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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 00-05-08
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 Service Presse et Communicationb
08/05/2000
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Internal Market : Commission calls for urgent action on priority
policies to help EU meet Lisbon agenda
[02] Mario Monti présente le rapport annuel 1999 sur la politique de
concurrence
[03] La Commission approuve la création d'une entreprise commune entre
Dynamit Nobel GmbH Explosivstoff- und Systemtechnik et Orica Europe Ltd
[04] Commission clears acquisition of ABB Alstom Power N.V. by Alstom
[05] Commission clears acquisition by venture capital fund Gilde Investment
Management of sole control of Norit
[06] Commission clears Nabisco acquisition of United Biscuits
[07] Audition publique sur les futures règles de l'Union dans le domaine
des télécommunications
[08] Franz Fischler at Mauthausen concentration camp : "Austria cannot
sneak out of the back door to avoid its historical responsibility"
[09] Viviane Reding dialogue sur Internet avec des élèves de toute l'Europe
[01] Internal Market : Commission calls for urgent action on priority
policies to help EU meet Lisbon agenda
The European Commission has identified a series of priority actions
necessary to advance the goal set out at the Lisbon European Council of
making the European Union the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based
economy in the world. The 2000 Internal Market strategy review, is designed
to use the political momentum generated at Lisbon by setting deadlines for
the implementation of certain key Internal Market policies. It builds on
the strategy published in November 1999 and designed to develop the
Internal Market over the next five years, but takes that programme a step
further by targeting specific policies necessary to exploit in particular,
the benefits of new technology and innovation. The Commission notes that
despite clear political engagement, overall progress on implementing the
Internal Market Strategy is slow. It warns that "greater discipline and a
more concentrated effort from all the institutions will be required in
future, if the ambitious agenda set out in Lisbon is to be delivered".
[02] Mario Monti présente le rapport annuel 1999 sur la politique de
concurrence
L'année 1999 a encore été très fructueuse en matière de politique de
concurrence avec un total de 1.200 nouveaux cas, parmi lesquels 512 dans le
domaine des aides d'Etat, une augmentation de 15% par rapport à l'année
précédente, et environ 300 fusions et acquisitions. Le 29ème rapport de la
concurrence adopté par la Commission européenne sera présenté aujourd'hui
par Mario Monti, le Commissaire à la Concurrence, au Parlement Européen.
[03] La Commission approuve la création d'une entreprise commune entre
Dynamit Nobel GmbH Explosivstoff- und Systemtechnik et Orica Europe Ltd
La Commission européenne a approuvé la création d'une entreprise commune
entre Dynamit Nobel GmbH Explosivstoff- und Systemtechnik (DNES) et Orica
Europe Ltd, Precision Blasting GmbH. Cette coopération vise le
développement et la fabrication d'un nouveau type de détonateur, destiné,
entre autres, à l'industrie minière et au secteur de la construction.
[04] Commission clears acquisition of ABB Alstom Power N.V. by Alstom
The European Commission has authorised the acquisition of the whole of ABB
Alstom Power N.V. (AAP) by the French company Alstom, which is active in
the power generation and transmission, and other, sectors. AAP is a joint
venture in the power generation sector between Alstom and the Swiss-
incorporated company ABB. The Commission approved the formation of the
joint venture under the EU's merger control rules in 1999. The present
transaction involves the purchase by Alstom of ABB's share in the joint
venture and a consequent change from joint control to sole control of AAP
by Alstom. The transaction will not change the competitive situation on the
relevant markets since Alstom has no business that competes with AAP, and
there are no horizontally affected markets. In view of the above the
Commission has decided to clear the operation.
[05] Commission clears acquisition by venture capital fund Gilde Investment
Management of sole control of Norit
The operation raises no competition concerns because neither Gilde
Investment Management, nor its parent, Rabobank, nor companies in which
they have a controlling interest have any activity in the activated carbon
products market where Norit N.V. is active, nor in any closely related
market. Consequently, the Commission has decided to declare the operation
compatible with the common market and the EEA agreement. Gilde Investment
Management N.V. is controlled by the Dutch banking group Coöperatieve
Centrale Raiffeisen-Boerenleenbank B.A. (Rabobank). Norit N.V. manufactures
and markets activated carbon products made for the food, chemical and
pharmaceutical industries as well as for water, air and gas purification.
It is also active in the field of process technology, i.e. development of
innovative technologies and products for treatment and processing of
process flows in the drinks, food, dairy and pharmaceutical industry and
manufactures personal care products (cosmetics) mainly for third parties.
Gilde Investment Management proposes to acquire all of Norit's outstanding
share capital through a public bid published 29 March, 2000. Since there
are no overlapping activities between the parties to this operation, the
concentration will not lead to the creation of a dominant position on any
market within the Common Market or the EEA and the Commission has therefore
decided not to oppose the operation.
[06] Commission clears Nabisco acquisition of United Biscuits
The European Commission has authorised the acquisition of United Biscuits
(Holdings) Plc (UB) by Finalrealm Limited, a company controlled by Nabisco
Group Holdings Corporation, after the deal was modified to avoid Nabisco
controlling both UB and Horizon, another biscuit maker. This modification
removed competition concerns and, therefore, there was no need to refer the
case to the United Kingdom as had been requested by the UK competition
authorities.
[07] Audition publique sur les futures règles de l'Union dans le domaine
des télécommunications
Plus de 600 personnes assisteront à une audition publique concernant "Le
futur cadre réglementaire des réseaux et des services de communications
électroniques", qui doit se tenir à Bruxelles les 10 et 11 mai 2000, en
préparation de la présentation officielle par la Commission européenne au
Parlement européen et au Conseil de cinq propositions de directive, en juin
2000.
[08] Franz Fischler at Mauthausen concentration camp : "Austria cannot
sneak out of the back door to avoid its historical responsibility"
At the occasion of the commemoration of the liberation of the inmates of
the Mauthausen concentration camp, European Commissioner for Agriculture
and Rural Development, Franz Fischler, said : "Many of the things we
thought we had overcome long ago have recently resurfaced. The concern
voiced abroad, registering even the slightest manifestation of xenophobia,
intolerance or political fuzziness about the past with seismographic
accuracy, is received here with both amazement and indignation. We
Austrians are measured against different standards. And I think we should
realise why that is. However, the difficult political situation in our
country also gives us a chance to try once more to come to terms with our
past. It is time our acceptance that we share responsibility for national
socialism is followed by further action. This includes doing everything we
can to make up for the wrong done to the Jewish community, if at all
possible. It is time to come to grips with the issue of slave labour, and
to settle once and for all the return of property seized by the Nazis."
[09] Viviane Reding dialogue sur Internet avec des élèves de toute l'Europe
A l'occasion du 50ème anniversaire de la Déclaration Schuman, la
Commissaire européenne responsable de l'Education et de la Culture,
participera demain 9 mai 2000 à Luxembourg à un dialogue sur Internet entre
des élèves de plusieurs lycées luxembourgeois et des jeunes du Nord de
l'Europe, du Portugal et de Slovénie. Cette rencontre virtuelle de jeunes
de tous les coins de l'Europe, qui aura lieu sur le site myEurope du
European Schoolnet, s'inscrit dans la volonté de la Commission de renforcer
le dialogue avec les citoyens et futurs citoyens et de promouvoir les
échanges d'opinion sur la construction européenne. "Cette initiative
démontre le dynamisme du European Schoolnet, réseau entre écoles
européennes innovantes dont j'entends renforcer le rôle dans le cadre de
eLearning, le plan d'action sur l'entrée des écoles dans l'ère numérique
que je prépare actuellement", a commenté Mme Reding. La discussion devrait
porter notamment sur les enjeux de la construction européenne et sur la
diversité de culture et d'histoire des peuples européens. Mme Reding
participera à ce dialogue sur Internet depuis l'Athénée de Luxembourg en
compagnie d'élèves de l'Athénée, ainsi que des lycées Robert Schuman,
Michel Rodange et de l'Ecole de commerce et de gestion. La presse peut
assister à ce dialogue soit depuis l'Athénée de Luxembourg soit directement
sur le web. Le dialogue aura lieu entre 9h30 et 11h00 à l'adresse suivante
: http://myEurope.eun.org
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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