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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 97-10-27
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-Paroleb
27/10/97
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] La Commission autorise l'acquisition d'Inespal par Alcoa
[02] Commission clears the creation of a joint venture between Hitachi and
Dupont
[03] La Commission autorise l'acquisition de Thermo-King Corporation par
Ingersoll-Rand Company
[04] Sir Leon Brittan visits Korea to press continued progress in market-
opening
[05] Padraig Flynn calls for human resource development to be central to
the reform of the Structural Funds
[06] Ritt Bjerregaard: "Environmental tax reform is a cost effective mean
of reaching environmental objectives"
[01] La Commission autorise l'acquisition d'Inespal par Alcoa
La Commission européenne a donné son approbation à l'acquisition par la
firme américaine Aluminium Company of America ('Alcoa') de la firme
espagnole Industria Española del Aluminio ('Inespal'). Cette opération
fait partie du programme de privatisation du gouvernement espagnol. Les
compagnies en question sont toutes deux actives sur les marchés de
l'alumine, de l'aluminium de base, de l'aluminium plat en rouleaux et de
l'aluminium pour des alliages. Après une enquête sur les effets potentiels
de ladite acquisition, la Commission a conclu que l'émergence d'une
position dominante résultant de cette opération n'était pas probable,
particulièrement en raison de l'existence de concurrents forts sur ces
marchés.
[02] Commission clears the creation of a joint venture between Hitachi and
Dupont
The European Commission has authorised the US company Dupont de Nemours and
Co ('Dupont') and the Japanese firm Hitachi Chemical, a subsidiary of
Hitachi Ltd., to create a new worlwide joint venture which will be active
in the manufacture and sale of liquid polyimide and related areas. One of
the main concerns was that the facilities to be used by the joint venture
would remain legal property of the parent companies for a transitional
period. However, it was made clear that the strategic control of these
facilities will be transferred from the start to the joint venture, which
will be established for an indefinite period. Furthermore, the parties
detailed economic and logistic reasons to justify this transitory period.
The Commission found that this was not in contradiction with the full-
function character of the joint venture. From the competition point of
view, the case did not present any significant problem given that the
combined market shares would be low.
[03] La Commission autorise l'acquisition de Thermo-King Corporation par
Ingersoll-Rand Company
La Commission européenne a autorisé l'acquisition de Thermo-King
Corporation, une compagnie américaine active sur le marché du contrôle de
la température dans les transports, par Ingersoll-Rand Company, active dans
la fabrication et la vente de machines et équipements non-électriques,
notamment compresseurs, pompes, etc. La Commission a constaté qu'il n'y
avait pas de chevauchement horizontal entre les activités des deux
compagnies. De plus, Thermo-King doit faire face à une forte compétition
de la part d'autres firmes dans tous les secteurs du marché du contrôle de
la température dans les transports, y compris ceux du transport routier,
ferroviaire et maritime. Par ailleurs, il n'y a pas de lien vertical entre
les activités de Thermo King et d'Ingersoll-Rand, étant donné que les
compresseurs fabriqués par cette dernière ne peuvent être utilisés dans les
instruments de contrôle de la température dans les véhicules de transport.
[04] Sir Leon Brittan visits Korea to press continued progress in market-
opening
Vice President of the European Commission, Sir Leon Brittan, today flies to
Korea for high level meetings with the Korean President, Kim Young-Sam, and
his key Ministers. Top of Sir Leon's agenda will be trade liberalisation
talks, including the signing of a bilateral agreement to open procurement
markets for telecoms equipment. Korea's National Assembly is currently
considering a far-reaching reform of the country's system of financial
supervision. During his visit Sir Leon will underline the benefits that
this should yield for Korea in terms of greater financial stability and
stress that this would be complemented by successful conclusion of ongoing
negotiations in the World Trade Organisation on Financial Services. Sir
Leon Brittan will also discuss the progress of the Korean Peninsula Energy
Development Organisation (KEDO), which is working to replace North Korea's
nuclear reactors with safer, more proliferation-resistant models. The EU
joined KEDO last month as an Executive-Board member. Sir Leon Brittan will
exchange views with the Korean Government on the deteriorating situation in
North Korea. The EU is a leading aid donor, and in 1997 has pledged
humanitarian assistance worth ECU 66.5 million to alleviate suffering in
North Korea. Total EU food aid in 1997 has been around 230,000 tonnes
(cereal equivalent).
[05] Padraig Flynn calls for human resource development to be central to
the reform of the Structural Funds
Speaking today at a conference in Barcelona, Employment and Social Affairs
Commissioner Padraig Flynn said the new arrangements for the Structural
Funds outlined in Agenda 2000 must ensure that "the European Union's
central policy objective of human resource development is applied fully to
structural fund activity across all three objectives." The Commissioner
said that one of the functions of the new Objective 3 is to support Member
States labour market policies and "in this sense it functions independently
of any exclusively regional context. Integrated regional approaches cannot
mean disconnecting the European Social Fund from its main mission of
underpinning reform of labour market policies and practices in line with
the Employment Strategy and the annual employment guidelines. Mechanisms
which guarantee this horizontal role in the next programming period will be
an indispensable part of the reformed regulations."
[06] Ritt Bjerregaard: "Environmental tax reform is a cost effective mean
of reaching environmental objectives"
Environment Commissioner Ritt Bjerregaard underlined at the Conference on
Environmental Tax Reform today in Brussels, that she "believes very much in
the economic efficiency of taxes creating incentives to change behaviour".
She particularly urged the Council to endorse environmental tax reform
since "environmental tax reform has an important contribution to make as a
cost-effective means of reaching environmental objectives" She rejected
"the idea that all Member States should go at the speed of the slowest, in
terms of environmental taxation. I therefore seek to amend Community
legislation in the area of taxation in such a way as to enable Member
States to press ahead if they so wish, while taking care not to fragment
the Single Market. The Commissioner further underlined the need "to shift
away from taxes and charges on labour towards energy, natural resources,
waste and pollution". Systems developed without regard for the environment
must be made "greener". The Treaty requires it, and public opinion is
behind it. She urged all the participants in the Conference - whether from
industry, government, "think-tanks" or NGOs - "to vocally support the
Commission's efforts to convince all the Member States that environmental
tax reform is valid, necessary, and can be put into practice immediately by
adoption of the Proposal for an energy products tax".
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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