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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 05-11-21
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] EU ministers agree to initiate services and investment talks with
Mediterranean countries
[02] La Commission se félicite du soutien du Conseil et du Parlement
européen en faveur du déliement total de l'aide
[03] Commission clears acquisition of Somerfeld by Apax, Barclays and TFT
[04] Commission clears acquisition of Canon España by Canon
[05] Commission clears acquisition of Sibneft by Gazprom
[06] Le secteur de l'énergie "verte" se réunit pour examiner son agenda
de recherche
[07] September 2005 : euro-zone external trade surplus €1.4 billion ;
€9.1 billion deficit for EU25
[08] EU Election Observation Mission for Palestinian elections
[09] Andris Piebalgs participates in the high level meeting in Riyadh on
the occasion of IEF Headquarters inauguration
[10] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express of 2005-11-21
Reference: MEX/05/1121
Date: 21/11/2005
EXME05 / 21.11
MIDDAY EXPRESS
News from the Press and Communication Directorate General's midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction Générale Presse etb
Communication
21/11/05
[01] EU ministers agree to initiate services and investment talks with
Mediterranean countries
European Union Ministers have today decided to authorise the European
Commission to open negotiations on the liberalisation of services and
investment with the EU's Mediterranean partners. A few days before the Euro-
Mediterranean Summit of Barcelona, which will celebrate the 10th
anniversary of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership at the end of this month,
this decision confirms that the EU is determined to give a new impetus to
economic integration across the Mediterranean. The liberalisation of
services and investment will bring considerable economic benefits
throughout the Euro-Mediterranean region. These negotiations constitute an
important part of a wider strategy to boost trade within the region itself.
[02] La Commission se félicite du soutien du Conseil et du Parlement
européen en faveur du déliement total de l'aide
L'Union européenne a adopté deux règlements relatifs à l'accès
à l'aide extérieure de l'UE, qui établissent un niveau de déliement sans
précédent. L'octroi d'une aide lié à l'acquisition de biens et de
services dans le pays donateur représente en effet un obstacle majeur Ã
l'efficacité de cette aide. Cette décision par consensus constitue donc
un énorme pas en avant vers le renforcement de l'efficacité de l'aide au
développement.
[03] Commission clears acquisition of Somerfeld by Apax, Barclays and TFT
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger
Regulation to the acquisition of joint control of Somerfield plc of the UK
by Apax Europe VI (Apax) of Guernsey, the Channel Islands, Barclays Bank
plc (Barclays) of the UK and Tchenguiz Family Trust (TFT). Apax is a pan-
European investment fund making investments in a range of industry sectors.
It is comprised of two limited partnerships constituted in England. The
general partner of both of these partnerships is a Guernsey-based limited
company, which is wholly owned by the Hirzell Trust, an independent trust
constituted under the laws of Guernsey. Barclays is a global financial
services provider and operates in over 60 countries on a worldwide basis.
TFT is a discretionary trust which is primarily active in the financial and
investment sector, predominantly in the real estate, bars and public houses
sectors, through subsidiaries known as the Rotch group. Somerfield is
primarily active in the grocery retail sector in the UK. The operation was
examined under the simplified merger review procedure.
[04] Commission clears acquisition of Canon España by Canon
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger
Regulation to the acquisition of sole control of Canon España S.A. (Canon
España) of Spain by Canon Europa N.V. (Canon) of The Netherlands, a wholly-
owned subsidiary of Canon Inc. of Japan. Canon manufactures and sells
office, consumer and industrial products (photocopiers, printers, cameras,
etc). Canon España is the wholesale distributor in Spain of Canon office
and consumer products. The operation was examined under the simplified
merger review procedure.
[05] Commission clears acquisition of Sibneft by Gazprom
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger
Regulation to the acquisition of sole control of Siberian Oil Company
(Sibneft) of Russia by Gazprom Finance B.V., controlled by Gazprom, also of
Russia. Gazprom is a vertically integrated Russian natural gas company
whose majority shareholder is the Russian Federation. It is active in the
exploration, production, refining, transportation and marketing of natural
gas. It also produces a limited amount of crude oil, refined products and
petrochemical products. Gazprom supplies practically all of the natural gas
in Russia and approximately 24% of the natural gas consumed in the EEA. It
is also active in the oil industry including, to a lesser extent, that of
the EEA. Sibneft is a Russian based oil company and is vertically
integrated in the oil supply chain in Russia. Its principal activities
concern oil and gas exploration, the production, refining and marketing of
oil and oil products, and the sale of certain petrochemical products.
Sibneft does not export any natural gas into the EEA. The operation was
examined under the simplified merger review procedure.
[06] Le secteur de l'énergie "verte" se réunit pour examiner son agenda
de recherche
Exploiter la chaleur naturelle de la planète, l'énergie des vagues, les
rayons du soleil ou les ressources écologiques de la Terre pour produire
de l'énergie et des combustibles, c'est ce qui sous-tend les efforts de la
Commission européenne en vue de promouvoir la recherche en matière de
sources d'énergie renouvelables. L'UE va investir €440 millions au titre
de la recherche pour faire progresser ces technologies entre 2002 et 2006.
L'objectif consiste à faire en sorte que, d'ici 2010, au moins 12% de la
consommation énergétique globale de l'UE soit satisfaite au moyen de
sources d'énergie renouvelables, et ce pour des raisons écologiques et de
sécurité d'approvisionnement. La recherche est essentielle pour atteindre
ce but, qui met en évidence les liens étroits entre les politiques
concernant l'énergie, la recherche et l'environnement. Aujourd'hui s'ouvre
à Bruxelles une grande conférence sur les énergies renouvelables qui va
réunir un large éventail d'organisations impliquées dans la recherche en
la matière, afin de débattre des moyens de mieux collaborer pour
développer cet important secteur. La conférence se doublera d'une
exposition présentant quelques-uns des projets financés au niveau
européen et qui ont été couronnés de succès.
[07] September 2005 : euro-zone external trade surplus €1.4 billion ;
€9.1 billion deficit for EU25
The first estimate for euro-zone trade with the rest of the world in
September 2005 was a €1.4 billion surplus, compared with +€2.5 billion
September 2004. The August 2005 balance was -€2.2 billion, against
+€2.4 billion in August 2004. In September 2005 compared with August 2005,
exports, seasonally adjusted, increased by 0.3% while imports fell by 0.7%.
The first estimate for September 2005 extra-EU25 trade was a €9.1 billion
deficit, compared with -8.3 billion in September 2004. In August 2005, the
balance was -€14.1 billion, compared with -8.3 billion in August 2004. In
September 2005 compared with August 2005, exports, seasonally adjusted,
increased by 0.3% while imports fell by 1.6%. These data are released by
Eurostat.
[08] EU Election Observation Mission for Palestinian elections
The European Commission will deploy in mid December an EU Election
Observation Mission (EOM) for elections to the Palestinian Legislative
Council, currently scheduled for 25 January 2006. The EU EOM, will assess
whether the electoral process is conducted in accordance with international
standards. The Commission welcomes the holding of these elections as a
further step in democracy building within the Palestinian Territories. The
EOM will be led by Véronique de Keyser, Member of the European Parliament
Foreign Affairs Committee and the EP Delegation for relations with the
Mashreq countries.
[09] Andris Piebalgs participates in the high level meeting in Riyadh on
the occasion of IEF Headquarters inauguration
The European Energy Commissioner, Andris Piebalgs, participated on 19Â
November in the inauguration of the new facilities for the secretariat of
the International Energy Forum (IEF) in Riyadh. The ceremony, chaired by
the Saudi Arabia King Abdullah, was attended by energy and economy
Ministers from the United States of America, France, the United Kingdom,
Germany, Mexico, Norway, India, Japan, OPEC countries, as well as
representatives of the IEA, IMF, OLADE and main energy companies CEOs.
During the ceremony, King Abdullah officially launched the Joint Oil Data
initiative (JODI) established by APEC, Eurostat, IEA/OECD, OLADE, OPEC and
UN Statistics Division and aiming to increase oil data transparency.
[10] Autre matériel diffusé
Statement by Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn on the 10th anniversary of
the signature of the Dayton agreement
Preparation Agriculture/Fisheries Council of November 2005
Speech by Neelie Kroes : "Better Regulation of Professional Services" at UK
Presidency Seminar
Speech by Siim Kallas at 3rd European Union conference of fraud prosecutors
(18/11)
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
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