Qualcomm disappointed with continuing EU probe into pricing case

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - U.S. chipmaker Qualcomm on Thursday expressed disappointment with EU antitrust regulators' decision to continue an investigation in a case where it has been accused of charging below cost prices to stymy British phone software maker Icera.

"While the investigation has been narrowed, we are disappointed to see it continues and will immediately begin preparing our response to this supplementary statement of objections," Qualcomm general counsel Don Rosenberg said in a statement.

"We believe that once the Commission has reviewed our response it will find that Qualcomm's practices are pro-competitive and fully consistent with European competition rules," he said.

Earlier on Thursday, the European Commission charged the world's No. 1 chipmaker with a new violation.

(Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; editing by Robert-Jan Bartunek)