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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 06-01-31
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Commission endorses, with comments, Spanish regulator's measure to
make mobile market more competitive
[02] Commission clears acquisition of Nocibé by Charterhouse
[03] Commission clears acquisition of TSS by SAAB and TietoEnator
[04] Commission clears acquisition of CSEB by Blackstone and Lion Capital
[05] January 2006 : Business Climate Indicator for the euro area broadly
stable
[06] January 2005 : further increase of economic sentiment in both the EU
and the euro area
[07] Services financiers : la Commission nomme les membres des groupes
d'experts sur les fonds d'investissement
[08] Joe Borg : "New measures by regional Mediterranean fisheries
organisation will strengthen sustainable fishing practices in the region"
[09] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express of 2006-01-31
Reference: MEX/06/0131
Date: 31/01/2006
EXME06 / 31.1
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
31/01/06
[01] Commission endorses, with comments, Spanish regulator's measure to
make mobile market more competitive
The European Commission today endorsed a measure proposed by the Spanish
national telecom regulator 'Comisión del Mercado de las telecomunicaciones'
(CMT) to regulate the market for mobile access and call origination in
Spain, but also asked the Spanish regulator to keep the market development
under close review. As a result of this measure, so called Mobile Virtual
Network Operators (MVNO) will be granted access to the networks of the
three Spanish mobile telephony operators Telefónica, Vodafone and Amena.
In the future, MVNOs will be able to offer mobile telephony services to
their own retail customers and under their own brand name. MVNOs are
operators that offer mobile telephony services using network infrastructure
leased from other mobile telephony operators. Experience from other Member
States has shown that the entry of MVNOs can boost competition with
tangible benefits for consumers in terms of lower prices. The Commission's
decision is based on Article 7 of the EU Framework Directive for electronic
communications (2002/21/EC), whereby the Commission ensures that there is a
consistent application by national regulatory authorities of competition
law principles in this sector.
[02] Commission clears acquisition of Nocibé by Charterhouse
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger
Regulation to the acquisition of sole control of the whole of the Nocibé
Group (Nocibé) of France by Charterhouse Capital Limited (Charterhouse) of
the UK. Charterhouse is the parent company of a group which provides equity
capital and fund management services. Nocibé consists of Danival SAS,
Nocibé France SAS and its subsidiaries and is mainly active in the retail
of luxury perfumes, beauty products and cosmetics. The operation was
examined under the simplified merger review procedure.
[03] Commission clears acquisition of TSS by SAAB and TietoEnator
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger
Regulation to the acquisition of joint control of Tietosaab Systems JV
(TSS) of Finland, a newly created company constituting a joint venture, by
SAAB AB of Sweden, including its subsidiary Elesco Oy of Finland and
TietoEnator Corporation (TietoEnator) of Finland. SAAB is active through
Elesco in sea and air defence, command and control systems and minesweeping
and integrated navigation systems. TietoEnator is an information technology
systems company. The operation was examined under the simplified merger
review procedure.
[04] Commission clears acquisition of CSEB by Blackstone and Lion Capital
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger
Regulation to the acquisition of joint control of the European Beverages
Division of Cadbury Schweppes plc (CSEB) of France by Blackstone Group
(Blackstone) of the US and Lion Capital General Partner LLP (Lion Capital)
of the UK. Blackstone is a private equity company offering a range of
financial services and holding investments across a range of industries.
Lion Capital is a private equity investment fund which focuses on investing
in companies that are primarily engaged in the production and sale of
consumer branded goods. CSEB is active in the production, marketing and
sale of carbonated, still and other soft drinks. The operation was examined
under the simplified merger review procedure.
[05] January 2006 : Business Climate Indicator for the euro area broadly
stable
The Business Climate Indicator (BCI) for the euro area decreased slightly
in January after an upturn in December. The BCI has been above its long
term average since September last year. Despite the marginal decline in
January, the indicator remains considerably above the low point reached in
the second quarter of 2005. The decrease of the BCI was due to a decline in
industry managers' assessment of the production trend observed in recent
months. The assessment of export order books remained stable while that of
total order books improved somewhat. Also, production expectations for the
months ahead grew. The managers' assessment of stocks of finished products
improved marginally.
[06] January 2005 : further increase of economic sentiment in both the EU
and the euro area
The Economic Sentiment Indicator (ESI) continued the upward trend that
began in the summer of 2005. In January 2006, the indicator improved by a
robust 1.3Â points in the EU and by 1.2 points in the euro area. For the
euro area, the indicator is now at the highest level since the summer of
2001.
[07] Services financiers : la Commission nomme les membres des groupes
d'experts sur les fonds d'investissement
La Commission européenne a nommé les membres de deux groupes d'experts
qui auront pour mandat de rechercher la manière d'améliorer le cadre
réglementaire régissant les fonds d'investissement dans l'UE. Ces groupes
tiendront plusieurs réunions d'ici à juin 2006. A cette date, ils
remettront des rapports sur leurs conclusions, qui feront l'objet de
discussions avec les instances réglementaires et les autres parties
intéressées, en vue d'apprécier les implications de toute recommandation
formulée en termes d'intérêt public au sens large. Ces rapports et les
réactions qu'ils susciteront viendront nourrir le Livre blanc sur les
services d'investissement et les travaux d'analyse d'impact correspondants,
que la Commission devrait publier en octobre 2006. La création des deux
groupes d'experts était proposée dans le Livre vert sur les services
d'investissement que la Commission a publié en juillet 2005 (voir
IP/05/27), et en décembre 2005, la Commission a invité les associations
professionnelles européennes à présenter leurs candidats (voir
IP/05/1531).
[08] Joe Borg : "New measures by regional Mediterranean fisheries
organisation will strengthen sustainable fishing practices in the region"
The European Commissioner for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, Joe Borg, has
welcomed the adoption, last week, of a series of measures by the General
Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM), designed to protect fish
stocks and the marine environment in the region. The new measures, adopted
at the GFCM's annual meeting in Istanbul, include the development of a
fishing effort management system in a number of fisheries, the closing of
some ecologically sensitive areas located in international waters to deep-
water trawling and a seasonal ban on the use of fish aggregating devices in
the dolphinfish (coryphaena hippurus) fishery. The adoption of these
measures, which had been proposed by the European Union in line with
scientific advice, marks a turning point in the GFCM's efforts at
developing the necessary measures to ensure the sustainable management of
shared fish stocks in the Mediterranean high seas.
[09] Autre matériel diffusé
Speech by Günter Verheugen : "Europa – ein Unternehmen für alle" at
Auftaktkongress zum IHK-Jahresthema: Mehr Wissen, Wettbewerb, Wohlstand –
Unternehmen Europa (Berlin, ! embargo 12h30 !)
Speech by Siim Kallas : "The e-Commission - the information worker of
tomorrow" at Microsoft Government Leaders Forum (Lisbon, ! embargo 17h !)
Speech by Danuta Hübner : "Europe in Schleswig-Holstein: how the EU
impacts on the development of Member States" at Conference 'Europa in
Schleswig-Holstein' (Flensburg)
Speech by Charlie McCreevy : "Europe's capital markets in a global
marketplace" at 4th Annual Financial Services Conference
Speech by Joaquin Almunia : "Consumers in new Member States need more and
better information to be able to embrace the euro changeover with
confidence" at meeting of the Public Administration Network II (30/01)
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
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