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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 97-12-02

Midday Express: News from the EU Commission Spokesman's Briefings Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

02/12/97


CONTENTS / CONTENU

  • [01] Commission warns Bertelsmann and Kirch against infringement of European merger control
  • [02] Mario Monti: "L'accord du Conseil Ecofin sur la concurrence fiscale dommageable est une percée historique"
  • [03] European Union committed to strengthening of nuclear safeguards
  • [04] La Commission et la région Bruxelles-Capitale partenaires dans la promotion du transport public
  • [05] Major study launched on employment effects in the European Union of investments in energy efficiency
  • [06] Erasmus fête son dixième anniversaire

  • [01] Commission warns Bertelsmann and Kirch against infringement of European merger control

    Karel Van Miert, European Commissioner for Competition, has requested his services to send letters to Bertelsmann AG and Kirch Group, indicating that the use and marketing of Kirch's d-box by Premiere is considered a partial execution of the intended merger of both companies in the area of digital Pay-TV and therefore violates the execution prohibition under European Merger Control. Bertelsmann and Kirch have been requested to ensure that this illegal behaviour, that can be sanctioned with fines, be stopped immediately. Furthermore they are requested to correct the impression created with consumers by their marketing campaign that the d-box is already the definite digital standard for the German market. It must be stressed that only yesterday a full notification of the proposed merger was submitted to the Commission. In addition, the Commission services must analyse several complaints lodged by competitors. This measure does by no means prejudge the decision on the intended concentration under the merger control procedure. Nor does it imply that the Commission is in principle opposed to a single digital standard or wants to obstruct the introduction of digital television in Germany. The Commission considers digital television to be an important future market with a considerable growth potential. These potentials can however only be fully exploited if the market is kept open and competition can fully develop. Karel Van Miert points out that generally speaking, the introduction of a single decoder is not a competition problem. The Commission will however have to examine carefully whether an open and non-discriminatory access to the decoder is truly ensured. The partial anticipation of a concentration subject to merger control which will have a decisive impact on future competitive conditions, can therefore not be accepted.

    [02] Mario Monti: "L'accord du Conseil Ecofin sur la concurrence fiscale dommageable est une percée historique"

    Le Conseil des Ministres de l'Economie et des Finances (Ecofin) de l'Union européenne (UE) a dégagé le 1er décembre un accord politique sur un paquet de mesures pour lutter contre la concurrence fiscale dommageable. "Avec cet accord, les Etats membres ont posé une pierre angulaire dans la poursuite des objectifs de l'UE", a affirmé le Commissaire à la Fiscalité Mario Monti. "La coordination en matière fiscale, dont les jalons essentiels ont été jetés aujourd'hui, permettra de réduire les distorsions au fonctionnement du marché intérieur, d'empêcher une érosion croissante des recettes fiscales et de poursuivre des politiques fiscales favorables à l'emploi." Le paquet inclut un code de conduite relatif à la fiscalité des entreprises, comportant un engagement politique à ne plus adopter et à démanteler progressivement les régimes fiscaux qui constituent une concurrence fiscale dommageable; des éléments devant permettre à la Commission européenne de formuler une nouvelle proposition de directive sur la fiscalité des revenus de l'épargne; enfin, un engagement sur l'abolition des retenues à la source sur les intérêts et redevances payés entre entreprises faisant partie d'un groupe.

    [03] European Union committed to strengthening of nuclear safeguards

    Today in Luxembourg, the European Commission and the European Union (EU) Member States start negotiations on three additional nuclear safeguards protocols with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). These protocols are designed to improve the international nuclear non- proliferation regime and to increase security world-wide, particularly in areas which do not have the same non-proliferation credentials as the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom). This initiative of the EU is unique in that it constitutes the negotiation of protocols both for nuclear weapon and non-nuclear weapon States. It will also provide a basic and important reference for the continuation of peaceful nuclear cooperation activities in the EU and internationally.

    [04] La Commission et la région Bruxelles-Capitale partenaires dans la promotion du transport public

    Le Commissaire européen responsable de l'Administration, Erkki Liikanen, et le Ministre des Transports de la région Bruxelles-Capitale, Hervé Hasquin, ont annoncé aujourd'hui la mise en service de deux nouvelles lignes de bus baptisées EUR 21 et EUR 22 destinées a desservir le périmètre Rond-point Schuman/Gare du Luxembourg. Le projet est cofinancé par la Commission européenne et la Région Bruxelles-Capitale. Cette initiative commencera le lundi 8 décembre 1997. La Société de Transport Intercommunale de Bruxelles (STIB) en coopération avec la Commission mettra en oeuvre ce service qui permettra de desservir la quasi-totalité de bâtiments des institutions européennes situés dans le pôle européen de Bruxelles. Il assurera également la correspondance avec toutes les stations de métro.

    [05] Major study launched on employment effects in the European Union of investments in energy efficiency

    The European Commission has signed a contract for a study which is expected to establish the potential for providing new jobs in the European Union through increased cost-effective investments in energy efficiency. The contract is one of the largest single contracts awarded under the SAVE II programme. This study is timely in that it complements other work now being carried out by the Commission on the subject of environment and employment.

    [06] Erasmus fête son dixième anniversaire

    A la bibliothèque albertine de Bruxelles, le 3 décembre à 18h30, Erasmus fête ses 10 ans. La coopération dans l'enseignement supérieur en Europe a commencé en 1987 et n'a fait que rencontrer un succès croissant au fil des années. Pour célébrer l'événement, des étudiants Erasmus, des professeurs et des autorités européennes se sont donné rendez-vous. Passé et futur, témoignages, propositions et musique seront les ingrédients de la soirée, organisée par l'Erasmus Students Network avec le soutien de la Commission européenne.

    MIDDAY EXPRESS


    From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
    © ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996


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