Infineon, Philips, and Samsung Face EU Antitrust Fines Soon

EU regulators are poised to fine Philips, Samsung Electronics and Infineon Technologies in the coming weeks for fixing prices of chips used in mobile SIM cards, two people familiar with the case said on Tuesday.

The case started with dawn raids on the companies by the European Commission in October 2008. The European Union watchdog charged them last year with taking part in a cartel.

The chips are also used in passports, bank cards, identity cards and television systems.

"The companies may be fined in late July or possibly September," said one of the sources, who declined to be named as the EU decision is not yet public.

The Commission, Philips and Infineon declined to comment. Samsung was not immediately available for comment. Philips said last year that the EU charges covered the period 2003 to 2004 and involved its semiconductor business which it has since sold.

(Also see: Infineon, Philips may have colluded on EU smart chip prices)

The sources said Renesas Technology - a joint venture between Hitachi Ltd and Mitsubishi Electric - would not be fined as it alerted the cartel to the regulator. Renesas could not be contacted outside of office hours.

Companies that breach EU rules can be fined up to 10 percent of their global turnover. Dutch company Philips's 2013 turnover was 23.3 billion euros.

The chipmakers had initially sought to settle the case, which means admitting guilt in return for a 10 percent cut in sanctions, but talks broke down last year.

© Thomson Reuters 2014