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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 05-08-05
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] José Manuel Barroso and JoaquÃn Almunia at Wim Duisenberg's memorial
service
[02] Statement by Franco Frattini on Italian decision on the legal
proceedings in regard to the London bombing suspect
[03] La Commission va consacrer €3,5 millions à la prévention et la
préparation aux catastrophes en Asie centrale
[04] Commission provides €4 million in humanitarian funding for Red Cross
protection work
[05] Commission clears acquisition of Pinnacle by Avid
[06] Commission clears acquisition of Dexia-Kom and KF by Dexia CL and
Kommunalkredit
[07] Commission issues 2004 annual report on Hong Kong
[08] Internal Market : Commission publishes mortgage credit costs and
benefits study
Midday Express of 2005-08-05
Reference: MEX/05/0805
Date: 05/08/2005
EXME05 / 5.8
MIDDAY EXPRESS
News from the Press and Communication Directorate General's midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction Général Presse etb
Communication
05/08/05
[01] José Manuel Barroso and JoaquÃn Almunia at Wim Duisenberg's memorial
service
The President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso and the
Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs JoaquÃn Almunia will attend
the memorial service for Wim Duisenberg this Saturday in Amsterdam at 11.00
a.m. They will pay their last respects to Mr Duisenberg who was president
of the European Central Bank from its creation in 1998 until 2003.
President Barroso and Commissioner Almunia want to express their personal
appreciation for the key role played by Mr Duisenberg in giving credibility
and independence to the European Central Bank. Mr Duisenberg made a vital
contribution to the successful introduction of the euro and the creation of
the monetary union in Europe.
[02] Statement by Franco Frattini on Italian decision on the legal
proceedings in regard to the London bombing suspect
The setting of the date, the 17th of August, for the extradition hearing of
Issac Hamdi, at the Court of Appeal of Rome, one of the men suspected of
carrying out the attempted bombings on 21 July in London is considered as
"good and important news" by European Commission Vice-President Franco
Frattini. He stated on 4 August : "The timely and swift decision of the
Court of Appeal of Rome confirms the serious commitment of Italian judicial
authorities, and particularly of public prosecutors investigating on this
case, at a time when the challenge to establish new and continuing
cooperation among EU Member States is crucial. Furthermore, this decision
shows the strategic importance of the new legal instruments developed by
the EU, such as the European Arrest Warrant, capable of delivering the real
added value of European action at the very time when the Union is
confronted with difficult challenges, i.e. after London bombings. This
shows that Europe is finally playing its role."
[03] La Commission va consacrer €3,5 millions à la prévention et la
préparation aux catastrophes en Asie centrale
La Commission européenne a débloqué une enveloppe d'aide humanitaire
de €3,5 millions afin de poursuivre ses activités de prévention et de
préparation aux catastrophes en Asie centrale, à savoir au Kazakhstan, au
Kirghizistan, au Tadjikistan, au Turkménistan et en Ouzbékistan. Ces
crédits sont alloués par l'intermédiaire du service d'aide humanitaire
de la Commission (ECHO), qui dépend du commissaire Louis Michel.
L'assistance fournie visera à renforcer la capacité des communautés
locales à prévoir, réagir à et affronter les catastrophes et protéger
les communautés vulnérables contre des catastrophes naturelles
potentielles, grâce à des travaux d'infrastructure à petite échelle.
[04] Commission provides €4 million in humanitarian funding for Red Cross
protection work
The European Commission, has adopted a decision worth €4 million to
support the protection activities of the International Committee of the Red
Cross (ICRC) in the Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo,
Rwanda, Azerbaijan, the Philippines and Pakistan. The funds are channelled
through the Commission's humanitarian aid department (ECHO) which comes
under the responsibility of Commissioner Louis Michel.
[05] Commission clears acquisition of Pinnacle by Avid
The European Commission has cleared under the EU Merger Regulation the
proposed acquisition of Pinnacle Systems Inc. (Pinnacle), by Avid
Technology Inc. (Avid). Both are US-based companies active in the digital
video products market. After a thorough investigation the Commission has
concluded that the operation will not result in a significant impediment to
effective competition in the European Economic Area or any substantial part
of it.
[06] Commission clears acquisition of Dexia-Kom and KF by Dexia CL and
Kommunalkredit
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger
Regulation to the acquisition of joint control of Dexia Kommunalkredit Bank
AG (Dexia-Kom) of Austria and Kommunalkredit Finance a.s. (KF) of the Czech
Republic by Dexia Crédit Local (Dexia CL) of France, controlled by Dexia
S.A. of Belgium and Kommunalkredit Austria AG (Kommunalkredit) of Austria,
controlled by Österreichische Volksbanken AG (ÖVAG) of Austria. Dexia CL
is a licensed bank specialised in public finance organised under French
law. Dexia CL holds approximately 50.84% of shares of Dexia-Kom, which
before the transaction was a mere holding company controlling its
shareholdings in its two subsidiary companies active in the financial
services markets in Slovakia and Poland, including public finance services.
Kommunalkredit is a licensed bank with its main business focus on public
finance mainly in Austria, Switzerland and new Member States. It provides
public finance services in the Czech Republic through its subsidiary KF.
The operation was examined under the simplified merger review procedure.
[07] Commission issues 2004 annual report on Hong Kong
In its 2004 annual report on Hong Kong the European Commission acknowledges
significant economic developments, improvement in legislative reform, and
growing trade relationship between the EU and Hong Kong. However, it has
raised concerns on the implementation of the "One country Two Systems"
principle and hopes for further progress in line with the high level of
autonomy granted to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).
[08] Internal Market : Commission publishes mortgage credit costs and
benefits study
The European Commission has published a report on the costs and benefits of
further integration of the EU mortgage credit market, carried out on its
behalf by London Economics, a UK-based economic consultancy which was
awarded the contract after an open call for tender. The report predicts
that intervention at EU level has the potential to facilitate and promote
integration, leading to greater competition and increased product
completeness in national mortgage markets. The report estimates the current
(2005) value to the EU economy of such increased integration over the next
ten years at €94.6 billion, which amounts to 0.89% of current EU GDP. The
Commission will study carefully the report and the basis for the findings
as part of its assessment of the business case for Commission intervention
in the EU mortgage credit market. The Commission's general view is that
integration in the EU mortgage credit market can occur in many different
ways - e.g. by lenders establishing branches/subsidiaries in other Member
States or through cross-border mortgage credit funding activity - and not
just in the small niche area of 'pure' cross-border transactions (where the
consumer is based in one Member State and the lender in another). This
approach is reflected in both the report and the recently published
Commission Green Paper on Mortgage Credit. These documents are available at
:
<a href="http://europa.eu.int/comm/internal_market/finservices-retail/home-
loans/index_en.htm">http://europa.eu.int/comm/internal_market/finservices-
retail/home-loans/index_en.htm
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
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