The European Commission on Wednesday levied a record 1.06-billion-euro ($1.45-billion) fine on US computer chipmaker Intel for bribing retailers and manufacturers to shut its main rival out of European markets.

The commission found that between 2002 and 2007, Intel "used illegal anti-competitive practices to exclude essentially its only competitor, and thus reduce consumer choice, in the worldwide market for x86 chips," said Commissioner Neelie Kroes.