On TechRepublic: 12 tech terms that make you sound old
BNET Business Network:
BNET
TechRepublic
ZDNet
TalkBack 37 of 53:
Next »
« Previous
Not exactly the story of AIrbus
The EU did not create Airbus - it encouraged European manufacturers to collaborate. All R&D support is subject to WTO scrutiny.

The US funds its R&D with lucrative military contracts.

Recently the EU has stopped the mobile phone companies charging a 10X premium simply because the call goes over a state border. Imaging the outrage in the US if there was a cartel so that any interstate calls cost 10x as much.

Just look at the memory chip makers, who ran a cartel for years before getting found out.

The EU is like the US Congress, but with 1% of the power; the powers remain in the member states. Thus, any activity the EU undertakes is because the entire European Union - some 27 governments, consider that there is an abuse of power, or something needs to be done.

The real reason Airbus became successful is quite succinct - Airbus innovated and developed a very good wing, which allowed its planes to use less fuel when cruising. Airlines bought Airbus because it was cheaper to operate.

In plane manufacturers, there is basically a duopoly - Airbus and Boeing - two very large manufacturers.

What the EU is doing with Intel is finding out if there is any evidence that Intel (approx 10x the size of AMD) has been its dominance of the market place to induce PC manufacturers not to buy the rival's product, and thus is behaving as a de-facto monopoly.

In fact, like you, I have always used AMD, but my recent new desktop is an Intel quad core. AMD itself acknowledges that it lost the plot on this one, but what the EC is investigating are practices that took place a few years ago.

Most people misunderstand the EU - much of the legislation that goes on is actually to do with creating a single market so that instead of individual countries having their own standards, especially in product safety, there is an EU standard. This encourages competition and drives prices down.

I fail to see your argument as to why a choice between Boeing or Airbus planes costs you more to travel, unless it is because of your misguided loyalty to a US brand means that you end up flying on less fuel efficient planes, which thus costs you more.
Posted by: tony@...   Posted on: 01/08/08 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
Reply to Story Reply to Message

Alert moderator to an offensive message

Subscribe to this discussion via Email or RSS

All antitrust laws must die [nt]  Omch'Ar | 01/04/08
You're kidding, right?  mdsmedia | 01/06/08
Anti-Trust laws are fine if not abused  rmichaly@... | 01/07/08
Yep simple economics...  DigitalFrog | 01/07/08
Not quite  rmichaly@... | 01/07/08
Cannot charge more than the market will bear.  osreinstall | 01/07/08
Just because they're doing better doesn't mean they're breaking the laws...  posternb@... | 01/07/08
You miss the point  Thore | 01/07/08
Corrupt Judges?  fastpa | 01/09/08
How do they know costs?  Dr. John | 01/07/08
I couldn't agree more  Chris55 | 01/08/08
Additional thought  Chris55 | 01/08/08
Has the EU been brought before the U.N. for antitrust  Boot_Agnostic | 01/05/08
I support AMD, and will never buy Intel products.  Grayson Peddie | 01/06/08
Great  rwright@... | 01/07/08
I have products from both.  Dr. John | 01/07/08
..and you LIKE to have a choice, right?  guiri | 01/07/08
Intel's performance and dependability  brucekdonaldson | 01/07/08
RE: Intel to respond to EU antitrust charges Monday  Pyrotech_z | 01/07/08
Should be a easy win for Intel  No_Ax_to_Grind | 01/07/08
Why all the legal delays if it will be such an easy win?  diet coke | 01/07/08
Must protect those Dresden fab plants at all costs.  osreinstall | 01/07/08
the little companies dont benefit from these moves  pcguy777 | 01/07/08
Everyone hates the little guy.  osreinstall | 01/07/08
Hmmmm...  Northwolf | 01/07/08
There is 25 DIFFERENT governments overlooking  hkommedal | 01/07/08
RE: Intel to respond to EU antitrust charges Monday  suemccartin | 01/07/08
Amen.  blarman_z | 01/07/08
RE: Intel to respond to EU antitrust charges Monday  oceanicdemigod | 01/07/08
Re: EU Antitrust Charges  navstar@... | 01/07/08
The E.U. has an obligation to make sure that  hkommedal | 01/07/08
suckered by politics  mlambert890@... | 01/08/08
almost forgot...  mlambert890@... | 01/08/08
RE:EU and INTEL  vmartens@... | 01/07/08
So you think that existing laws about anti-trust  hkommedal | 01/07/08
Hmmm the EU.. A real monoply  the.seeker@... | 01/08/08
Not exactly the story of AIrbus  tony@... | 01/08/08
That is because ...  Alex@... | 01/07/08
RE: Intel to respond to EU antitrust charges Monday  atari8bit@... | 01/07/08
They're doing what the Americans are too crooked to do  guiri | 01/07/08
I think it was the price they had a problem with  guiri | 01/07/08
EU Antitrust Action  davkel1 | 01/09/08
RE: Intel to respond to EU antitrust charges Monday  archangelssag@... | 01/07/08
RE: Intel to respond to EU antitrust charges Monday  wwwsupport | 01/08/08
The EU??????  gsmcten@... | 01/08/08
EU VS USA  ceh4702 | 01/08/08
If you want to sell in the EU, you have to obey EU laws  WiredGuy | 01/08/08
I am sure they do.  osreinstall | 01/08/08
Intel have 16ghz AMD can't compete  specer_jamestomlinson@... | 01/08/08
Half Baked Article  ceh4702 | 01/08/08
Forget Intel & AMD  Crafty Badger | 01/08/08
There is little doubt  Altotus | 01/08/08
Corrupt Judges  fastpa | 01/09/08

What do you think?

SponsoredWhite Papers, Webcasts, and Downloads