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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 97-12-22
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
22/12/97
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] La Commission approuve l'acquisition par Chrysler de distributeurs
d'automobiles en Allemagne et dans le Bénélux
[02] Commission approves the acquisition by Terra Industries of ICI's
nitrogen fertilizer business
[03] Commission authorises the acquisition of control by Sita of certain
subsidiaries of Browning Ferris Industries
[04] Commission clears a merger concerning Düsseldorf airport
[05] Commission clears the acquisition of Barclays de Zoete Wedd by Crédit
Suisse First Boston
[06] Commission approves the merger between UniChem and Alliance Santé
[07] La Commission autorise l'acquisition du contrôle de la Société
Française de Radiotéléphonie
[01] La Commission approuve l'acquisition par Chrysler de distributeurs
d'automobiles en Allemagne et dans le Bénélux
La Commission européenne a autorisé l'acquisition par Chrysler
International Corporation (CIC), Etats-Unis (une filiale du groupe
Chrysler), de revendeurs de véhicules de tourisme, jusqu'à présent
indépendants, en Allemagne, en Belgique, au Luxembourg et aux Pays-Bas.
Les entreprises acquises étaient toutes controlées par Homel Holding BV,
Pays-Bas, et deviendront des filiales à part entière de CIC. L'effet de
l'opération sera de placer sous la responsabilité directe de Chrysler les
importations, la commercialisation et la distribution des véhicules
Chrysler et Jeep, ainsi que les services associés, dans les Etats membres
concernés.
[02] Commission approves the acquisition by Terra Industries of ICI's
nitrogen fertilizer business
The European Commission has approved a concentration whereby Terra
Industries Inc. ("Terra Industries") of the US acquires the nitrogen
fertilizer business of Imperial Chemical Industries PLC ("ICI"). The
operation consists of Terra Industries acquiring the fertilizer business
from ICI by way of puchase of assets ("The Business"). The Business
primarily manufactures ammonium nitrate which is a source of nitrogen used
in the manufacture of fertilizers. Terra Industries is mainly active in
North America. The operation, therefore, does not give rise to any
horizontal overlaps and will not create or strengthen a dominant position.
Consequently, the Commission has decided to approve the operation.
[03] Commission authorises the acquisition of control by Sita of certain
subsidiaries of Browning Ferris Industries
The European Commission has authorised the acquisition of control by the
French company Sita, a member of the Suez Lyonnaise des Eaux group, of
certain subsidiaries of the American group Browning-Ferris Industries
(BFI). Sita and BFI specialise in the collection, treatment and
commercialisation of domestic, industrial and commercial waste. Sita is
mainly present in Europe, and also has operations in the Pacific rim and
Latin America, whereas BFI operates mainly in North America and Mexico,
also in Oceania, Hong Kong and some EU Member States. The proposed
transaction comprises the acquisition by Sita of the whole of BFI's
shareholding in its active subsidiaries outside North America, Mexico and
Puerto Rico. This includes BFI's European subsidiaries, which are located
in Germany, Spain, Finland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, and
whose principal activity is the collection and treatment of domestic,
commercial and ordinary waste. The Commission's analysis of the effects of
the transaction suggests that the proposed acquisition is not likely to
create or reinforce a dominant position in the European Union, in a Member
State or at a sub-national level.
[04] Commission clears a merger concerning Düsseldorf airport
The European Commission has authorised a joint venture through which the
two companies which are active in the operation and management of
Düsseldorf Airport, will in the future be jointly controlled by Aer Rianta
International, Hochtief Projektentwicklung GmbH on the one hand and the
City of Düsseldorf on the other. Through the present operation the current
shareholder, the City of Düsseldorf, has partially privatised Düsseldorf
airport with the addition of two new shareholders with expertise in airport
management (Aer Rianta) and the finance and building of construction
projects (Hochtief). In competition terms, the main consequence of the
operation is that an important airport operator, Aer Rianta, will not only
participate in the control of Birmingham airport, but will also contribute
its knowledge and know how to the privatisation project. However, Aer
Rianta has no other airport management activities in Germany. Similarly,
Hochtief has a participation in Athens International Airport S.A. and no
other airport activities in Germany. Consequently, the Commission has
concluded that there is neither the creation nor strengthening of a
dominant position as a result of the proposed operation and has, therefore,
decided not to oppose it.
[05] Commission clears the acquisition of Barclays de Zoete Wedd by Crédit
Suisse First Boston
The European Commission has approved the proposed concentration by which
Crédit Suisse First Boston (CSFB), which is part of the Crédit Suisse Group
and is engaged in investment banking and financial services, acquires
control of parts of the undertaking of Barclays de Zoete Wedd Ltd (BZW),
which is the investment banking subsidiary of Barclays Banks plc. The
Commission found that CSFB and the BZW have overlapping activities in the
markets of equity underwriting, equity trading and M&A advice. The
proposed operation will not give rise to competition concerns in any of
these markets due to the market position of the merged entity, the
competitive nature of the market and the large number and strength of the
competitors.
[06] Commission approves the merger between UniChem and Alliance Santé
The European Commission has approved a concentration whereby the activities
of UniChem PLC of the United Kingdom and Alliance Santé S.A. of Luxembourg
will be merged. UniChem is active in pharmaceutical wholesaling and
retailing in the UK. It is active in pharmaceutical wholesaling in
Portugal through a joint venture with Alliance Santé. Alliance Santé is
active in pharmaceutical wholesaling in France and Italy as well as in
Portugal through the above mentioned joint venture with UniChem. The only
market affected by the operation is the market for pharmaceutical
wholesaling. However, these markets are national due to the different
regulations for pharmaceuticals in the individual Member States. Therefore,
the operation does not create or strengthen a dominant position, since
UniChem and Alliance Santé are in different geographic markets.
Consequently, the Commission has decided to approve the operation.
[07] La Commission autorise l'acquisition du contrôle de la Société
Française de Radiotéléphonie
La Commission européenne vient d'autoriser le projet d'opération par lequel
le groupe britannique Vodafone et l'entreprise française Cegetel prennent
le contrôle en commun de la Société Française de Radiotéléphonie (SFR) qui
était jusqu'à présent contrôlée par Cegetel. La Commission a examiné les
effets du rapprochement entre les entreprises concernées aux niveaux
européen et français. Elle a constaté que le nouveau pôle figurera parmi
les premiers opérateurs de réseaux de téléphonie mobile en Europe de
l'Ouest, région qui connaît actuellement une forte croissance du parc des
abonnés et l'entrée de nombreux opérateurs et fournisseurs de services,
notamment dans la technologie numérique. En France, l'opération ne conduit
pas à l'addition de parts de marché. La Commission a considéré que
l'opération ne soulève pas de doutes sérieux en matière de création ou de
renforcement de position dominante et a décidé de l'autoriser.
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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