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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 08-12-19
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Quarterly report on the euro area: rapid, forceful and coordinated
action is key to support the economy
[02] State aid: Commission authorises €104 million Italian film
production tax incentives
[03] Mergers: Commission approves the proposed acquisition of Cominvest,
Commerzbank's asset management business, by Allianz
[04] Public procurement: Commission recognises need for accelerated
procurement procedure
[05] L'UE et le Brésil adoptent la feuille de route de leur partenariat
stratégique à l'occasion de leur second sommet
[06] Let's act now for a better Europe: Danuta Hübner addresses Polish
Senate
[07] EU27 trade deficit with Brazil at € 7 billion in the first nine
months of 2008
[08] Commission clears acquisition of Russneft by En+
[09] Commission clears acquisition of WSW Energie & Wasser by EBLD and WSW
[10] Commissioner Piebalgs welcomes the setting up of the International
Partnership for Energy Efficiency Cooperation (IPEEC)
[11] Aides d’État: la Commission autorise la recapitalisation du groupe
belge KBC
[12] State aid: Commission approves state support for BayernLB
[13] L'Union européenne approuve le cofinancement d'un programme
d'élimination de la viande de porc irlandaise touchée par la crise de la
dioxine
[14] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express of 2008-12-19
Reference: MEX/08/1219
Date: 19/12/2008
EXME08 / 19.12
MIDDAY EXPRESS
News from the Communication Directorate General's midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction Générale Communicationb
19/12/08
[01] Quarterly report on the euro area: rapid, forceful and coordinated
action is key to support the economy
Swift and coordinated implementation of the European Economic Recovery Plan
is key to restore confidence and mitigate the effects of the crisis on the
real economy, recalls the Quarterly Report on the Euro Area (QREA). The
financial crisis has intensified during the past three months, taking an
increasing toll on the real economy. The Report examines to what extent
financing costs have increased for the corporate sector since the summer of
2007 and how this is impacting economic activity. It also finds that the
current contraction in non-residential investment points to a sharp
cyclical correction ahead.
[02] State aid: Commission authorises €104 million Italian film
production tax incentives
The European Commission has approved under EC Treaty state aid rules a
€104 million Italian tax incentive scheme for film production until 31
December 2010. The Commission found that the scheme was compatible with the
cultural derogation of the EC Treaty, in line with the Cinema Communication
rules concerning aid to film production (see <a href="http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/01/1326&format=HTML&aged=1&language=EN&guiLanguage=en">IP/01/1326).
[03] Mergers: Commission approves the proposed acquisition of Cominvest,
Commerzbank's asset management business, by Allianz
The European Commission has cleared under the EU Merger Regulation the
proposed acquisition of Cominvest by Allianz, both based in Germany. After
examining the operation, the Commission concluded that the transaction
would not significantly impede effective competition in the European
Economic Area (EEA) or any substantial part of it.
[04] Public procurement: Commission recognises need for accelerated
procurement procedure
In its conclusions of 12 December the European Council invited the
Commission to adopt a number of measures in response to the financial
crisis. One of these measures concerns the use of accelerated procedures in
public procurement.
[05] L'UE et le Brésil adoptent la feuille de route de leur partenariat
stratégique à l'occasion de leur second sommet
L'UE et le Brésil tiendront leur second sommet le 22 décembre prochain
à Rio de Janeiro, au Brésil. L'Union y sera représentée par le
président français, Nicolas Sarkozy, et le président de la Commission,
José Manuel Durao Barroso. Le sommet sera organisé par le président
brésilien Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Il donnera l'occasion aux trois
dirigeants d'échanger leurs vues sur des questions internationales et
régionales d'intérêt commun. La crise financière et économique
planétaire sera au cœur des discussions. D'autres thèmes importants,
parmi lesquels le changement climatique, l'énergie, le multilatéralisme
et la situation politique dans la région du cône Sud, seront également
débattus. Le sommet débouchera principalement sur l'adoption d'un plan
d'action conjoint exposant les priorités politiques et les actions du
partenariat stratégique UE-Brésil.
[06] Let's act now for a better Europe: Danuta Hübner addresses Polish
Senate
Europe will overcome the economic and financial crisis more effectively if
it continues to work together and speaks with one voice: this is the
message that Danuta Hübner, European Commissioner for regional policy,
delivered when she addressed the Polish Senate today. The Commissioner was
invited to the Senate to discuss the European Commission's legislative and
work programme for 2009 and the outcome of the European Council.
[07] EU27 trade deficit with Brazil at € 7 billion in the first nine
months of 2008
Between 2000 and 2007, the value of EU27 exports to Brazil grew more slowly
than imports, leading to an increasing EU27 deficit in trade with Brazil,
from 1.8 billion euro in 2000 to 11.5 bn in 2007. In the first nine months
of 2008, the value of EU27 exports to Brazil rose to 19.5 bn compared with
15.4 bn in the first nine months of 2007, and imports increased to 26.8 bn
from 23.7 bn. As a result, the EU27 trade deficit with Brazil fell slightly,
reaching 7.3 bn in the first nine months of 2008, compared with 8.4 bn in
the same period of 2007. The share of Brazil in the EU27's total external
trade in goods remained around 2% between 2000 and 2007. In the first nine
months of 2008, the share of Brazil in the EU27's total trade reached 2.0%
of exports and 2.3% of imports. Brazil was the EU27's tenth most important
trading partner. On the occasion of the European Union - Brazil summit,
which will take place on 22 December in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil issues
data on trade and investments between Brazil and the EU.
[08] Commission clears acquisition of Russneft by En+
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger
Regulation to the acquisition of sole control of OAO NK Russneft (Russneft)
of Russia by En+ Group Limited of Jersey, the Channel Islands. En+ has
different business activities in oil, energy, aluminium, coal and
magnesium. Russneft is active in crude oil extraction, refining and
retailing. The operation was examined under the simplified merger review
procedure.
[09] Commission clears acquisition of WSW Energie & Wasser by EBLD and WSW
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger
Regulation to the acquisition of joint control of WSW Energie & Wasser AG
(WSW AG) of Germany by Electrabel Deutschland AG (EBLD) of Germany,
belonging to the GdF Suez group, and WSW Wuppertaler Stadtwerke GmbH (WSW),
also of Germany. EBLD generates and supplies electricity and natural gas
and provides energy-related services. WSW is a municipal utility company.
WSW AG generates and supplies electricity, natural gas and district heat in
Wuppertal. The operation was examined under the simplified merger review
procedure.
[10] Commissioner Piebalgs welcomes the setting up of the International
Partnership for Energy Efficiency Cooperation (IPEEC)
Commissioner Piebalgs met yesterday in London with the Energy Ministers
from the major energy consuming countries, including the G8, Brazil, China,
India, the Republic of Korea and Mexico, as well as the IEA Executive
Director, to foster the implementation of the International Partnership for
Energy Efficiency Cooperation (the IPEEC). "I am extremely pleased with the
agreement we reached yesterday in London on the IPEEC implementation.
Altogether, the IPEEC members represent almost 70% of total energy
consumption in the world. The EU and the other IPEEC partner countries are
in a privileged position to influence world energy trends and, together
with the International Energy Agency, our collective work can really make a
difference to improve energy efficiency worldwide", said Commissioner
Piebalgs.
Rediffusion
[11] Aides d’État: la Commission autorise la recapitalisation du groupe
belge KBC
La Commission européenne a autorisé, en vertu des règles du traité CE
relatives aux aides d'État, une recapitalisation d’urgence de KBC Group
N.V. par les autorités belges, pour un montant de 3,5 milliards €. Elle
a pu constater que la mesure était conforme à ses communications relatives
aux aides d'État dans le contexte de la crise financière actuelle (voir
IP/08/1495 et IP/08/1901). Cette mesure constitue un moyen adéquat de
remédier à une perturbation grave de l'économie belge tout en évitant
des distorsions de concurrence indues et est donc compatible avec l'article
87, paragraphe 3, point b), du traité CE. Elle est en particulier d’une
portée limitée, appelle le versement d’une rémunération adéquate et
prévoit des garde-fous afin de réduire au minimum les distorsions de
concurrence.
[12] State aid: Commission approves state support for BayernLB
The European Commission has approved, under EC Treaty state aid rules, a
capital injection and a risk shield that the Freistaat Bayern, a German
region, intends to grant to BayernLB. The support aims at reinforcing the
core capital basis of BayernLB and to ensure the refinancing capability of
BayernLB. The Commission found the measures appropriate to stabilise the
bank, in line with its Guidance Communications on state aid in the
financial crisis (see <a href="http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/08/1495&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en">IP/08/1495
and <a href="http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/08/1901&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en">IP/08/1901).
The aid is necessary to avoid a serious disturbance in the German economy.
The measures are limited in time and scope to the minimum necessary to
restore the financing, require an adequate fee level and provide safeguards
to minimise distortions of competition. They are therefore compatible with
Article 87.3.b. of the EC Treaty. Germany has committed itself to
submitting a preliminary comprehensive restructuring plan for BayernLB
within four months and the final plan within six months.
[13] L'Union européenne approuve le cofinancement d'un programme
d'élimination de la viande de porc irlandaise touchée par la crise de la
dioxine
Les États membres ont approuvé aujourd'hui de nouvelles mesures
exceptionnelles de soutien en faveur du marché irlandais de la viande de
porc, dans le droit fil des conclusions de la présidence du Conseil
européen de Bruxelles (11 et 12 décembre 2008). La semaine dernière, la
Commission avait déjà introduit, à titre de mesure d'aide d'urgence, un
régime d'aide au stockage privé pour une quantité maximale de 30 000
tonnes de viande porcine. Ce régime de stockage financé par l'UE,
officiellement adopté par la Commission aujourd'hui, concerne la viande
obtenue à partir de porcs élevés en Irlande dans des exploitations qui
n'ont pas utilisé d'aliments pour animaux contaminés. Compte tenu de la
situation particulièrement difficile du marché en Irlande, la Commission
propose maintenant une nouvelle mesure exceptionnelle de soutien du marché
sous la forme d'un programme d'élimination des animaux bloqués dans les
exploitations qui ont utilisé des aliments contaminés, ainsi que de
certains stocks de viande de porc détenus dans les abattoirs ou
appartenant encore à ces derniers. L'UE cofinancera les achats à un taux
moyen de cinquante pour cent. De plus, le comité de gestion qui s'est
réuni aujourd'hui a approuvé un régime d'aide au stockage privé pour
l'Irlande du Nord. Ce régime prévoit qu'une quantité maximale de 15 000
tonnes de viande de porc peut être stockée pour une période maximale de
six mois en Irlande du Nord. Le régime suit la même approche que celle
établie la semaine dernière pour l'Irlande.
[14] Autre matériel diffusé
• Discours du Vice président Barrot 'Une politique visant à assurer
l'effectivité des droits fondamentaux sur le terrain', Strasbourg
• Top News from the European Commission
A disposition au secrétariat de Jonathan Todd (BERL 03/315):
Notification préalable d'une opération de concentration :
Samsung SDI/Samsung Electronics/SMD
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
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