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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 00-02-04
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 Porte-Parole 04/02/2000b
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Déclaration faite à titre personnel par le Commissaire européen Frans
Fischler à propos de la formation du gouvernement autrichien
[02] La Commission autorise les acquisitions envisagées par Suzuki Motor
Corporation
[03] Commission authorises the creation of Movieco, a new film pay-TV
channel in Flanders and the Netherlands
[04] Commission clears Finalrealm's acquisition of United Biscuits
[05] La Commission appelle les banques à améliorer les systèmes de paiement
transfrontaliers
[06] Commission launches second phase of telecommunications sector inquiry
under the competition rules : mobile roaming
[07] Commission welcomes Court ruling on equal treatment
[08] Poul Nielson hails agreement on successor to the EU-ACP Lomé IV
Convention
[01] Déclaration faite à titre personnel par le Commissaire européen Frans
Fischler à propos de la formation du gouvernement autrichien
"La participation du Parti libéral autrichien (FPÖ) au gouvernement de mon
pays, j'en ai pleinement conscience en tant qu'Européen convaincu et
citoyen autrichien, alourdit le poids de mes responsabilités. Je partage
les inquiétudes que la Commission a exprimées dans sa déclaration. C'est le
devoir et la volonté expresse de la Commission, mais aussi son rôle en tant
que gardienne des traités, que d'exercer une vigilance sans faille et de
réprimer la moindre infraction au droit communautaire. Il n'empêche que la
Commission n'a pas à isoler un État membre. C'est le contraire qu'il faut
faire ; notre devoir est d'aider le pays en cause à ne pas s'éloigner de
l'Europe. Voilà pourquoi la Commission maintiendra ses relations de travail
avec l'Autriche, car c'est là une nécessité."
[02] La Commission autorise les acquisitions envisagées par Suzuki Motor
Corporation
La Commission européenne a autorisé la société japonaise Suzuki Motor
Corporation à acquérir trois sociétés du groupe néerlandais Homel : Suzuki
Auto GmbH Deutschland & Co KG, la société responsable de la distribution
des véhicules automobiles de la marque Suzuki en Allemagne, HOGIVA
Verwaltungs-und Beteiligungs-GmbH, l'associée de Suzuki Auto, et FAFIN
Gesellschaft für Factoring and Leasing mbH, une entreprise qui offre des
services financiers aux clients de Suzuki en Allemagne. La Commission
permet parallèlement à Suzuki Motor Corporation d'acheter le stock de
l'entreprise suisse CIAS AG, l'importateur général de Suzuki en Europe.
[03] Commission authorises the creation of Movieco, a new film pay-TV
channel in Flanders and the Netherlands
The European Commission has authorised the creation of Movieco, a new Joint
Venture between Sony and Disney, offering a premium film pay-TV channel in
Flanders and the Netherlands. Movieco is created by the following parents :
BVI Europe, which is a US corporation and an indirect subsidiary of The
Walt Disney Company, and SPE Europe, which is also a US corporation and an
indirect subsidiary of Sony Corporation. Sony Corporation is an
entertainment and consumer electronics company, providing entertainment and
electronic products and services to consumers around the world. Disney is
engaged in the media and entertainment industries. Movieco will be jointly
controlled by Disney and Sony. Movieco will create, for pay-TV operators in
Flanders and the Netherlands, a new premium film pay-TV channel. There is
currently only one such channel available to Dutch and Flemish speaking
consumers. Disney and Sony are not present in these markets. At the
horizontal level therefore the operation will not lead to the creation or
strengthening of a dominant position. The operation will also not lead to
the coordination of the competitive behaviour of Sony and Disney. The
Commission has, therefore, decided not to oppose this operation.
[04] Commission clears Finalrealm's acquisition of United Biscuits
The European Commission has cleared Finalrealm's proposed acquisition of
United Biscuits, incorporated in Scotland. United Biscuits is active in the
area of the manufacture and sale of biscuits, cakes and savoury snacks.
Finalrealm (England & Wales) is jointly controlled by PAI Management SAS
(France) and Cinven Limited (England). Since neither PAI nor Cinven has any
overlaps with United Buscuits' activities, the Commission has decided not
to oppose the operation and to declare it compatible with the Common Market
and with the functioning of the European Economic Area (EEA) Agreement.
[05] La Commission appelle les banques à améliorer les systèmes de paiement
transfrontaliers
Les établissements de crédit doivent consentir plus d'efforts pour faire en
sorte que les virements de faible montant entre Etats membres soient à la
fois peu coûteux, efficaces et sûrs. Tel est l'avertissement qu'a lancé la
Commission européenne dans sa Communication sur "les paiements de détail
dans le marché intérieur". Cette Communication exige, en particulier, que
des améliorations soient apportées aux infrastructures qui acheminent les
virements transfrontaliers de faible montant, que ce soit entre banques ou
entre les systèmes nationaux de compensation des virements des différents
Etats membres. La Commission se propose d'évaluer les frais facturés pour
ces virements et d'afficher sur Internet les résultats de son suivi tous
les six mois. La Communication invite également les banques à éliminer
l'écart dans les commissions prélevées (selon que les cartes de paiement
sont utilisées au niveau national ou dans d'autres Etats membres) et à
améliorer l'information sur les conditions générales et les frais et
commissions qui est fournie aux titulaires de cartes de paiement. En ce qui
concerne le change d'espèces, la Communication invite les banques et les
bureaux de change à poursuivre une politique transparente et plus soucieuse
du client.
[06] Commission launches second phase of telecommunications sector inquiry
under the competition rules : mobile roaming
The European Commission has sent out formal information requests as part of
its investigation under the competition rules concerning the conditions and
pricing of national and international mobile roaming. Almost 200 such
requests were sent out simultaneously EU-wide to national competition
authorities and telecommunications regulators, as well as to mobile network
operators and service providers. Recipients have a deadline of two months
to reply. Mobile roaming is the second of three telecommunications areas
that are currently under investigation as part of a sector inquiry under
the competition rules.
[07] Commission welcomes Court ruling on equal treatment
The European Commission today welcomed the decision of the European Court
of Justice in case N° C207/98, Silke-Karin Mahlburg v Land Mecklenburg-
Vorpommen. The judgment confirms previous Court case law and the position
of the Commission that, although pregnant workers must be afforded extra
protection at work because of their condition, this must not be used as an
excuse to discriminate against them. A Rostock nurse applied for a vacant
post on a permanent contract which involved the same duties which she was
fulfilling at that time under her fixed-term contract. At this point she
found out that she was pregnant and in accordance with Geman law (the
Mutterschutzgesetz) was assigned to administrative duties for the remainder
of the pregnancy. Her employer informed her that her application for the
permanent post had been rejected because the job involved work which
pregnant women were not allowed to do under the Mutterschutzgesetz.
Recalling that the aim of the equal treatment directive (76/207/EEC) is
substantive, not formal equality, the Court held that the additional costs
caused by the fact that the women appointed could not be employed in the
psot for the duration of the pregnancy cannot justify a refusal to employ
her.
[08] Poul Nielson hails agreement on successor to the EU-ACP Lomé IV
Convention
EU and ACP (Africa, Carribean and Pacific) Ministers meeting in Brussels
over two days reached agreement on a dynamic partnership which will govern
relations between the EU and the 71 ACP states over the next 20 years. The
new agreement, which replaces the existing Lomé IV Convention due to expire
on 29 February 2000, heralds a fresh, radical departure for the EU and the
ACP at the start of the new Millenium. Mr Poul Nielson, European
Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, welcomed the agreement
as "a remarkable, innovative achievement which faces up to the challenges
of globalisation by setting out an integrated and comprehensive approach to
development, poverty eradication, trade and political dialogue. This
agreement represents a major contribution in the effort to create
international governance and to promote North-South dialogue in the post-
Seattle era". Mr Nielson saluted the courageous and ambitious contribution
made by both sides in the conclusion of the negotiations. After two days of
negotiations, the parties agreed on the outstanding issues left over from
the December negotiating session. These questions covered, in particular,
migration, notably on questions related to readmission of illegal
immigrants, the duration of the new Convention (20 years) and trade and
financial matters. As a result, a global cooperation agreement has been
drawn up based on three pillars ; a political dimension, a new trade regime
and development cooperation. The new agreement will be signed in Fiji on a
date yet to be decided.
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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