Chipmaker Intel is expected to receive a heavy fine this week in Europe for anti-competitive practices, published reports say. The European Union is expected to approve action formally against Intel at its weekly meeting of commissioners on Wednesday, the Financial Times reports. Reports say the fine could top the more than 1 billion pounds ($1.52 billion) in combined fines that have been levied against Microsoft.

Intel's trouble with the European commission, the EU's executive arm, dates from 2000, when Advanced Micro Devices filed a complaint saying Intel was blocking its access to the market, the Wall Street Journal reports. In 2007, the EU sent preliminary charges to Intel, alleging Intel kept AMD out of the microprocessor market by paying computer makers rebates to keep their usage of AMD chips down and by selling chips below cost to thwart AMD from taking key accounts. The EU added more charges in 2008, alleging Intel paid a major retailer to keep computers that use AMD chips off its shelves, the Journal reports.

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