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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 97-11-07
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
07/11/97
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] La Commission autorise une fusion dans les services d'agences de
voyage au Danemark
[02] Commission clears the acquisition of joint control of the Swedish
furniture company Apax Industri
[03] New programming cycle launched as Tacis shifts focus to investment
promotion - Tacis Annual Report 1996
[04] Employment and Tourism Conference in Luxembourg finds that a concerted
European Union policy can create new jobs
[05] Mario Monti: "We need to enhance consumer confidence in mortgage
credit services offered across frontiers"
[01] La Commission autorise une fusion dans les services d'agences de
voyage au Danemark
La Commission européenne a décidé de donner son approbation à une opération
par laquelle les deux compagnies danoises Maersk Air A/S et DFDS A/S
acquièreront le contrôle conjoint d'une nouvelle entreprise commune au sein
de laquelle elles fusionneront leurs activités existantes d'agences de
voyage, essentiellement les ventes de voyages d'affaires au Danemark.
Etant donné la part qui sera détenue par l'entreprise commune sur les
marchés de voyage concernés et l'existance de concurrents importants, la
Commission considère que la concentration proposée ne créera ni ne
renforcera une position dominante qui aurait comme conséquence de faire
obstacle de façon significative à une concurrence effective dans l'Espace
Economique Européen ou dans une portion majeure de cette région.
[02] Commission clears the acquisition of joint control of the Swedish
furniture company Apax Industri
The European Commission has approved the acquisition of joint control by
Nordic Capital Svenska AB and Skandia Investment AB of the Apax Industri
Group which is active in manufacturing of beds and upholstered furniture.
Its main markets are Sweden and Denmark. The operation is mainly a
financial transaction, since none of the investors behind Nordic Capital
has existing interests in the business activities of the joint venture.
There is therefore no addition in market shares in any markets as a result
of this operation. Accordingly, the operation does not create or strenghten
a dominant position in any market.
[03] New programming cycle launched as Tacis shifts focus to investment
promotion - Tacis Annual Report 1996
The Tacis Annual Report 1996 highlights some of the ways in which the
European Union's Tacis programme continues to develop to support the
economic reform process in the countries of the former Soviet union.
Though know-how transfer remains to meet key needs in the NIS, Tacis will
build upon the progress in recent years by expanding its activities that
focus on investment promotion. The Tacis Programme plays a key role in
consolidating the evolving relationship between the EU, its Member States
and the New Independent States. The process of concluding Partnership and
Cooperation Agreements with Tacis partner countries continued during the
year. Ten are now signed, with nine Interim Agreements already in
operation to bring into force the aspects of trade cooperation set out in
the PCAs. In numerical terms, 1996 saw a total of ECU 536 million
committed for the Tacis Programme, including ECU 11 million for the Tacis
Democracy Programme. The total funding commitment over the first six years
of the Programme's life, 1991-1996, now stands at ECU 2,804.37 million.
During 1996, the Tacis Programme launched projects and contracted funds
with a value of ECU 454.5 million, a decrease of nearly 14 per cent on 1995
figures. It paid out ECU 376 million, a small increase over 1995's
figures.
[04] Employment and Tourism Conference in Luxembourg finds that a concerted
European Union policy can create new jobs
Tourism Commissioner Christos Papoutsis expressed satisfaction with the
main findings of the above conference, which concluded on 5 November 1997
and showed just how far the coordination of European Union (EU) action in
the field of tourism may boost employment. Moreover, the findings indicate
that it is only through alliances and partnerships with industries such as
tourism, that job creation can be on track from words and intentions to
real action." The focus of the conference was put on enhancing a European
model of tourism development, by: Improving skills and promoting the
professions within tourism, creating optimal synergy effects of resources
available to tourism development at local, national and EU level. Moreover,
the way to strengthen competitiveness, improve the quality of the offer and
thus maintain and create jobs, goes for example through organising flexible
schemes of worker mobility in conjunction with a more structured social
dialogue, developing clear career perspectives in the industry and mutual
recognition of qualifications at EU level. Examples and evidence were
presented showing that these strategies actually work and give results.
[05] Mario Monti: "We need to enhance consumer confidence in mortgage
credit services offered across frontiers"
"Even if the basic framework for the Single Market for mortgage credit was
put in place in 1989, the market for these services is still not completely
open within the European Union" stressed today Financial Services
Commissioner Mario Monti addressing the European Mortgage Federation.
Financing techniques of mortgage institutions vary from country to country
due to cultural and historical factors. Such differences in practices and
mortgage credit instruments can give rise to conflicts between important
aspects of national legislation in different countries, mainly with respect
to taxation, pricing rules and consumer protection. "We will challenge each
and every restriction which cannot be justified by a 'general good' reason",
assured Mr Monti. Following the introduction of the single currency,
competition between mortgage institutions will become increasingly intense
as it will become easier to compare mortgage products and foreign exchange
risk will be removed. However, "there is clearly a need to enhance
consumer confidence in services offered across frontiers". If consumers
are to have confidence in cross-border mortgage credit, they need high
quality information and redress procedures. "We have established a
dialogue between the financial industry and consumer representatives on
consumer information and redress procedures. But if this dialogue does not
produce satisfactory voluntary agreements, the European Commission will not
hesitate to propose binding legislation to protect consumers' interests"
warned Mr Monti.
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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