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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 06-04-24
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Commission clears acquisition of Seguros Navarra by Aegon and CAN
[02] Commission clears acquisition of Wingas Storage by ZGHG and Wingas
[03] Commission clears acquisition of Tele Pizza by Foodco Pastries
[04] Commission clears acquisition of GSE by TowerBrook Investors
[05] Provision of deficit and debt data for 2005 : Euro-zone and EU25
government deficit fall to 2.4% and 2.3% of GDP respectively ; government
debt at 70.8% and 63.4%
[06] Günter Verheugen examine avec des dirigeants d'entreprise comment
renforcer la compétitivité de l'industrie de la défense
[07] Danuta Hübner in Malta : "Cohesion policy brings European regions
quality employment and growth"
[08] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express of 2006-04-24
Reference: MEX/06/0424
Date: 24/04/2006
EXME06 / 24.4
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
24/04/06
[01] Commission clears acquisition of Seguros Navarra by Aegon and CAN
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger
Regulation to the acquisition of joint control of Seguros Navarra, S.A of
Spain by Aegon Spanje Holding, BV (Aegon) of the Netherlands, belonging to
the group Aegon, and Caja de Ahorros y del Monte de Piedad de Navarra (CAN)
of Spain. Aegon is active in life insurance and pensions, savings and
investment products. CAN is a private entity active in credit, deposit
transactions, general financing and insurance distribution in Spain.
Seguros Navarra is active in life insurance and pension plans in Spain. The
operation was examined under the simplified merger review procedure.
[02] Commission clears acquisition of Wingas Storage by ZGHG and Wingas
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger
Regulation to the acquisition of joint control of Wingas UK Storage Limited
(Wingas Storage) of the UK by ZMB GasspeicherHolding GmbH (ZGHG) of Austria,
ultimately owned by OAO Gazprom of Russia, and Wingas GmbH (Wingas) of
Germany, ultimately owned by BASF of Germany. Wingas is active Europe-wide
in natural gas trading and marketing. ZGHG is a sole purpose vehicle
established to hold a stake in the joint venture. The joint venture will
convert the Saltfleetby depleting natural gas field in the county of
Lincolnshire in the UK into an on-shore gas storage facility. The gas field
is currently owned and operated by Wingas Storage. The operation was
examined under the simplified merger review procedure.
[03] Commission clears acquisition of Tele Pizza by Foodco Pastries
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger
Regulation to the acquisition of joint control of Tele Pizza S.A. of Spain
by Permira Holdings Limited (Permira) of the UK and Carbal S.A. of Spain,
through Foodco Pastries. Tele Pizza operates chains of fast food
restaurants under the brands "Telepizza" and "Pizza World" and its business
activity is focused in Spain and to a lesser extent in Portugal, Poland and
the Czech Republic. Foodco Pastries is a Spanish company operating as a
vehicle for its parent companies Carbal and Permira in this transaction.
Permira is an investment fund company. Carbal is a holding company
acquiring stake and participations in different companies in order to
contribute to their development. The operation was examined under the
simplified merger review procedure.
[04] Commission clears acquisition of GSE by TowerBrook Investors
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger
Regulation to the acquisition of sole control of GSE SA of France,
including its subsidiary Compagnie des Contractants Regionaux (GSE), by
TowerBrook Investors II LP of the Cayman Islands, controlled by TowerBrook
Investors Group (TowerBrook Investors). TowerBrook Investors is an
investment company and GSE is active in real estate. The operation was
examined under the simplified merger review procedure.
[05] Provision of deficit and debt data for 2005 : Euro-zone and EU25
government deficit fall to 2.4% and 2.3% of GDP respectively ; government
debt at 70.8% and 63.4%
In 2005 the government deficit of the euro-zone and of the EU25 fell
compared to 2004 while the government debt increased. In the euro-zone the
government deficit decreased from 2.8% of GDP in 2004 to 2.4% in 2005, and
in the EU25 it fell from 2.6% to 2.3%. In the euro-zone the government debt
to GDP ratio rose from 69.8% in 2004 to 70.8% in 2005, and in the EU25 from
62.4% to 63.4%. It should be noted that, for Belgium and Greece, Eurostat
has to undertake further examination of deficit and debt data.
[06] Günter Verheugen examine avec des dirigeants d'entreprise comment
renforcer la compétitivité de l'industrie de la défense
Le vice-président de la Commission européenne Günter Verheugen a
rencontré aujourd'hui à Bruxelles des dirigeants d'entreprises
européennes et divers autres acteurs du secteur de la défense afin
d'examiner comment en renforcer la compétitivité. Les discussions ont
porté essentiellement sur la politique industrielle de la défense qu'il
conviendrait de mettre en place au plan européen. Les participants ont
abordé la question de la création d'un marché européen des équipements
de défense (EDEM) qui tiendrait compte des caractéristiques
spécifiques des biens de ce secteur et encouragerait la restructuration /
consolidation industrielle dans les différents sous-secteurs de la
défense (aéronautique, espace, électronique, systèmes terrestres,
construction navale) sous l'action des forces du marché. Les relations
avec les pays tiers partenaires (en particulier les relations
transatlantiques) ont également été discutées.
[07] Danuta Hübner in Malta : "Cohesion policy brings European regions
quality employment and growth"
European Regional policy Commissioner Danuta Hübner is visiting Malta, on
April 24 and 25, to discuss the overall impact of cohesion policy on
Malta's economy, the progress of the implementation of current 2004-2006
programming period and the preparations for the new period 2007-2013.
Commissioner Hübner is meeting with President of Malta, Edward Fenech
Adami, Prime minister Lawrence Gonzi, and Minister for Gozo, Giovanna
Debono. The Commissioner will address the members of Parliament and the
members of the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development (MCESD)
and visit projects which have received EU funding in the islands of Malta
and Gozo.
[08] Autre matériel diffusé
Note on preparation of Agriculture/Fisheries Council of April 2006
Speech by Neelie Kroes : "Competition in the aviation sector: the European
Commission's approach" at the International Institute of Air and Space law
(Leiden University)
Discours de M. Vladimir Špidla : "L'année européenne de la mobilité des
travailleurs" au Forum 2006 des ingénieurs européens (Hanovre)
Speech by President José Manuel Barroso : "EU and Japanese strategies for
a better tomorrow - a knowledge renaissance" at Kobe University - Japan
(22/04)
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
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