Midday Express of 2010-01-27
Midday Express of 2010-01-27
EXME 10 / 27.01
Midday Express of 2010-01-27
News from the Communication Directorate General's midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction Générale Communication
I. Résultats de la Commission du 27 janvier 2010 – Outcome of Commission meeting of 27 January 2010
The European Commission today assessed the action taken by Malta, Lithuania, Latvia and Hungary in response to recommendations proposed by the Commission and endorsed by the Council in July 2009 in respect to the correction of their respective budget deficits. The Commission proposes to extend the deadline for the correction in the cases of Malta and Lithuania. While it concluded that both Member States had taken effective action, the previous deadlines can no longer be deemed realistic in view of a significant worsening of the economic situation, justifying an extension by one year to 2011 for Malta and 2012 for Lithuania. As to Hungary and Latvia, the Commission concluded that they had complied with the Council recommendations but they will need to pursue the efforts to bring their deficits below 3% by the agreed deadlines of respectively 2011 and 2012.
Today, the European Commission gave its green light for the public financing from France and Spain to the Fres Mos project. It will link the French port of Nantes-Saint Nazaire with the Spanish port of Gijon, and will be operated by GLD Atlantique. This Motorways of the Sea project will also receive an EU grant in the framework of the 2009 Marco Polo II call for proposals, in which the Commission selected twenty-two projects with overall funding of €66.3 million. With these projects, the Commission expects to shift a total of 16.8 billion tonne/kilometres of freight away from the roads.
Commission closes investigation into agreement between Bratislava Airport and Ryanair
The European Commission has today decided to close the formal investigation procedure into the agreement between Bratislava Airport in Slovakia and Ryanair after concluding that the airport operator acted as a market economy investor and therefore no advantage has been granted to Ryanair.
State aid: Commission authorises €576 million Spanish film support scheme
The European Commission has approved under EU state aid rules a €576 million Spanish film support scheme until 31 December 2015. The scheme covers Spain's national film support measures including film production and distribution. The Commission found that the scheme is compatible with Article 107(3)(d) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), which allows aid to further cultural objectives under certain conditions. In particular, the scheme is in line with the rules of the Commission's Cinema Communication (see IP/01/1326 ).
The European Commission has opened an in-depth investigation under EU state aid rules to establish whether electricity tariffs granted by the Greek state-owned Public Power Corporation to Aluminium of Greece constitute illegal state aid. In particular, the Commission will examine whether electricity is supplied below the market price. The Commission will also investigate allegations that the state-owned Public Gas Corporation paid the construction costs of a gas pipeline belonging to Aluminium of Greece. The opening of an in-depth investigation allows interested parties to comment on the measures under assessment. It does not prejudge the outcome of the procedure.
La Commission Européenne a décidé aujourd'hui d'ouvrir la procédure d'investigation formelle concernant les paiements de compensation versés par l'Organisme grec d'assurances agricoles (ELGA) aux producteurs pendant les années 2008 et 2009. La Commission a des doutes concernant la compatibilité de ces aides avec le marché interne. L'ouverture de la procédure formelle permettra à la Commission de recueillir toutes les informations dont elle a besoin pour évaluer les aides et aux parties intéressées de présenter leurs observations.
Other news
The European Commission will on Thursday submit to the Management Committee a draft Regulation allowing the export of an additional 500,000 tonnes of out-of-quota sugar in the 2009/2010 marketing year (to July 31st 2010). This temporary measure, which fully respects the EU's international obligations, has been made possible by the exceptional market conditions at both the EU and world level. The present market situation for sugar is very unlikely to occur again in the future.
As relief efforts in Haiti following the devastating 12 January earthquake continue, the European Civil Protection Mechanism is now facilitating assistance from 24 Member States. Part of the EU-financed EU Rapid Response Capability is being used in an emergency for the first time, providing fresh water and medical care. A new EU Civil Protection team arrived in Haiti over the weekend to take over on-site coordination from the first team, which had been in Haiti since 36 hours after the quake.
Commission clears acquisition of Mangas Gaming by Louis Dreyfus, Fin Lov and SBM
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger Regulation to the acquisition of joint control of Mangas Gaming S.A.S. (MG) of France by French companies Louis Dreyfus S.A.S. (LD), Financières Lov S.A.S. (Fin Lov) and Société Anonyme des Bains de Mer et du Cercle des Etrangers à Monaco (SBM) of Monaco. LD trades in cereals and commodities, energy and property. Fin Lov is a holding company within the Lov Group, which is mainly active in audiovisual production, hotels, online gaming, power and online music promotion. SBM manages hotels, restaurants, casinos and property and is also active in online gaming. MG is an online gaming company. The operation was examined under the simplified merger review procedure.
Commission clears acquisition of Springer Science + Business Media by EQT V
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger Regulation to the acquisition of sole control of Springer Science + Business Media of Luxembourg by EQT V of the UK. EQT V is a private equity fund. Springer Science + Business Media is active in the publishing of academic and professional books, journals and periodicals. The operation was examined under the simplified merger review procedure.
Commission clears acquisition of Englefield Capital by Bregal Capital
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger Regulation to the acquisition of sole control of Englefield Capital LLP of the UK by Bregal Capital Limited also of the UK, controlled by COFRA Holding AG of Switzerland. Bregal Capital is a limited liability corporate investment vehicle. COFRA is active in retail, real estate, financial services, investment management and renewable energy. Englefield manages several private equity funds, making investments in middle market companies across Europe in a range of industry sectors. The operation was examined under the simplified merger review procedure.
Rediffusion
À la suite d'une demande soumise par l'autorité néerlandaise de la concurrence (Nederlandse Mededingingsautoriteit – NMa) conformément au règlement de l'UE sur les concentrations, la Commission européenne a décidé de renvoyer l'appréciation du projet d'acquisition des actifs de Super de Boer (Pays-Bas) par Schuitema (Pays-Bas) à la NMa. La Commission renverra l'ensemble du dossier, car elle considère que l'opération envisagée est susceptible d'affecter de manière significative la concurrence sur le marché de la vente au détail de biens de consommation courante uniquement aux Pays-Bas.
Commission welcomes joined EU/Norway initiative on mackerel management
After lengthy consultations over recent months, the European Union and Norway have struck a crucial long-term agreement on mackerel management in the North-East Atlantic, which provides both for stable quota shares and for agreed access arrangements for their respective fleets over a ten-year period. The mackerel stock is of critical importance to the EU and Norwegian fishing sectors alike, and the agreement thereon is especially significant when viewed against the background of numerous differences of opinion in the past. This agreement also forms an excellent basis for developing comprehensive mackerel management in the North-East Atlantic with other Coastal States, such as the Faroe Islands and Iceland. Furthermore, it will provide stability for the EU fleet in the coming years and boost flexibility in terms of both when and where fishing for this migratory stock can take place. In addition, the EU and Norway have reached agreement on reciprocal fishing possibilities for 2010, thereby paving the way for an early resumption of the activities interrupted at the end of 2009. The volumes of fishing possibilities foreseen under this arrangement will remain at their 2009 levels and the EU has obtained additional access to cod in North Norway. Quotas for Norway of pelagic species (blue whiting, horse mackerel) in Western Waters have been reduced and a new incentive scheme to encourage a reduction in discards of cod has been introduced. This arrangement also fixes the levels of the TACs for the main stocks in the North Sea, including cod and haddock. The EU believes that the agreements reached will cement further the already strong cooperative framework between the European Union and Norway in the fisheries sector and that they augur well for the future. Link to the table: http://ec.europa.eu/fisheries/press_corner/press_releases/2010/com10_02_...
Autre matériel diffusé :
? Statement after IMF-Commission technical mission to Romania
? Statement by Commissioner Almunia on Romania
A disposition au secrétariat de Jonathan Todd (BERL 03/315):
Notification préalable d'une opération de concentration:
European EC Rapid Press Release MEX/10/0127, copyright European Commission.
read the original release
