Watchdogs of the European Union focus their attention at such industry giants as Philips, Samsung and Infineon, accusing them of fixing prices on chips used in mobile SIM cards. The companies were subjected to dawn raids more than five years ago, and the EU charged them back in 2013 with participating in a cartel.

As you know, SIM chips are widely used in passports, bank cards, identity cards and TV systems, so this technology is universally adopted. Philips, Samsung and Infineon may face fines in a few months, but the European Union has already taken the decision, according to tremors in the force at Brussels. However, so far neither tech giants nor the commission has made any official comment. Philips claimed back in 2013 that the charges of the European Union covered the period 2003 to 2004 and involved its semiconductor business which doesn’t even belong to the company anymore.

In the meantime, another tech giant Renesas has apparently received a “Get out of Jail Free Card” from the European Commission, because this company grassed up the others. However, Renesas has never publically admitted its role in the case and claimed it didn’t know that the other companies would be fined.

According to Intel, the company found out to its cost that the tech giants that breach rules of the European Union can be fined up to 10% of their global turnover: in the case with the Dutch Philips, for example, its turnover was $31.72 billion last year.

The authorities confirm that talks between the European Union, Philips, Samsung and Infineon broke down in 2013. It is known that the chipmakers had initially tried to settle the case by admitting guilt and giving away a 10% cut in the fines.