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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 00-03-07
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 07/03/2000b
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] COMMISSION AUTHORISES THE ACQUISITION OF THE SEALING SYSTEMS GROUP BY
THE VENTURE CAPITAL GROUP CVC
[02] The European Commission clears the formation of a South African joint
venture 'AIBC' for the manufacture of motor vehicle components.
[03] Commission clears the acquisition of the Performance Polymers Division
of Ciba Specialty Chemicals Holding Inc. by Deutsche Bank AG.
[04] Industrial producer prices rose by 0.6% in euro-zone and by 0.5% in
EU15 in January 2000 compared to the previous month
[05] Journée internationale des femmes - 8 mars 2000
[06] EU Commission President Romano Prodi and Commissioner Verheugen praise
Malta's progress towards accession
[07] Signature of the Joint Statement on Cross-Border Cooperation between
the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and UNMIK
[08] European Commissioner for External Relations Chris Patten, addressed
today the Parliament of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in
Skopje.
[09] COMMISSION EXTENDS TEMPORARY BAN ON PHTHALATES IN TOYS
[01] COMMISSION AUTHORISES THE ACQUISITION OF THE SEALING SYSTEMS GROUP BY
THE VENTURE CAPITAL GROUP CVC
The European Commission has approved the operation by which CVC acquires
the Sealing Systems Group. The Sealing Systems Group develops and produces
automotive sealing products, automotive hoses and rubber sheeting products.
The operation is of a complementary nature and does therefore not give rise
to competition problems. CVC consists of a group of companies which manage
and control several venture capital funds. The Sealing Systems Group
belongs to the UK based Invensys Group and develops and produces on a
worldwide basis automotive sealing products. These are products usually
made with a polymer or rubber base to seal vehicle windows doors, sunroofs,
or body parts to stop water, wind and dust and to reduce noise penetration.
Other products made by Sealing Systems are automotive hoses and rubber
sheeting products. Two venture capital funds which are controlled and
managed by CVC European Equity II Limited, which in turn belongs to the CVC
group, acquire a number of companies and assets which make up the Sealing
Systems Groups. The operation will not lead to any addition of market
shares and the Commission has therefore decided not to oppose the
operation.
[02] The European Commission clears the formation of a South African joint
venture 'AIBC' for the manufacture of motor vehicle components.
The joint venture AIBC will consist of the businesses currently
constituting the 'AI Group', the assets of which are all situated in South
Africa and other African states; the components produced by AI are used
almost excessively for the manufacture of vehicles within South Africa. The
parents of the joint venture will be DFI, the current South African owner
of AI, ZF Friedrichshafen AG ('ZF') of Germany, and Brembo S.p.A. of Italy.
Both ZF and Brembo are manufacturers of motor vehicle components. The
concentration has a Community dimension as a consequence of the turnovers
of ZF and Brembo.The products of the new joint venture AIBC will continue
to be used for vehicle manufacture in South Africa, and the concentration
will have no effect on vehicle component markets within the EEA. In view of
the above, the Commission has decided not to oppose the operation.
[03] Commission clears the acquisition of the Performance Polymers Division
of Ciba Specialty Chemicals Holding Inc. by Deutsche Bank AG.
Deutsche Bank AG, the German bank active in international banking, is
acquiring, by way of purchase of shares and assets, the Performance
Polymers Division ('Division') of Ciba Specialty Chemicals Holding Inc.
('Ciba SC').Division manufactures and markets polymer resin systems for a
wide range of industrial applications. Division's products include
hardeners, coatings, structural composites, adhesives, and other products
for use in the aerospace, electronics, and other industries.Deutsche Bank
and Division are neither active in the same product market, nor in any
product market located upstream or downstream of another product market in
which the other party is active. There are no horizontal or vertical
relations between Deutsche Bank and Division. In view of this absence of
overlap and of the existence of strong competitors in the markets in which
Division is active, the Commission has decided not to oppose the operation.
[04] Industrial producer prices rose by 0.6% in euro-zone and by 0.5% in
EU15 in January 2000 compared to the previous month
Euro-zone industrial producer prices increased by 0.6% in January 2000
compared with the previous month, Eurostat Statistical Office of the
European Communities in Luxembourg estimates today. Prices in EU15 rose by
0.5%. The increase of producer prices for December 1999 was revised to 0.6%
from 0.5% for the euro-zone and for the EU15. The index for intermediate
goods rose 0.9% in the euro-zone and 0.8% in the EU15. In both the euro-
zone and the EU15, prices for the capital goods and non-durable consumer
goods sectors rose 0.2% and the index for durable consumer goods increased
0.3%. Producer prices increased4 by 5.0% in the euro-zone and 4.5% in the
EU15 compared to January 1999. The intermediate goods sector was the main
contributor to this price increase with 8.0% in the euro-zone and 7.4% in
the EU15. The increase in the other sectors was lower than 1%.
[05] Journée internationale des femmes - 8 mars 2000
Le thème retenu pour la traditionnelle célébration de la Journée
internationale des femmes à la Commission est cette année en rapport direct
avec l'actualité, suite aux décisions historiques prises en décembre 1999
lors du Sommet de Helsinki: l'élargissement de l'Union européenne. La
conférence abordera le thème de l'élargissement vu sous l'angle et dans le
cadre de la politique de l'égalité des chances entre les femmes et les
hommes. Quel impact aura cet élargissement pour les femmes des pays
concernés? Quels espoirs, quelles craintes ont-elles à la veille de
l'intégration de leur pays dans l'Union européenne? Quel message ont-elles
à passer vers les futurs concitoyens européens? Le Vice-président Neil
KINNOCK, responsable pour la politique du personnel, présidera les travaux;
d'autres Commissaires y sont prévus - Anna DIAMANTOPOULOU et Gunter
VERHEUGEN - ainsi que des conférencières directement impliquées à divers
titres dans la préparation de l'élargissement dans leur pays respectif: Mme
Marianna Knothe, Présidente pour le Centre pour la promotion des femmes à
Varsovie; Mme Julia Motoc, professeur à l'université de Bucarest et Mme
Leslie Abdela, journaliste et Directrice générale de "Project Parity". La
conférence aura lieu le mercredi 8 mars de 13 h à 15 h, à la salle CHAR S-3
(Rue de la Loi 170).
[06] EU Commission President Romano Prodi and Commissioner Verheugen praise
Malta's progress towards accession
During their visit to Malta 5-6 March, the European Commission President
Romano Prodi and EU Commissioner Günter Verheugen praised Malta's progress
towards accession and underlined the valuable role Malta could play as a
Member State of the European Union in the Mediterranean area. They also
assured Malta that, according to the new approach decided by the EU in the
negotiation process, it could be able to catch up with the candidate
countries who have started negotiating in 1998. Mr. Prodi and Mr Verheugen
met President Professor Guido de Marco, Prime Minister Dr Eddie Fenech
Adami, Leader of Opposition Dr Alfred Sant, the Parliament where Mr Prodi
held an important speech - as well as social partners and business
community. Mr Verheugen also met Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Joe Borg and
Mr Prodi was granted a Degree Honoris Causa by University of Malta.
[07] Signature of the Joint Statement on Cross-Border Cooperation between
the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and UNMIK
Today, in presence of European Commissioner for External Relations, the Rt
Hon Christopher Patten, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM)
and UNMIK, the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo, are signing up
for a joint programme of enhanced cross-border cooperation. FYROM and UNMIK
have agreed on a comprehensive programme of co-operation on cross-border
economic issues, initially aimed at improving the whole Skopje-Pristina
corridor. This constitutes the result of considerable efforts on both sides
to facilitating crossing times at this border, which is still etched in the
minds of many as a result of the humanitarian disaster of last year, and
had since become a byword for delay.
[08] European Commissioner for External Relations Chris Patten, addressed
today the Parliament of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in
Skopje.
He acknowledged the immense contribution made by FYROM to cope with the
massive impact of the Kosovo crisis last year and expressed the gratitude
of the international community. The wish of the EU to strengthen now
relations with FYROM found its expression today by the upgrading of the
European Commission's representation in Skopje from an Office to a
Delegation and by the formal launch of negotiations on a Stabilisation and
Association Agreement (SAA). FYROM is the first country of the region to
start negotiations on a SAA, providing for close political dialogue, the
establishment of a free-trade with the EC and between the countries of the
region, the approximation of legislation, and co-operation in many other
areas, such as justice and home affairs. Commissioner Patten stated: "In
signing up to the EU's Stabilisation and Association process, you commit
yourselves to a serious agenda of reform milestones that you must pass on
the road to Europe... It will be essential that you continue your
commitment to multi-ethnicity and tolerance. There remain many years of
hard work ahead of us if we are together to transform this region. For too
long it has been a source of instability and conflict. For too long the
rest of Europe has turned a blind eye, or attempted to apply the sticking
plaster as one crisis has succeeded another. We have recognized that that
approach had to change; and we are working to promote reform throughout the
whole region."
[09] COMMISSION EXTENDS TEMPORARY BAN ON PHTHALATES IN TOYS
The European Commission has notified yesterday the Member States of its
Decision to extend for another three-months its temporary ban on the use of
certain phthalates in toys and childcare articles. The products covered by
the Decision are those intended to be placed in the mouth by babies, for
example dummies and teething rings, made of soft PVC containing phthalates.
The Member States were consulted and gave their unanimous approval to this
extension. This extension is necessary because the Commission proposal for
permanent legislative measures, made in November 1999, is still the subject
of discussions in the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers. In
the absence of new relevant scientific risk evaluation data the content of
the Decision remains unchanged. The Commission will consider any new
developments on the possible use of standardised methods for simulating and
measuring phthalates release from toys and is prepared to discuss these
with industry. Contacts have been established to that end. The Commission
will actively encourage and co-ordinate work to develop and validate such
methods. As long as test methods are not
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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