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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 01-05-15

Midday Express: News from the EU Commission Spokesman's Briefings Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>

MIDDAY EXPRESS

News from the Spokesman's midday briefing

Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi du Service Presse et Communicationb

Midday Express 15/05/2001

  • [01] Commission formally objects to partnership between Austrian Airlines and Lufthansa The European Commission has sent Austrian Airlines (AuA) and STAR alliance partner Lufthansa a statement of objections formally warning that, as it currently stands, their cooperation agreement would eliminate competition on a large number of routes between Austria and Germany. The Commission fears that the deal would leave consumers travelling between the two countries with no choice of airline and predictably higher prices.
  • [02] La Commission estime de prime abord que les consultations tarifaires de l'IATA pour le transport de marchandises sont contraires aux règles de la concurrence Dans une communication des griefs adressée à l'Association du transport aérien international (IATA), la Commission européenne estime de prime abord que les consultations tarifaires de l'IATA pour le transport de marchandises restreignent la concurrence et ne sont désormais plus indispensables pour fournir à la clientèle des services interligne efficaces dans l'Espace Economique Européen.
  • [03] Commission clears joint control of UK air traffic control provider NATS The European Commission has cleared the acquisition of joint control over the UK air traffic control provider NATS by a group of seven airlines and the UK Government. In the absence of overlaps, the Commission examined carefully the extent to which the involvement of British Airways and the other six airlines in the management of NATS could create or strengthen any dominant positions, but its investigation led to the conclusion that this would not be the result.
  • [04] Commission ends cartel proceedings against WestLB and Bank Van Breda after they changed their tariffs for exchanging euro-zone currencies The European Commission has decided to end cartel proceedings against German bank Westdeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale (WestLB) and Belgian bank Bank Van Breda regarding charges for the exchange of euro-zone bank notes. This decision comes after WestLB decided to decrease its percentage charge from 3,5% to 1,5% for all customers with immediate effect. The service will be free for its account holders wishing to sell euro-zone bank notes. Both buying and selling of bank notes will be free for account holders from the 1st of October. Bank Van Breda decided to abolish, from the 1st of June, the BEF 100 minimum charge for all customers for all transactions. In addition, from 1st October, Bank Van Breda will buy euro-zone bank notes for free from its account holders.
  • [05] Intense activité dans le secteur de la concurrence en 2000 En 2000, le secteur de la concurrence a été marqué par une intense activité, puisque la Commission européenne a poursuivi la mise à jour et la modernisation de ses règles et pratiques dans le domaine des ententes et abus de position dominante et des concentrations, tout en devant faire face à un nombre croissant de concentrations et d'acquisitions, d'une complexité par ailleurs de plus en plus grande. Le 30ème rapport annuel sur la politique de concurrence montre qu'en 2000, le nombre de nouvelles affaires s'est élevé à 1.206, dont 564 concernaient des aides d'Etat, 345 des notifications de concentrations et 297 des affaires antitrust. Le chiffre global est demeuré généralement stable (1.249 affaires en 1999), ce qui traduit une nette diminution des notifications dans le secteur antitrust, à la suite de l'adoption de plusieurs règlements d'exemption par catégorie. Toutefois, on note une augmentation de 18% des notifications de concentrations. Ce rapport est disponible sur internet à l'adresse suivante : http://europa.eu.int/comm/competition/index_en.html
  • [06] Malgré des progrès, le niveau de préparation des PME européennes à l'euro reste encore insuffisant L'euro laisse de moins en moins les petites et moyennes entreprises (PME) indifférentes : elles ne sont plus que 15% à estimer qu'il est trop tôt pour se préparer, contre 23% en janvier dernier. 60% des PME européennes considèrent qu'il est temps de se préparer à l'abandon des monnaies nationales. C'est ce qui ressort de la dernière enquête Flash Eurobaromètre sur les PME et l'euro publiée aujourd'hui. Ces résultats positifs ne doivent pas occulter le fait que le niveau de préparation reste assez bas, avec seulement une PME sur quatre qui s'estime déjà préparée, chiffre quasiment identique aux résultats de janvier. En outre, 10% des PME répondent encore qu'elles ne seront capables d'effectuer toutes leurs opérations en euros qu'après le 1er janvier 2002.
  • [07] Dialogue with Citizens : Commission launches new guide on data protection rights The European Commission has published a new guide entitled "Data Protection in the European Union", which provides citizens and businesses with information on their rights regarding the collection and use of personal data and on what to do when their rights are violated. As technology advances, the means available to transfer and process data become ever more sophisticated. This free guide provides useful tips on who is entitled to handle personal information and how data can be legitimately processed. It is the latest in a series of guides published under the "Dialogue with Citizens and Business" initiative, which aims at raising awareness amongst the European public of their rights and opportunities in a single European market. The Dialogue initiative offers practical information and, through a systematic analysis of feedback from citizens and businesses, enables the Commission to monitor how the Internal Market operates in practice and to promote policies which better reflect the needs of citizens and businesses.
  • [08] Pre-accession farm aid for Bulgaria : go-ahead for payments for euro 53 million SAPARD-programme Today, the European Commission decided to confer the management of SAPARD aid to the Bulgarian authorities. This decision allows the Bulgarian authorities to commence the implementation of the yearly euro 53 million worth SAPARD Programme for Bulgaria. Payment of a first advance can now be made. Bulgaria is the first candidate country which can now move to the operational phase of the innovative SAPARD initiative. This first decision on the provisional conferral of management of aid covers the three main measures of the Bulgarian SAPARD programme : investments in agricultural holdings, improvement in the processing and marketing of agricultural and fisheries products and, the development and diversification of economic activities and alternative income. "For the first time, the Commission has allowed a decentralisation of the management of external aid to a recipient third country. By decentralising management, SAPARD gives our future members an opportunity to gain valuable experience in applying the mechanisms for the management of in particular rural development programmes, but also for any programme involving EU-funds. I am therefore particularly happy to see that Bulgaria's considerable efforts in preparing for the implementation of this innovative initiative have led us to an unprecedented success", said Franz Fischler, Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries.
  • [09] La Commission envoie 1.95 million d'euros d'aide humanitaire en Bolivie et au Paraguay La Commission européenne a approuvé 1.95 million d'euros en faveur des victimes des inondations et de la sécheresse en Bolivie et au Paraguay. Géré par l'Office d'Aide Humanitaire de l'UE (ECHO), le financement octroyé permettra, au cours des six prochains mois, de développer des programmes de distribution de denrées alimentaires, d'eau, de semences, d'offrir des soins médicaux et de dispenser une formation sur la prévention des désastres naturels. Près de 12.000 familles boliviennes en milieu rural et 6.500 familles paysannes du Paraguay bénéficieront de l'assistance humanitaire prévue.
  • [10] Merger approved under the simplified procedure Apax Europe IV GP, L.P. (Guernsey, Channel Island) / metaGEN (DE) / Schering AG (DE)
  • [11] Autre matériel diffusé Note sur la visite de Franz Fischler aux Etats-Unis Note sur le Sommet UE / Russie (17/05, Moscou) Note sur les résultats du Conseil Energie Discours de M. Bolkestein : "The financial services action plan" au European Parliamentary Financial Services Forum (Strasbourg, ! embargo 20h !)

    MIDDAY EXPRESS


    From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
    © ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996


    Midday Express: News from the EU Commission Spokesman's Briefings Directory - Previous Article - Next Article
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