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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 00-08-03
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
03/08/2000
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Venezuela: Approval of further € 1.55 million in humanitarian aid for
flood victims
[02] Book price: Commission conducts surprise inspections of publishers,
wholsesalers and booksellers in Germany and Austria
[01] Venezuela: Approval of further € 1.55 million in humanitarian aid for
flood victims
The European Commission has approved a further € 1.55 million in extra
funding for humanitarian aid to assist victims of the December 1999 floods
and landslides in Venezuela. The aid, channelled via the Humanitarian Aid
Office (ECHO), will fund five projects over the next nine months. This
brings the humanitarian aid made available to Venezuela since the flooding
to € 7.15 million. This new funding will provide support for an estimated
7500 families in need of assistance. Population groups most affected by
floods are still living in precarious conditions in the northern states of
the country. The aid will consist of technical support to peasant families
attempting to re-start economic activity, the implementation of a water and
sanitation system for indigenous people living in houses on stilts and the
integration process for resettled families who previously lost their houses
and belongings. The assistance provided also includes a psychological
support programme targeting children and mothers, as well as access to
socio-educational activities for those living in temporary shelters.
[02] Book price: Commission conducts surprise inspections of publishers,
wholsesalers and booksellers in Germany and Austria
The European Commission can confirm that in the context of its
investigation of the latest events on the German book market, it undertook
surprise inspections on Wednesday 2 August on the premises of a number of
German publishers and wholesalers. The headquarters of Austrian media
retail chain LIBRO were also visited.The purpose of the surprise
inspections was to collect evidence on the possible collusion between the
publishers and wholesalers to boycott Internet booksellers that do not
respect the fixed prices in direct cross-border sales to end consumers in
Germany. Furthermore, the Commission wanted to gather information on the
understanding between LIBRO and the German publishers and wholesalers
concerning the end of the rebates by LIBRO which was announced on 28 July.
The companies visited in Germany were Verlagsgruppe Bertelsmann in Munich,
Aufbau-Verlag in Berlin and the book wholesalers KNO and K&V in Stuttgart
as well as the German association for the booktrade, the "Börsenverein des
deutschen Buchhandels" in Frankfurt. In Austria, LIBRO's headquarters at
Guntramsdorf near Vienna were visited. The inspections were lead by
officials of the Commission's Directorate-General for Competition who were
assisted by officials of the national competition authorities.
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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