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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 98-12-14
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
14/12/98
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Strengthened EU environment standards as a result of the enlargement
with Austria, Finland and Sweden
[02] Commission clears BP/Amoco merger
[03] Commission approves acquisition of Glacier Vandervell (US) by Dana
Corporation (US)
[04] Commission considers DEO (Germany) outside the scope of Merger
Regulation
[05] Commission decides Court action against United Kingdom for failure to
implement environmental legislation in Gibraltar
[06] La Commission prend des mesures à l'encontre de la Belgique, du
Luxembourg, des Pays-Bas, de la Grèce et de l'Espagne pour obtenir
l'exécution d'arrêts de la Cour de justice concernant la législation
environnementale
[07] Aide humanitaire en Asie
[08] Humanitarian aid news : Kosovo and Bosnia-Herzegovina
[09] Commission proposes Maritime Charter to encourage the global adoption
of Quality Shipping Standards
[01] Strengthened EU environment standards as a result of the enlargement
with Austria, Finland and Sweden
The European Commission has adopted a Communication demonstrating that the
accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden to the European Union (EU) has
resulted in strengthened EU environment protection standards. When Austria,
Finland and Sweden joined the EU a special provision - the Review Clause -
in the Act of Accession allowed these three new Member States to keep
certain different national health and environmental provisions for four
years. This period will end on 31 December 1998. During this time the EU
reviewed its own health and environmental standards accordingly, in close
cooperation with the three new Member States. In almost all cases the
Review Process resulted in the adoption of strengthened environmental
standards throughout the EU, for example on sulphur in petrol, mercury in
batteries and labelling of dangerous substances. In other cases the new
Member States will keep their standards for a longer period of time. This
time is needed to continue the review and to find EU wide solutions. A
survey shows that the review proved to be a success in protecting the
environment and human health.
[02] Commission clears BP/Amoco merger
The European Commission has cleared the full merger between British
Petroleum Company (BP) and Amoco Corporation in the oil and petrochemicals
sector. This merger considerably strengthens the parties' position on the
market, where they now rank as the world's third largest integrated oil
company. Given the limited market shares of the combined entity on the
market of the European Economic Area in most product markets and the
largely complementary character of the operation on a geographic basis, the
Commission found only a limited number of affected markets in the
petrochemicals sector. Of these, only the parties' combined position on
the market for polyisobutylene (PIB) raised concern, which Amoco addressed
by divesting of its European PIB business to a third party.
[03] Commission approves acquisition of Glacier Vandervell (US) by Dana
Corporation (US)
The European Commission has decided to approuve an operation by which Dana
Corporation will acquire sole control over the Glacier Vandervell Bearings
Group. Dana is active in the production of components and systems for
vehicle and industrial manufacturers and Glacier Vanderbell produces
thinwall and dry bearings. The Commission has not found any substantial
overlaps in the activities of the parties.
[04] Commission considers DEO (Germany) outside the scope of Merger
Regulation
The European Commission has decided that Deutsche Energy One Gesellschaft
mit beschränkter Haftung (DEO), a joint venture between four German
companies Wintershall AG, a gas and oil refiner and seller, EnBW Energie-
Vertriebsgesellschaft mbH, an electricity seller and distributor,
Stadtwerke Manheim AG, active in the sectors of electricity, gas, water and
heat supply and Wirtschaftliche Vereinigung Deutscher Versorgungs-
unternehmen AG, engaged in the trade of general commercial supplies and
petrol based products, does not fall within the scope of the Merger
Regulation. DEO will be active in the sale of electricity and gas as well
as in the provision of energy linked consultency and other services. DEO
is not a concentration within the meaning of the Merger Regulation, as it
will not be controlled by one of its shareholders alone or two or more
shareholders jointly. The transaction will now be assessed under articles
85 and 86 of the EC Treaty in accordance with the provisions of Council
Regulation n° 17.
[05] Commission decides Court action against United Kingdom for failure to
implement environmental legislation in Gibraltar
The European Commission has decided to make an application to the European
Court of Justice against the United Kingdom for failure to adopt and
communicate to the Commission implementing legislation covering Gibraltar
in respect of a number of environmental Directives.
[06] La Commission prend des mesures à l'encontre de la Belgique, du
Luxembourg, des Pays-Bas, de la Grèce et de l'Espagne pour obtenir
l'exécution d'arrêts de la Cour de justice concernant la législation
environnementale
La Commission européenne a décidé de prendre des mesures, au titre de
l'article 171 du traité sur l'Union européenne, à l'encontre de la Belgique,
du Luxembourg, des Pays-Bas, de la Grèce et de l'Espagne qui ne se sont pas
conformés à de précédents arrêts de la Cour de justice européenne
concernant la législation environnementale.
[07] Aide humanitaire en Asie
La Commission européenne a débloqué une aide humanitaire pour des projets
en Corée du Nord (2 millions d'Ecus), en Indonésie (1,5 million d'Ecus), au
Laos (890.000 Ecus), aux Philippines (700.000 Ecus), en Birmanie (695.000
Ecus) et en Polynésie française (105.000 Ecus). Cette aide, gérée par
l'Office humanitaire de la Communauté européenne (ECHO), permettra à des
organisations internationales et à des organisations non gouvernementales
de réaliser des projets au cours des mois à venir (entre trois et six
mois).
[08] Humanitarian aid news : Kosovo and Bosnia-Herzegovina
The European Commission has cleared humanitarian aid worth a total of ECU
11.597 million for projects to assist victims of conflict in Kosovo (ECU 10
million) and Bosnia Herzegovina (ECU 1.597 million). The aid, managed by
the European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO), will enable
international and non-governmental organisations to carry out projects over
the winter.
[09] Commission proposes Maritime Charter to encourage the global adoption
of Quality Shipping Standards
Neil Kinnock, the European Commissioner responsible for Transport Policy,
told the shipping industry today that the elimination of sub-standard
shipping requires action by the shipping industry itself as well as by
public authorities. Speaking at a Quality Shipping Seminar in London, Mr
Kinnock told shipping industry representatives that ways must be found to
mobilise industry support against rogue operators. He presented a draft of
the Commission's "Maritime Charter on Quality" laying down the basic
principles of the Quality Shipping campaign which the Commission hopes will
be formally signed at the Mare Forum Conference in Amsterdam in June. The
Charter can then form the basis for more specific Codes of Conduct which
specific sectors of the shipping industry can develop individually.
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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