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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 98-07-17
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
17/07/98
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Commission approves the acquisition of Macrotron by Ingram Micro Inc.
[02] Financial services : Commission proposes to improve and extend rules
on collective investment undertakings
[03] Douanes : la Commission propose d'intégrer la Turquie dans le système
commun des règles d'origine
[04] Visit of Hans van den Broek to Latvia and Lithuania (20-21 July 1998)
[05] Géorgie :la Commission approuve l'octroi d'une aide humanitaire d'un
montant de 1,15 million d'Ecus
[01] Commission approves the acquisition of Macrotron by Ingram Micro Inc.
The European Commission has approved an operation by which the US company
Ingram Micro Inc. acquires the wholesale sector for information technology
products of Macrotron, German subsidiary of the US company Tech Data. The
concentration consists of the acquisition by Ingram of sole control over
Macrotron, through the purchase of its entire capital stock. Ingram is a
world leader in the wholesale distribution of IT products. Macrotron
carries out the same activities as Ingram but the combined market shares
achieved in the Member States in which they overlap do not raise
competition concerns, given the presence of important players and several
smaller ones, in what are largely fractionated markets.
[02] Financial services : Commission proposes to improve and extend rules
on collective investment undertakings
Proposals to promote investor confidence and ensure a pan-European market
for collective investment undertakings have been put forward by the
European Commission. The proposals, which would amend an existing
Directive, would tackle barriers in the growing European Union (EU) market
for collective investment undertakings (representing more than 20% of EU
GDP) while ensuring a high degree of investor protection. Collective
investment undertakings (such as unit trusts and SICAVs), where investors'
money is placed by a specialist fund manager in a diverse range of assets
according to defined risk criteria, can offer investors without specialist
knowledge a means of investing in financial markets. One proposal would
allow new forms of collective investment undertakings such as funds
investing in bank deposits and other liquid financial assets to sell their
units across the EU. The other proposal would give management companies a
single licence to operate throughout the Single Market and allow such
companies to manage the assets of single private or institutional investors,
including pension funds. It would also strengthen investor protection by
providing for simplified prospectuses featuring more accessible and
comprehensible information.
[03] Douanes : la Commission propose d'intégrer la Turquie dans le système
commun des règles d'origine
La Commission européenne vient de proposer au Conseil des Ministres
d'intégrer, à partir du 1er janvier 1999, la Turquie dans le système unique
des règles d'origine pour les produits industriels. Ce pays fera ainsi
partie de la vaste zone comprenant l'Union européenne, les pays d'Europe
Centrale et Orientale, les Pays Baltes, les pays de l'Association
Européenne de Libre Echange et l'Espace Economique Européen bénéficiant du
"cumul pan-européen des règles d'origine", où les marchandises
"originaires" peuvent circuler au bénéfice du traitement tarifaire
préférentiel. Dans ce but, la Commission présente un paquet de
propositions, visant également l'amélioration du fonctionnement de ce
système, de manière à ce que le Conseil adopte une position commune à
soumettre aux différents Comités prévus par chacun des accords commerciaux
concernés.
[04] Visit of Hans van den Broek to Latvia and Lithuania (20-21 July 1998)
European Commissioner for External Affairs Hans van den Broek will visit
Latvia and Lithuania on 20-21 July 1998 to discuss these countries'
progress in preparing for European Union (EU) membership. Mr van den Broek
will welcome the improved economic performance in both Latvia and Lithuania,
as well as their efforts to adopt and implement EU rules and practices.
Commenting on his visit, Mr van den Broek said : "Both Latvia and Lithuania
have made great strides towards EU membership in the year since my last
visit. They both know that much more needs to be done. The date of
accession is in their hands ; the quicker they implement the necessary
rules and reforms, the quicker they will join. I will be telling the two
governments that the Commission is fully committed to doing everything in
its power to speed up this process."
[05] Géorgie :la Commission approuve l'octroi d'une aide humanitaire d'un
montant de 1,15 million d'Ecus
La Commission européenne a approuvé un programme d'aide humanitaire d'un
montant de 1,15 million d'Ecus en faveur de Géorgiens déplacés par suite du
conflit déclenché dans la république voisine d'Abkhazie. Cette aide, gérée
par l'Office humanitaire de la Communauté européenne (ECHO), permettra à
des organisations européennes de déployer un programme d'urgence au cours
des trois mois à venir. Le conflit qui a éclaté en Abkhazie à la mi-mai a
contraint des milliers de personnes de fuir en Géorgie. Plus de 30.000
d'entre elles ont été recueillies dans l'ouest du pays. Le projet
considéré permettra de leur fournir de l'eau potable, des équipements
sanitaires et une aide alimentaire de base.
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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