"That ruling is the latest evidence of a troublesome trend in Europe toward regulatory protectionism," they wrote in a draft letter circulating on Capitol Hill. Other successful U.S. companies have faced hefty fines, are under investigation, or possibly facing scrutiny from the Commission's competition directorate, they said. The Intel ruling "ignores the reality of a highly competitive marketplace," said the draft, noting that microprocessor prices have dropped drastically in the last decade. "The significant decrease in prices, together with the unprecedented increase in quality, speed, functionality and choice of microprocessors, reflects that market's robust health."

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