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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 02-01-25
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Commission clears joint venture between Meneta and TDM in the field of
anti-vibration devices for automobile disc brakes
[02] Commission clears joint venture between Endesa and Sonae
[03] Commission clears acquisition of Jardine Motors Group France by PGA
Motors
[04] Urban II programme : EU contributes €5.3 million to urban regeneration
in the City of Gothenburg (Sweden)
[05] Urban II programme : EU contributes €5.3 million to urban regeneration
in Helsinki-Vantaa (Finland)
[06] Urban II programme : EU contributes €5.3 million to urban regeneration
in Dublin - Ballyfermot (Ireland)
[07] Urban II programme : EU contributes €5.3 million to urban regeneration
in Århus (Denmark)
[08] Social protection in Europe in 1999 - Per capita expenditure range
from 1 to 2.5 in Member States - Expenditure on social protection remained
stable at 27.6% of GDP
[09] Frits Bolkestein urges decisive action on completing Internal Market
[10] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express 25/01/2002
TXT: FR ENPDF:DOC:Midday Express 25/01/2002
[01] Commission clears joint venture between Meneta and TDM in the field of
anti-vibration devices for automobile disc brakes
The European Commission has cleared under the EU's merger control rules a
joint venture called Meneta Advanced Shims Technology A/S (MAST) between
Danish company Meneta, part of the A.P. Moller group, and German company
TDM, ultimately controlled by HSBC Holdings plc. The joint venture will
manufacture antivibration systems for automobile disc brakes.
[02] Commission clears joint venture between Endesa and Sonae
The European Commission has granted clearance under the Merger Regulation
to the creation of a joint venture called Ecocicloendesa Energia between
Spanish company Endesa Energía S.A. and Spinveste SGPS S.A., a Portuguese
company which belongs to group SONAE SGPS, S.A. Ecocicloendesa will be
active as a trader and supplier of electricity to eligible customers i.e.
customers which can already benefit from the partial liberalisation of the
European electricity sector. (The operation was examined under the
simplified merger review procedure)
[03] Commission clears acquisition of Jardine Motors Group France by PGA
Motors
The European Commission has granted clearance under the Merger Regulation
to the acquisition of control of Jardine Motors Group France by PGA Motors
S.A., two distributors of motor vehicles in France. (The operation was
examined under the simplified merger review procedure)
[04] Urban II programme : EU contributes €5.3 million to urban regeneration
in the City of Gothenburg (Sweden)
Michel Barnier, European Commissioner responsible for regional policy, has
announced the approval by the Commission of a programme for urban
regeneration in the City of Gothenburg in Sweden. This Urban Community
Initiative Programme will provide €5.3 million from the EU over the period
2000-2006. The European funding has attracted €9.2 million in further
investment from the public sector and €1.5 million from the private sector,
creating total resources of €16 million. Priorities will include training,
improvements to the business environment and various measures to promote
the inclusion of disadvantaged groups, particularly into the labour market.
[05] Urban II programme : EU contributes €5.3 million to urban regeneration
in Helsinki-Vantaa (Finland)
Michel Barnier, European Commissioner responsible for regional policy, has
announced the approval by the Commission of a programme for urban
regeneration in Helsinki-Vantaa. This Urban Community Initiative Programme
will provide €5.3 million from the EU over the period 2000-2006. The
European funding has attracted €15 million in further investment from the
public sector and €2.2 million from the private sector, creating total
resources of €22.5 million. Priorities will include training, improvements
of the business environment and various measures to promote the inclusion
of disadvantaged groups, particularly into the labour market.
[06] Urban II programme : EU contributes €5.3 million to urban regeneration
in Dublin - Ballyfermot (Ireland)
Michel Barnier, European Commissioner responsible for regional policy, has
announced the approval by the Commission of a programme for urban
regeneration in the Ballyfermot area in Dublin. This Urban Community
Initiative Programme will provide €5.3 million from the EU over the period
2000-2006. The European funding has attracted €6.1 million in further
investment from the public sector creating total resources of €11.4
million. The strategy in Ballyfermot is designed to enable local
development through innovative flagship models. The programme identifies a
variety of needs, social exclusion being the main focus. The programme aims
to tackle social exclusion of key target groups and to invest as well in
infrastructure projects in the area.
[07] Urban II programme : EU contributes €5.3 million to urban regeneration
in Århus (Denmark)
Michel Barnier, European Commissioner responsible for regional policy, has
announced the approval by the Commission of a programme for urban
regeneration in the Gellerup, Hasle and Herredsvang area in Århus. This
Urban Community Initiative Programme will provide €5.3 million from the EU
over the period 2000-2006. The European funding has attracted €6.6 million
in further investment from the public sector and €0.1 million from the
private sector, creating total resources of €12 million. Priorities will
include training, improvements of the business environment and various
measures to promote the inclusion of disadvantaged groups, particularly
into the labour market.
[08] Social protection in Europe in 1999 - Per capita expenditure range
from 1 to 2.5 in Member States - Expenditure on social protection remained
stable at 27.6% of GDP
Expenditure on social protection accounted for 27.6% of GDP in the EU in
1999, the same ratio as in 1998. After increasing in the early 1990s, from
25.5% in 1990 to 28.8% in 1993, expenditure on social protection as a
percentage of GDP then fell to 27.6% in 1998. Expenditure on the 'old age'
and 'survivors' functions ranked first among social benefits in most of the
Member States in 1999, with a weight of 46.0% in average throughout the EU.
Expenditure on 'sickness, health care and disability' came second (34.9%),
followed by expenditure on 'family/children' benefits (8.5%),
'unemployment' (6.8%) and 'housing and social exclusion' (3.8%). As for the
funding of social protection, social contributions fell as a component of
total receipts in the EU during the 1990s, with the figure dropping from
67.1% in 1990 to 60.6% in 1999. This reduction was offset by a rise in tax-
funded general government contributions : up from 28.8% in 1990 to 35.7% in
1999.
[09] Frits Bolkestein urges decisive action on completing Internal Market
European Internal Market Commissioner Frits Bolkestein told the EU's
Economic and Social Committee today that current economic uncertainty made
it even more essential to take decisive action to release the full
potential of the Internal Market. Only then can Europe become the most
competitive economy in the world by 2010. "There is a difference between
saying we will do something and actually doing it. The Barcelona European
Council in March is an opportunity for our political leaders to reconfirm
their reform credentials and to inject a renewed sense of urgency." Mr
Bolkestein welcomed progress on telecommunications, e-commerce, the
European Company Statute and the Financial Services Action Plan. However,
faster action was needed on liberalising energy markets, the Community
Patent, the Takeovers Directive and on public procurement. Europe also
needed to tackle rigidities in the services market and tax obstacles to
cross border activity. Mr Bolkestein reminded the Committee that the
Commission was working with the other institutions on an Action Plan for
June 2002 to improve poor quality European and national regulation costing
the European economy at least €50 billion a year. "We cannot expect our
companies to become the most competitive in the world if we hang an
albatross around their necks", he said.
[10] Autre matériel diffusé
Calendrier du 28 janvier au 1er février
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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