UK Moves to Improve Processor Competition

The British government has updated its guidelines for the way UK public authorities buy computer chips—a move designed to help level the playing field for Intel competitors such as AMD.

The publication by the UK's OGC (Office of Government Commerce) of its EU Procurement Guidance document this month follows similar moves by several other EU (European Union) member states as well as the U.S. and Japan. However, governments aren't just clarifying the buying process out of the goodness of their hearts; they are attempting to correct a flawed system under which public authorities have routinely specified Intel processors, either directly or indirectly.

Buyers have often specified the Intel brand by name, or a particular feature only found in Intel chips, cutting competitors such as AMD out of the equation and leading to higher costs, critics say. Costs aside, such discrimination is illegal. Last year, for instance, the EC (European Commission) launched a probe into EU member states Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden, accusing them of favoring Intel in their public procurement procedures.

"Contracting authorities failing to comply with the following rules are at serious risk of incurring domestic legal proceedings and/or EU infraction proceedings," the OGC document warns.

Read the rest of this eWEEK story: "UK Moves to Improve Processor Competition"

Copyright © 2005 Ziff Davis Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. Originally appearing in ExtremeTech.