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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 99-06-04
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 04/06/1999b
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Proposal to extend safeguard measures in relation to dioxin
contamination
[02] Commission opens full investigation into Airtours/First Choice (both
UK) travel trade merger
[03] La Commission autorise l'acquisition de Lexel par Schneider S.A.
[04] La Commission autorise la prise de contr�le en commun de RWA AG par
BayWa AG et RWA Genossenschaft
[05] Business and Consumer surveys for May 1999 : improved industrial
confidence offset by less optimism among consumers
[06] La production industrielle se stabilise en Europe
[01] Proposal to extend safeguard measures in relation to dioxin
contamination
A draft European Commission decision has been prepared by Agriculture and
Consumer Protection Commissioners, Franz Fischler and Emma Bonino, to
introduce appropriate safeguard measures, to include all products which may
have been contaminated. In view of the urgency of the matter it is intended
to use the legal possibilities available to take the decision on the basis
of the urgent safeguard provisions. This action has been prompted by the
fact that the Belgian authorities suspect that the dioxin contaminated
feedingstuff may have been fed to livestock other than domestic fowl. The
same requirements will apply as in the earlier decision i.e. no placing on
the market of products from restricted farms, tracing of products already
on the market, the provision of information to other member states,
certification for export, etc. The restrictions will therefore be extended
to cover products from the pork and bovine farms which are placed under
control by the Belgian authorities ; and will apply to products coming from
these farms since January 15th.
[02] Commission opens full investigation into Airtours/First Choice (both
UK) travel trade merger
The European Commission has decided to open a full investigation into the
proposed acquisition by Airtours plc of First Choice Holidays plc. The
focus of the Commission's investigation is likely to be on 'oligopoly'
aspects - that is, the possibility that as a result of the merger, the
market structure would become concentrated in such a way that the major
players could collectively have a dominant position, with consequent
adverse effects on prices and/or other key competition matters. By the most
commonly-used industry measures Airtours currently ranks second (after
Thomson) and First Choice fourth in the supply of foreign package holidays
in the UK. The four major firms (the other one being Thomas Cook) are also
vertically integrated, with substantial interests in charter airline
operation and travel agency. The rest of the sector is made up of a large
number of firms each with a very small share. The merger also raises
similar issues with respect to the package holiday sector in Ireland. The
Commission must now reach a final decision within four months.
[03] La Commission autorise l'acquisition de Lexel par Schneider S.A.
La Commission europ�enne a autoris� une op�ration par laquelle la compagnie
fran�aise de mat�riel �lectrique Schneider S.A. acquiert le contr�le unique
de la soci�t� danoise de mat�riel �lectrique Lexel. Compte tenu de la
position des soci�t�s sur le march�, l'op�ration n'aura pas un impact
concurrentiel significatif.
[04] La Commission autorise la prise de contr�le en commun de RWA AG par
BayWa AG et RWA Genossenschaft
La Commission europ�enne a autoris� la prise de contr�le en commun, par
BayWa AG (Allemagne) et RWA Genossenschaft (RWA Gen) (Autriche) de RWA AG
(Autriche), qui �tait auparavant enti�rement d�tenue par RWA Gen. Le projet
de concentration ne soul�ve pas de doute s�rieux sous l'angle de la
concurrence sur les march�s en cause.
[05] Business and Consumer surveys for May 1999 : improved industrial
confidence offset by less optimism among consumers
(! embargo 12 am !) The latest results from the business and consumer
surveys conducted by the European Commission's Directorate General for
economic and financial affairs are published today. The industrial
confidence indicator for the European Union (EU) as a whole rose further in
May and reached its highest point since the beginning of this year. In the
euro-zone an increase was also recorded. Managers in European industry were
again more optimistic regarding their production expectations as well as
the level of both order books and stocks compared to last month. On the
other hand, consumer confidence deteriorated. Consumers revised downwards
their expectations of their future financial situation, which together with
the unfavourable assessments concerning the general economic situation led
to a decline of the consumer confidence indicator in the euro-zone and for
the EU as a whole. In the construction sector results varied considerably
between member countries. While the construction confidence for the EU as a
whole was encouraging, it declined in the euro-zone, as a result of poor
figures for Spain and Italy in particular. The increase in industrial
confidence tempered the subdued outlook among consumers sufficiently to
lead to a slight increase of the economic sentiment indicator for the EU as
a whole. However, in the euro-zone the economic sentiment indicator fell
back slightly compared to last month.
[06] La production industrielle se stabilise en Europe
(! embargo 12h !) La tendance de la production industrielle de la zone euro
ainsi que celle de l'Union europ�enne (UE15) a diminu� de -0,2% au cours du
premier trimestre 99 par rapport au dernier trimestre 98. Cependant, les
donn�es mensuelles pour les quatre derniers mois sugg�rent que l'index de
la tendance est pratiquement stable. Ces estimations sont publi�es
aujourd'hui par Eurostat, l'Office statistique des Communaut�s europ�ennes
� Luxembourg. Les taux de croissance pour la zone euro et l'UE15 pour la
p�riode d�cembre 98 - f�vrier 99 ont �t� r�vis�s � la hausse avec -0,4%.
Alors que la Finlande (1,3%), l'Espagne et la Gr�ce (0,8% chacun) affichent
des hausses remarquables, une baisse importante a �t� enregistr�e en
Allemagne (-1,0%). Avec -0,5%, l'Italie a enregistr� un meilleur r�sultat
par rapport � celui enregistr� pour la p�riode de d�cembre - f�vrier (-0,
8%).
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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