MLex, the leading source of insight on regulatory risk (and by now a Bloomberg subsidiary), yesterday reported that the European Commission's Directorate-General for Competition has asked Qualcomm questions about an antitrust complaint Apple had filed earlier this year.

The complaint relates to Qualcomm's patent enforcement against Apple in Germany. In January, the EU's competition authority slammed Qualcomm with a $1.2 billion fine for its exclusionary conduct in the years 2011-2016 when Apple was contractually precluded from sourcing baseband chipsets from Qualcomm's competitors such as Intel. As Commissioner Vestager explained at the time, Qualcomm had "taken measures to avoid competition on the merits" in its quest for total market dominance.

Over the next while the Qualcomm vs. Apple trials will take place in Mannheim and Munich, with one in each city scheduled for next week targeting iPhones that incorporate Intel baseband chips.

Foss Patent's Florian Mueller will be covering these trials so as to keep us all up to date on one of the most important legal cases for Apple in decades. We'll make sure we pass on the news as soon as it's available. For now you could check out more of the details behind this report from Foss Patents here.

Patently Apple covered the initial flurry of lawsuits filed by Apple and Qualcomm in 2017 along with related reports as noted below.

Apple – Qualcomm Battle History

The battle between Apple and Qualcomm has been raging on since 2017 began as our list of reports below proves out.

Jan 17, 2017: The U.S. Fair Trade Commission Sues Qualcomm for Forcing Apple to use its Chips in iDevices

Jan 20, 2017 - Apple Sues Qualcomm for $1 Billion Claiming Unfair Exclusionary Tactics and Charging Excessive Royalties

Jan 22, 2017: Apple's Full lawsuit against Qualcomm Comes to Light Revealing Secret Licensing Agreements and more

Jan 25, 2017: Apple takes their War against Qualcomm to Beijing China

Jan 25, 2017: While Qualcomm is Guilty of Gouging Asian Smartphone OEMs, the Chip Maker Believes that Apple is the Problem

March 02, 2017: Apple has launched a new Lawsuit against Qualcomm in the U.K.

April 11, 2017: Qualcomm Fires Back at Apple with Counterclaims Lawsuit Claiming Breach of Contract and more

April 28, 2017: Qualcomm Lowers Q3 Fiscal 2017 Guidance due to Apple Holding back Royalty Payments

May 03, 2017: Qualcomm Plans Retaliation against Apple and ask the International Trade Commission to Stop iPhone Sales

May 12, 2017 - The FTC Responds to Qualcomm's Motion to dismiss their case about Monopoly Power, Samsung & Intel File Amicus Briefs

May 17, 2017: New Court Filing Details Qualcomm Suing Apple's iPhone Suppliers for withholding Royalty Payments

July 06, 2017: Qualcomm Files another Patent Infringement Complaint against Apple with International Trade Commission

June 20, 2017: Apple has asked the Court to Stop Qualcomm's Double Dipping 'No License, No Chips' Market Tactic

July 19, 2017: Apple joins in new Lawsuit against Qualcomm filed by Suppliers Hon Hai, Pegatron, Wistron and Compal

July 21, 2017: Intel Files Statement with ITC claiming Qualcomm is trying to Force them out of the Modem Business with Apple

Aug 09, 2017: U.S. International Trade Commission to Investigate Apple's Alleged Unfair Trade Practice within 45 Days

Aug 14, 2017: U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has Requested Qualcomm provide more info on Dispute with Apple

Sept 08, 2017: U.S. Federal Judge Rules that Apple's Multiple Foreign Lawsuits against Qualcomm can Proceed

Oct 11, 2017: Taiwan's FTC Hits Qualcomm with a Record $773 Million Fine for Abusing their Monopoly Power

Oct 13, 2017: Qualcomm, as Expected, Seeks to Stop iPhone Sales in China with new Patent Infringement Case Filed

Nov 02, 2017: Qualcomm Sues Apple for Providing Intel with Qualcomm source code to Assist Intel's Future modems for iDevices

Nov 29, 2017: Apple Sues Qualcomm over Two Snapdragon Processors that Infringe on their Intellectual Property

Nov 30, 2017: Qualcomm Wastes no Time in Retaliating against Apple with another Patent Infringement Lawsuit filed in California

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