Ltd, which received a fine of 20.41 million euros, Toshiba Corp 17.64 million euros, Mitsubishi Electric 16.61 million euros and Nanya Technology 1.80 million euros.
Elpida Memory Inc was fined 8.50 million euros jointly with NEC Corp and Hitachi while NEC Corp took a 2.12 million euro hit jointly with Hitachi during their joint venture period. NEC got a separate 20.41 million euro fine.
Micron Technology received immunity for blowing the whistle on the cartel and will not be fined for its involvement.
(Writing by Foo Yunchee, editing by Philip Blenkinsop)
($1=.8054 Euro) Keywords: EU CARTEL/CHIPMAKERS (foo.yunchee@thomsonreuters.com; tel +32 2 287 6844; Reuters Messaging: foo.yunchee.reuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
The EU antitrust watchdog levied a 145.73 million euro fine against Samsung, the biggest penalty, while Infineon was fined 56.70 million euros and Hynix 51.47 million euros.
The other companies in the cartel were Hitachi Ltd, which received a fine of 20.41 million euros, Toshiba Corp 17.64 million euros, Mitsubishi Electric 16.61 million euros and Nanya Technology 1.80 million euros.
Elpida Memory Inc was fined 8.50 million euros jointly with NEC Corp and Hitachi while NEC Corp took a 2.12 million euro hit jointly with Hitachi during their joint venture period. NEC got a separate 20.41 million euro fine.
Micron Technology received immunity for blowing the whistle on the cartel and will not be fined for its involvement.
(Writing by Foo Yunchee, editing by Philip Blenkinsop)
($1=.8054 Euro) Keywords: EU CARTEL/CHIPMAKERS (foo.yunchee@thomsonreuters.com; tel +32 2 287 6844; Reuters Messaging: foo.yunchee.reuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
