The European Union's executive arm, the European Commission, has informed Samsung of its preliminary view that the company's seeking of injunctions against Apple for allegedly infringing "standard-essential" patents in the EU amounts to an abuse of a dominant position.
According to industry agreements, companies owning the rights to essential phone technology must usually licence it to competitors on what are called fair, reasonable and nondiscriminatory terms.
Joaquin Almunia, the EU's competition commissioner, said on Friday: "Intellectual property rights are an important cornerstone of the single market. However, such rights should not be misused when they are essential to implement industry standards, which bring huge benefits to businesses and consumers alike."
The Commission's preliminary view does not prejudge the final outcome of the investigation.
* AP
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- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
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Cryopreservation: A timeline
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