EU official says Qualcomm investigation "active"

PARIS (Reuters) - A European Commission investigation into U.S. chipset maker Qualcomm (QCOM.O) for overcharging customers is "ongoing and active", a top Commission official told the Reuters Technology, Media and Telecoms Summit in Paris on Tuesday.

But Philip Lowe, director general of the competition directorate, declined to say whether or when the Commission might act.

Asked what had happened since formal proceedings opened against Qualcomm in October 2007, Lowe said by telephone from Brussels: "We haven't reached a final conclusion on that yet but it is an ongoing and active investigation."

Ericsson (ERICb.ST), Nokia (NOK1V.HE), Texas Instruments (TXN.N), Broadcom (BRCM.O), NEC (6701.T), Panasonic and other mobile phone and chipset makers complained that Qualcomm had violated a promise to charge fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory royalties.

Qualcomm, whose ideas are incorporated into the standard for third generation mobile phones, has denied wrongdoing.

(For summit blog: summitnotebook.reuters.com/)

(Reporting by David Lawsky)