Brussels, 06/04/2001 (Agence Europe) - A spokesperson for the Competition Commissioner Mario Monti confirmed that the Commission has opened an investigation against the American company Intel Corp., which could have abused its dominant position in the sector for microprocessors through abusive marketing practices and that it had sent, in line with this, a request for information to this company, as well as to several computers manufacturers and retailers. This reaction follows on from information released in the electronic version of the "Wall Street Journal" according to which the Commission is presently questioning the American company regarding its trading practices, following two complaints made to its services. Intel is suspected of having granted loyalty discounts to computer manufacturers that exclusively used Intel microprocessors and to incite manufacturers and retailers to grant loyalty discounts, where it is not in a dominant position. Intel is in a dominant position and must thus pay attention to what it does, underlined the spokesperson, Amelia Torres. Moreover, she added that the Commission action had no connection with the investigation carried against Intel over three years by the American Federal Trade Commission, investigation closed last September without Intel being prosecuted. The Commission already received information from Intel, information that it is presently examining. This is only the first stage of the investigation and there does not presently exist any proof testifying to an infringement of competition rules by Intel. For its part, an Intel spokesperson, Chuck Mulloy confirmed that the company had been in touch with the EU "for many months" and that it was collaborating, without difficulties, with the Community services. Our trade practices are legal and fair, he asserted.