EU fines Samsung Elec, others for chip price-fixing

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)
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