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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 05-08-17
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Competition: Commission consults on BUMA and SABAM’s commitments for
the licensing of online music
[02] Commission clears acquisition of Kwik-Fit by PAI
[03] Mergers: Commission clears acquisition of PEL by PHL
Midday Express of 2005-08-17
Reference: MEX/05/0817
Date: 17/08/2005
EXME05 / 17.8
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
17 / 08 / 05
[01] Competition: Commission consults on BUMA and SABAM’s commitments for
the licensing of online music
The European Commission has opened a public consultation on commitments
submitted by BUMA and SABAM, the Dutch and Belgian collecting societies
that manage music copyrights for authors. These companies have proposed
commitments that aim to end the restrictions, as far as these two
collecting societies are concerned, in the cross-licensing arrangements for
online music that they have between themselves and with other societies .
The Commission issued a Statement of Objections in 29 April 2004 raising
concerns that these restrictions unjustifiably transposed into the Internet
world the national monopolies that the societies have traditionally held in
the offline world. The Commission sees modernising the licensing of music
for online services as highly important and it will now consult third
parties on the proposed commitments.
[02] Commission clears acquisition of Kwik-Fit by PAI
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger
Regulation to the acquisition of sole control of Kwik-Fit Group Ltd (Kwik-
Fit) of the UK, by P.A.I. Partners S.A.S (PAI) of France. PAI manages and
advises dedicated private equity funds focused in different industry
sectors, including food and food additives, water and waste management
services, production of consumer textiles and clothes, medical press
publishing, vending machines, insurance brokerage and production and sale
of hydraulic clutch and brake systems and components. Kwik-Fit is a chain
of company-owned and franchised outlets (fast-fit) specialising in the
repair and maintenance of vehicles (in particular tyres, exhausts, brakes
and shock absorbers) in the UK, France, Germany and the Netherlands. It
also provides insurance services. The operation was examined under the
simplified merger review procedure.
[03] Mergers: Commission clears acquisition of PEL by PHL
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger
Regulation to the acquisition of sole control of PEL by PHL. PHL is a
private equity company which is active through its portfolio companies in
telecommunication services in Germany via Debitel, roadside assistance and
financial services in the UK via AA, the UK motoring association, operation
of passenger ferries and rolling cargo ships in the Mediterranean via
Grandi Navi Veloci, and in wholesale and retail sale of consumer goods in
Spain via Dinosol Supermercados. PEL is a private equity company which is
active through its portfolio companies in application-specific electronic
components via Austria-based austriamicrosystems, travel management
services via Hogg Robinson, locking systems for motor vehicles via Kiekert,
specialty chemicals via Cognis, storage systems via Whittan Storage Systems,
luxury motorised yachts via Ferretti, hotel operation and roadside
restaurants via Little Chef/Travelodge, pay-TV operation via the German
Premiere, health and fitness clubs via Holmes Place, optics and ophthalmic
optics via Rodenstock, women’s fashion in the UK and France via New Look
and tile manufacturing via the Italian Marazzi. The operation was examined
under the simplified merger review procedure.
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
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