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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 97-10-24
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
MIDDAY EXPRESS
News from the Spokesman's midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi du Porte-Paroleb
24/10/97
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Commission approves the acquisition of Montell par Shell
[02] La Commission adopte le 2ème rapport d'application de la directive
"Télévision sans frontières"
[03] New agreement on monitoring of motor vehicle exports from Japan
[04] Commission welcomes progress in Japanese port practices
[05] Hans van den Broek to visit Bosnia and Herzegovina and Vukovar (East
Slavonia)
[01] Commission approves the acquisition of Montell par Shell
The European Commission has approved under the Merger Regulation the
acquisition of the whole of Montell N.V., a polyolefins company, by Shell
Montell Holding B.V., a subsidiary of the Royal Dutch/Shell Group. Until
now Montell NV was a joint venture between Shell and Montedison which was
approved by the Commission in a decision of 8th June 1994. After having
examined the proposed merger, the Commission finds that the move from joint
to sole control of Montell NV does not lead to any material change in
market structure. There is no horizontal overlap between Shell and Montell
NV, which continues to face strong competition in the polypropylene and
polyethylene sectors. For these reasons the Commission has decided to
approve the operation.
[02] La Commission adopte le 2ème rapport d'application de la directive
"Télévision sans frontières"
Suite à une proposition de Marcelino Oreja, Commissaire chargé de la
politique audiovisuelle, la Commission européenne a adopté le 2ème Rapport
au Parlement européen, au Conseil et au Comité économique et social portant
sur l'application de la directive 89/552/CEE "Télévision sans frontières".
Le Rapport couvre la période de janvier 1995 à juillet 1997, date d'entrée
en vigueur de la nouvelle directive "Télévision sans frontières" (directive
97/36/CE). Une copie du rapport peut être obtenue dans toutes les langues
communautaires sur demande faxée (+32.2.299.92.01) ainsi que sur Internet:
http://europa.eu.int/en/comm/ dg10/avpolicy/twf/applica/ap-int-f.htm.
[03] New agreement on monitoring of motor vehicle exports from Japan
The European Commission and Japan discussed the monitoring of motor vehicle
exports from Japan to the European Union (EU) on 22 and 23 October in
Brussels. As a result, forecast for Japanese exports to the EU for the
whole of 1997 is now set at 1.114 million units, against a March estimate
of 1.092 million. Exports to the five EU Member States that previously
restricted imports from Japan are now forecast, for the whole of 1997, at
the following unit levels (March forecasts in brackets): France - 94,200
(102,700); Italy - 102,200 (88,100); Spain - 56,400 (51,800); Portugal - 34,
500 (33,200); United Kingdom - 188,000 (179,900). The new estimates result
from the development of 1997 demand which has been more positive in most
Member States and in the EU as a whole than originally assumed. EU demand
is expected to increase by 3.9% over 1996 to reach 14.263 million units
(1996 demand: 13.916 million). The discussions took place in the framework
of the 1991 EU-Japan arrangement ("the Elements of Consensus") on the
Japanese monitoring of its exports of motor vehicles to the EU.
[04] Commission welcomes progress in Japanese port practices
The European Commission today welcomed the fact that substantial progress
seems to have been achieved in the discussions between the US and the
Japanese governments aimed at removing current restrictive port practices.
The changes proposed by Japan to the prior consultation system, which still
need to be agreed by the parties concerned, envisage an additional,
alternative mechanism for shipping lines and stevedoring companies to
negotiate operational changes directly, without involving the Japan Harbour
Transport Association. This, together with a possibility for new
stevedoring companies to be licensed more speedily, would introduce
elements of flexibility and competition in the port transport business
which have so far been lacking. The Commission will examine the latest
Japanese proposals to ensure that they are non-discriminatory and that
European interests are fully safeguarded.
[05] Hans van den Broek to visit Bosnia and Herzegovina and Vukovar (East
Slavonia)
European Foreign Affairs Commissioner Hans van den Broek will make a two
day visit to former Yugoslavia on 27 and 28 October. He will first meet
President Plavsic in Banja Luka in order to discuss the situation in
Republica Srpska (RS) including the upcoming elections, freedom of the
media and the conditionality linked to European Union (EU) assistance.
Next is Mostar, where the EU administration has completed an ECU 150
million reconstruction programme for hospitals, schools, homes. The
Commissioner will check the results of this programme on the spot by
viewing a number of projects and meeting local authorities, including the
unified city administration. In the afternoon, he arrives in Sarajevo for
discussions with the High Representative, the Presidency of Bosnia
Herzegovina and various international organisations in order to discuss the
implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement, in particular the return of
refugees. In order to underline the importance of free and independent
media, Mr. van den Broek will visit OBN TV, a private station that has
received an ECU 1.7 million grant and TVBiH, the public broadcaster for
which the EU has recently sponsored a youth series. The trip will be
concluded with a visit to East Slavonia, where the Commissioner will hand
the keys of new EU financed apartments to refugees. The EU has granted
more than ECU 500 million for reconstruction and the consolidation of
democracy in Bosnia Herzegovina over the last two years (not including
humanitarian aid).
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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