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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 99-05-25
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-Parole 25/05/1999b
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Rapport 1998 sur la qualité des eaux de baignade : nouveau mieux pour
les eaux intérieures, pas d'amélioration sensible pour les eaux côtières
[02] Commission authorises Vodafone and AirTouch to merge
[03] Commission clears the change of shareholders of Omnitel
[04] Le commissaire Van Miert se félicite de la décision de Coca-Cola de
renoncer à son acquisition de Schweppes en Europe continentale
[05] La Commission approuve l'acquisition de Berlin Brandenburg Airport
Holding par un consortium regroupant Hochtief et Frankfurt Airport
[06] Franz Fischler: «Reform of sugar policy is not yet necesssary»
[07] Kavala (Greece) : Inaugural Meeting of the International Maritime
Forum The inaugural meeting of the International Maritime Forum, chaired by
the Greek Minister of Development Prof. Evangelos Venizelos took place the
21st May 1999 in the Greek town of Kavala. It is the starting point of a
maritime network in the East Mediterranean, Black Sea and South Eastern
Europe. The Forum`s first meeting saw the coming of 200 high level
participants from governments, the European Commission, all segments of
maritime industry (shipbuilding, shipping ports, marine equipment suppliers,
marine resources) and related suppliers and users of Information Society
technologies and services, from 21 countries from the Eastern Mediterranean,
Black Sea and the Balkans. Kavala will host a regional MARIS office. MARIS
is a pilot Global Information Society Initiative for the Maritime Sector
created in 1995 by the group of the G7 (now G8) countries. Its guiding
principles are the promotion of dynamic competition, the encouragement of
private investment, the definition of an adaptable regulatory framework and
the precision of open access to networks. The Forum which will have a
permanent antenna in Kavala which will offer the opportunity to vitalize
the communication links between the participant countries and their
industries and create new services for the economic development and welfare
of the region.
[01] Rapport 1998 sur la qualité des eaux de baignade : nouveau mieux pour
les eaux intérieures, pas d'amélioration sensible pour les eaux côtières
La Commission européenne a présenté aujourd'hui son 16e rapport sur la
qualité des eaux de baignade en Europe. Il porte sur 13 218 plages côtières
et 6 004 zones de baignade intérieures. Près de 95 % des zones de baignade
côtières respectent les exigences de qualité minimales, ce qui représente
une faible amélioration par rapport aux résultats du rapport précédent. Les
zones de baignade intérieures affichent des résultats encourageants pour la
deuxième année consécutive. Alors que pour la saison balnéaire 1996, une
zone de baignade intérieure sur trois était insuffisamment surveillée ou ne
répondait pas aux exigences minimales de qualité, en 1997 près de 80 % de
ces zones respectaient les exigences minimales de la directive. Au cours de
la saison de baignade 1998, cette proportion s'est élevée à plus de 85 %.
[02] Commission authorises Vodafone and AirTouch to merge
The European Commission has approved the merger between the British company
Vodafone Group plc and the Californian AirTouch Communications, Inc. The
companies' main activity is the operation of mobile telecommunications
networks. The new company is active in most European countries either
through joint ventures or own networks and will have a combined turnover of
10.3 billion Euro (1998). In relation to mobile telecommunications, the
Commission identified a competition problem in the German market, where
both companies are active through joint ventures (E-Plus and D2
respectively). Vodafone agreed to sell its stake in E-Plus, which
eliminates any overlap between Vodafone and AirTouch in the German market
for mobile telecommunications.
[03] Commission clears the change of shareholders of Omnitel
The European Commission has cleared the operation by which Mannesmann and
Bell Atlantic acquire joint control over Omnitel Pronto Italia (OPI). The
operation is conditional on the exit of Olivetti from the shareholding of
Omnitel if its bid for Telecom Italia is successful. After examination of
the notification, the Commission has concluded that the operation does not
raise serious doubts as to its compatibility with the common market and the
European Economic Area (EEA) agreement.
[04] Le commissaire Van Miert se félicite de la décision de Coca-Cola de
renoncer à son acquisition de Schweppes en Europe continentale
Karel Van Miert, Commissaire européen chargé de la politique de conurrence,
a pris connaissance avec satisfaction la décision récente de The Coca-Cola
Company d'abandonner ses plans pour acquérir la division boissons non
alcoolisées de Cadbury Schweppes plc en Europe continentale. Il y a
quelques semaines, M. Van Miert avait mis en garde contre l'impact anti-
concurre éventuel de l'achat et avait demandé que les sociétés notifient
l'acquisition à la Commission européenne.
[05] La Commission approuve l'acquisition de Berlin Brandenburg Airport
Holding par un consortium regroupant Hochtief et Frankfurt Airport
La Commission européenne a décidé d'autoriser l'acquisition de Berlin
Brandenburg Airport Holding GmbH (BBF) par un consortium réunissant
l'entreprise de construction Hochtief AG, Frankfurt Mainz Airport AG (FAG),
le groupe électrique ABB et la banque de détail Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG.
Le BBF, dont le capital est détenu par l'État fédéral allemand et par les
Länder de Berlin et de Brandebourg, exploite les trois aéroports de Berlin,
à savoir Tegel, Tempelhof et Schönefeld. Dans le cadre du plan qui vise à
concentrer le trafic aérien de la région berlinoise dans un seul aéroport,
ce consortium veut faire de Schönefeld un aéroport international, sous le
nom de "Berlin Brandenburg International" (BBI), dont il assurerait
également l'exploitation. L'opération crée des liens structurels entre
l'aéroport de Berlin, l'aéroport de Francfort et, indirectement par
l'entremise de Hochtief, l'aéroport de Düsseldorf. À l'issue de son examen,
la Commission a conclu que le projet n'aurait aucun effet défavorable sur
les rapports de concurrence, car les zones d'attraction des différents
aéroports ne se chevauchent pas.
[06] Franz Fischler: «Reform of sugar policy is not yet necesssary»
In a speech given at the International Sugar Organisation Council in
Brussels today, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development
Franz Fischler stressed the importance of sugar production within the
European Union (EU) and added that the EU is the world's largest producer
of white sugar and the second-largest producer of sugar as a whole. Mr.
Fischler pointed out that the sugar sector was fundamentally affected by
the conclusions of the Uruquay round, but has not been included into the
reforms of the Common Agricultural Policy, as a reform of this sector is
not yet considered necessary. "However, Mr. Fischler said, the European
sugar sector knows that it must take the opportunity to prepare for the
forthcoming challenges of a larger Union and stiffer international
competition".
[07] Kavala (Greece) : Inaugural Meeting of the International Maritime
Forum The inaugural meeting of the International Maritime Forum, chaired by
the Greek Minister of Development Prof. Evangelos Venizelos took place the
21st May 1999 in the Greek town of Kavala. It is the starting point of a
maritime network in the East Mediterranean, Black Sea and South Eastern
Europe. The Forum`s first meeting saw the coming of 200 high level
participants from governments, the European Commission, all segments of
maritime industry (shipbuilding, shipping ports, marine equipment suppliers,
marine resources) and related suppliers and users of Information Society
technologies and services, from 21 countries from the Eastern Mediterranean,
Black Sea and the Balkans. Kavala will host a regional MARIS office. MARIS
is a pilot Global Information Society Initiative for the Maritime Sector
created in 1995 by the group of the G7 (now G8) countries. Its guiding
principles are the promotion of dynamic competition, the encouragement of
private investment, the definition of an adaptable regulatory framework and
the precision of open access to networks. The Forum which will have a
permanent antenna in Kavala which will offer the opportunity to vitalize
the communication links between the participant countries and their
industries and create new services for the economic development and welfare
of the region.
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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