Samsung has offered a new concessions to resolve the European Union (EU) investigation into its ‘attempts’ to use patent lawsuits to thwart competition from Apple.

The EU Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia said that in December 2012, the agency had sent Samsung a Statement of Objections which outlined concern that its conduct was anti-competitive.

"After lengthy discussions, Samsung has sent us a set of commitments seeking to address our concerns," Almunia said.

"We will formally market test these proposed commitments with other market participants in the coming weeks."

The next step would involve testing the commitments, by offering the proposals to competitors including such as Apple, to weigh whether or not these concessions pacify the industry.

Earlier, the South Korean firm made attempts to resolve the suit, while the regulator demanded more concessions.

Both the smartphone makers are involved in patent disputes in about ten nations as they compete to gain control over the lucrative and fast-growing mobile market.

The latest proposed concessions package would be sufficient for Samsung to resolve issues with European regulators, which would finally see the firm, avoid an EU fine of up to $18.3bn or 10% of its global revenue generated in 2012.

"The company committed to a standards body to license its standard-essential patents to market participants in return for reasonable remuneration," Almunia added.

"But later, the company sought injunctions based on those patents although in our view there was a willing license."
Samsung said in a statement that its proposals will provide appropriate resolution to reduce uncertainties concerning standard essential patents and confirm long-standing commitment to fair and reasonable licensing of technologies.

"Samsung has always preferred to compete in the marketplace, not in courtrooms, and we will continue to invest in our intellectual property rights to promote innovations to benefit consumers and the industry," Samsung said.

The South Korean firm is accused of using several patent lawsuits against Apple, while has also been alleged of using lawsuits and sales restrictions in several European countries in 2011 in opposition to Apple’s use of its patented technologies.

However, Samsung dropped ban requests against Apple in Europe upon being charged against it by the Commission in 2012.