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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 98-12-08
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
08/12/98
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Commission clears Sony's licensing agreements for video games
[02] La Commission autorise le rachat de Kohap Emtex Holding GmbH par Legal
& General Group plc
[03] Commission authorises acquisition of Laminacion y Derivados SA by
British Steel
[04] Commission approves acquisition of Tank & Rast Ag by Lufthansa and
Allianz
[05] La Commission présente un rapport sur les frais bancaires de
conversion vers l'euro
[06] Commission fosters private sector investment in Caspian Basin
pipelines
[01] Commission clears Sony's licensing agreements for video games
Following the European Commission's intervention Sony has modified its
developer and publisher licensing agreements in such a manner that any
possible infringement arising from Sony's licensing agreements has been
brought to an end and that Sony's licensing agreements are now compatible
with European Economic Area (EEA) competition law. The amendments were
made after long discussions between the Commission's services and Sony's
representatives. In separate cases, the other video games suppliers Sega
and Nintendo had previously amended their licensing agreements.
[02] La Commission autorise le rachat de Kohap Emtex Holding GmbH par Legal
& General Group plc
La Commission européenne a autorisé une opération par laquelle la société
britannique Legal & General Group (L&G Group), agissant comme gestionnaire
d'investissements, acquiert le contrôle de l'entreprise allemande Kohap
Emtec Holding GmbH (Emtec), producteur et distributeur de supports média
enregistrables tels que cassettes vidéo et audio. La transaction est
neutre sur le plan de la concurrence, car il n'en résulte aucune addition
de parts de marché entre les activités des acquéreurs et celles de
l'entreprise cible.
[03] Commission authorises acquisition of Laminacion y Derivados SA by
British Steel
The European Commission has approved the acquisition of the Spanish company
Laminacion y Derivados SA (Layde) specialised in cold rolled steel products
by UK's major steel maker British Steel. The combined share of the parties
of community cold rolled strip being less than 15%, the operation does not
give rise to competition concerns.
[04] Commission approves acquisition of Tank & Rast Ag by Lufthansa and
Allianz
The European Commission has approved the acquisition of the German state-
owned Autobahn Tank & Rast AG owner and lessor of the vast majority of
motorways' service areas along German motorways, by a consortium consisting
in Allianz Capital Partners GmbH, a German insurance company, LSG Lufthansa,
the national airway company and three investment trusts. The operation
does not give rise to any competition concerns.
[05] La Commission présente un rapport sur les frais bancaires de
conversion vers l'euro
La Commission européenne vient de publier un rapport sur les réponses
reçues par les associations bancaires européennes à la recommandation de la
Commission sur les frais bancaires de conversion vers l'euro. Sur la base
d'un premier examen, la Commission estime que les banques de la zone euro
entendent appliquer cette recommandation. Les banques ne prévoient
notamment pas de prélever des frais sur la conversion en euros des comptes
et des paiements à compter du 1er janvier 1999. Par conséquent, la
Commission considère que, pour le moment, il n'y a pas lieu de prévoir une
action léglislative dans ce domaine. Du fait de l'importance qu'elle
attache à la confiance du public dans le passage à l'euro, la Commission
continuera à surveiller la situation de près. Le rapport invite donc
particuliers et organisations à communiquer des informations s'ils peuvent
faire la preuve que la recommandation n'est pas appliquée dans les faits à
compter du 1er janvier 1999.
[06] Commission fosters private sector investment in Caspian Basin
pipelines
A major boost to the exploitation of oil and gas reserves from the Caspian
Basin will be given today when the European Commission announces that its
assistance programme in this field - INOGATE - is now available to private
sector investors seeking to export these resources to Europe. The
Commission announcement will come at the start of a European Union (EU)
conference in Brussels on 8-9 December involving over a hundred
representatives from the oil and gas industry and the banking sector, as
well as the governments of the EU Member States and thirteen countries from
central Europe, the Caucasus and central Asia.
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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