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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 98-07-08
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
08/07/98
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[I] Résultats de la Commission de ce jour - Outcome of today's Commission
meeting
[01] La Commission autorise la fusion entre WorldCom et MCI sous réserve de
conditions
[02] Commission publishes its conditions for approving the British
Airways/American Airlines and the Lufthansa/SAS/United Airlines air
alliances
[03] La Commission agit pour réduire la pollution de l'atmosphère par les
grandes installations de combustion
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[04] Commission clears a joint venture between Maersk Air and
Luftfartsverket
[05] La Commission autorise la concentration entre Halliburton et Dresser
dans le domaine des services aux chantiers de forage
[06] Commission authorizes the acquisition of Echlin Inc. by Dana Corp.
[07] Mario Monti welcomes London/Frankfurt bourse link as concrete step to
market integration
[08] EU stands by Russia in times of need
[I] Résultats de la Commission de ce jour - Outcome of today's Commission
meeting
[01] La Commission autorise la fusion entre WorldCom et MCI sous réserve de
conditions
La Commission européenne a donné une autorisation conditionnelle au projet
de fusion entre WorldCom Inc. et MCI Communications Corporation sous
réserve d'un désinvestissement des activités Internet de MCI. WorldCom et
MCI sont deux sociétés cotées en bourse qui offrent l'éventail classique de
services de télécommunication. Toutes deux proposent également des
services liés à l'Internet. L'enquête de la Commission a révélé des
recouvrements significatifs d'activité sur le marché de la connectivité
Internet de haut niveau ou universelle. WorldCom est actuellement le leader
sur le marché, MCI étant l'un de ses concurrents principaux. La fusion
aurait donné à l'entité combinée une part de marché d'environ 50% sur le
marché pertinent. Les parties se sont engagées à vendre les actifs
Internet de MCI, éliminant ainsi tout chevauchement avec les activités
Internet de WorldCom.
[02] Commission publishes its conditions for approving the British
Airways/American Airlines and the Lufthansa/SAS/United Airlines air
alliances
The European Commission has adopted its preliminary position on two
transatlantic air alliances : the alliance between British Airways and
American Airlines and the alliance between Lufthansa, SAS and United
Airlines. The Commission intends to approve these two alliances provided
certain conditions are fulfilled. The conditions will be published in
draft form so as to allow third parties to make comments.
[03] La Commission agit pour réduire la pollution de l'atmosphère par les
grandes installations de combustion
La Commission européenne a adopté une proposition d'amendement de la
Directive 88/609/CEE relative à la limitation des émissions de certains
polluants dans l'atmosphère en provenance des grandes installations de
combustion (GIC). Cette Directive limite les rejets de trois types de
polluants : le dioxyde de soufre (SO2), les oxydes d'azote (NOx) et les
poussières. La nouvelle proposition introduit des valeurs deux fois plus
strictes que les valeurs actuelles. Ces nouvelles valeurs doivent être
appliquées à toute installation neuve mise en service à compter du
1/1/2000. La proposition élargit le champ d'application de la Directive
aux turbines à gaz en introduisant des valeurs limites pour les émissions
de NOx provenant de ces machines. En outre, la révision encourage le
recours à la cogénération dans les nouveaux projets de GIC. La
cogénération est une technique qui permet d'utiliser le combustible à plus
de 80% de son potentiel énergétique (contre 30 à 50% pour les techniques
traditionnelles). La proposition encourage également l'utilisation de la
biomasse comme combustible. Ces diverses dispositions s'inscrivent dans un
ensemble législatif cohérent visant, sur le long terme, à garantir la
préservation des écosystèmes contre l'acidification ainsi que
l'amélioration de la santé publique en ce qui concerne les affections liées
à la pollution de l'air.
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[04] Commission clears a joint venture between Maersk Air and
Luftfartsverket
The European Commission has authorised an operation by which
Luftfartsverket Holding (LFV) and Maersk Air combine their existing
groundhandling activities in a jointly-controlled holding company called
Novia. The concentration will not lead to the creation or strengthening of
a dominant position in any market or segment. There is no horizontal
overlap between the parties' activities, nor any concerns regarding
vertical restrictions of competition.
[05] La Commission autorise la concentration entre Halliburton et Dresser
dans le domaine des services aux chantiers de forage
La Commission européenne a autorisé la concentration entre Halliburton
Company, implantée aux Etats-Unis (Halliburton), et Dresser Industries Inc,
(Dresser). Ces deux entreprises ont des activités diversifiées dans le
secteur de la mécanique et de la construction, dans la fourniture de
services et de matériel dans le domaine de l'énergie et des chantiers de
forage, ainsi que dans les produits pétroliers. L'opération affecte
plusieurs segments du marché des services aux chantiers de forage, à savoir
les fluides de forage, les services de forage dirigé, les produits et
services de complétion et les services de cimentation. Les doutes qu'elle
suscitait quant à la création ou au renforcement d'une position dominante
sur les segments des fluides de forage ont été dissipés par les engagements
présentés par les parties au Department of Justice (ministère de la Justice
américain), qui examine l'opération en parallèle. Les doutes quant à la
livraison de ciment aux tours de forage pétrolier en mer du Nord n'ont pas
été jugés suffisamment sérieux pour susciter de véritables craintes en
matière de concurrence.
[06] Commission authorizes the acquisition of Echlin Inc. by Dana Corp.
The European Commission has authorized the acquisition of Echlin Inc.
(Echlin), USA, by Dana Corporation (Dana), USA. Both companies are
producers of a wide range of automotive components, of which most are of
complementary nature. There is only one area of overlap, the manufacture of
filters. In addition, Dana produces industrial components and offers
financial leasing services. Given the large number of competitors in the
automotive sector, the Commission has declared the operation compatible
with the Common Market.
[07] Mario Monti welcomes London/Frankfurt bourse link as concrete step to
market integration
"I warmly welcome the alliance just announced by the London Stock Exchange
and Frankfurt's Deutsche Börse as a concrete step towards the greater
integration of the European Union's (EU) financial services markets",
commented European Commissioner for Financial services Mario Monti. "This
process of integration is gaining considerable momentum, partly as a result
of EU rules to create a Single Market for financial services. With the
advent of the single currency, this momentum should increase further, but
in order to optimise the process of integration and its benefits, we need
further adjustments to the EU legislative framework for financial services.
These adjustments need to take into account not only economic and monetary
union, but also the challenges of new technologies (including electronic
commerce), globalisation and enlargement of the EU. It is against this
background that the Commission has launched an initiative to eliminate
remaining barriers to the development of efficient pan-European venture
capital market. It is also preparing a 'framework for action' to improve
the Single Market in financial services, as requested by the Cardiff
European Council's. This 'framework', which we will present in time for
the Vienna European Council in December, will in particular examine the
effectiveness of implementation and identify weaknesses in the legislative
approach. My services are in the process of conducting very extensive
consultations with financial service practitioners, users and supervisors
with a view to presenting an effective framework for action that will
ensure that financial markets adapt successfully to the new single currency
environment. This is critical for fostering enterprise-led growth and
ensuring that consumers reap the full benefits of the euro."
[08] EU stands by Russia in times of need
European Commissioner for Foreign Affairs Hans van den Broek will visit
Moscow on 9-10 July 1998 to discuss the current economic and financial
situation in Russia. He will discuss ways in which European Union (EU)
assistance programmes can contribute to the realisation of the government's
new anti-crisis programme, especially in areas such as budgetary and
economic reform (including enterprise restructuring, promoting investment
and the training of young managers in EU enterprises). "A partnership
means also standing by Russia in its times of need", commented the
Commissioner, "we are there to help develop the policies needed to ensure a
sound development of Russia's economy in the medium term". Mr van den Broek
will meet, inter alia, the Prime Minister, Mr Sergei Kirienko, the Deputy
Prime Minister, Mr A. Chubais, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Evgenii
Primakov and representatives of the Duma. The Partnership and Cooperation
Agreement between the EU and the Russian Federation (which entered into
force on 1 December 1997) equally foresees a number of actions which can
support the realisation of the anti-crisis programme. In his discussions
with Foreign Minister Primakov, the Commissioner will also have an exchange
of views on the latest developments in Latvia, as well as in Kosovo,
particularly in view of the results of the meeting of the Contact Group.
Moreover, the Commissioner will give a speech at the Russian State
University for the Humanities on the EU/Russian challenges for the 21st
century. After his meetings, Mr van den Broek will hold a press conference
in the early afternoon of 10 July. The EU delegation in Moscow can be
contacted for further information (tel. 00.7.502.2204658).
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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