EU investigators have recommended the European Commission haul up Intel for anti-competitive behaviour, The Wall Street Journal has claimed.

Competition commissioner Neelie Kroes has now asked for further information before deciding whether to charge the chip giant or draw a line under an investigation that has taken six years, the paper says.

After years of snuffling after Intel, investigators spent three months from last October deciding whether they had a strong case against the firm. According to the Journal's sources, they decided they did.

Now Kroes has to decided whether to press on with a case that will likely be as fast moving and straightforward as the commission's action against fellow Winteler Microsoft.

The case has centred on charges from AMD that Intel used its rebate system to keep a lid on its rival's market share. ®