EXME06 / 24.4
MIDDAY EXPRESS
News from the Press and Communication Directorate General's midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction Général Presse et Communication
24 / 04 / 06
Commission clears acquisition of Seguros Navarra by Aegon and CAN
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger Regulation to the acquisition of joint control of Seguros Navarra, S.A of Spain by Aegon Spanje Holding, BV (Aegon) of the Netherlands, belonging to the group Aegon, and Caja de Ahorros y del Monte de Piedad de Navarra (CAN) of Spain. Aegon is active in life insurance and pensions, savings and investment products. CAN is a private entity active in credit, deposit transactions, general financing and insurance distribution in Spain. Seguros Navarra is active in life insurance and pension plans in Spain. The operation was examined under the simplified merger review procedure.
Commission clears acquisition of Wingas Storage by ZGHG and Wingas
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger Regulation to the acquisition of joint control of Wingas UK Storage Limited (Wingas Storage) of the UK by ZMB GasspeicherHolding GmbH (ZGHG) of Austria, ultimately owned by OAO Gazprom of Russia, and Wingas GmbH (Wingas) of Germany, ultimately owned by BASF of Germany. Wingas is active Europe-wide in natural gas trading and marketing. ZGHG is a sole purpose vehicle established to hold a stake in the joint venture. The joint venture will convert the Saltfleetby depleting natural gas field in the county of Lincolnshire in the UK into an on-shore gas storage facility. The gas field is currently owned and operated by Wingas Storage. The operation was examined under the simplified merger review procedure.
Commission clears acquisition of Tele Pizza by Foodco Pastries
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger Regulation to the acquisition of joint control of Tele Pizza S.A. of Spain by Permira Holdings Limited (Permira) of the UK and Carbal S.A. of Spain, through Foodco Pastries. Tele Pizza operates chains of fast food restaurants under the brands "Telepizza" and "Pizza World" and its business activity is focused in Spain and to a lesser extent in Portugal, Poland and the Czech Republic. Foodco Pastries is a Spanish company operating as a vehicle for its parent companies Carbal and Permira in this transaction. Permira is an investment fund company. Carbal is a holding company acquiring stake and participations in different companies in order to contribute to their development. The operation was examined under the simplified merger review procedure.
Commission clears acquisition of GSE by TowerBrook Investors
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger Regulation to the acquisition of sole control of GSE SA of France, including its subsidiary Compagnie des Contractants Regionaux (GSE), by TowerBrook Investors II LP of the Cayman Islands, controlled by TowerBrook Investors Group (TowerBrook Investors). TowerBrook Investors is an investment company and GSE is active in real estate. The operation was examined under the simplified merger review procedure.
Provision of deficit and debt data for 2005 : Euro-zone and EU25 government deficit fall to 2.4% and 2.3% of GDP respectively ; government debt at 70.8% and 63.4%
In 2005 the government deficit of the euro-zone and of the EU25 fell compared to 2004 while the government debt increased. In the euro-zone the government deficit decreased from 2.8% of GDP in 2004 to 2.4% in 2005, and in the EU25 it fell from 2.6% to 2.3%. In the euro-zone the government debt to GDP ratio rose from 69.8% in 2004 to 70.8% in 2005, and in the EU25 from 62.4% to 63.4%. It should be noted that, for Belgium and Greece, Eurostat has to undertake further examination of deficit and debt data.
Günter Verheugen examine avec des dirigeants d'entreprise comment renforcer la compétitivité de l'industrie de la défense
Le vice-président de la Commission européenne Günter Verheugen a rencontré aujourd'hui à Bruxelles des dirigeants d'entreprises européennes et divers autres acteurs du secteur de la défense afin d'examiner comment en renforcer la compétitivité. Les discussions ont porté essentiellement sur la politique industrielle de la défense qu'il conviendrait de mettre en place au plan européen. Les participants ont abordé la question de la création d'un marché européen des équipements de défense (EDEM) qui tiendrait compte des caractéristiques spécifiques des biens de ce secteur et encouragerait la restructuration / consolidation industrielle dans les différents sous-secteurs de la défense (aéronautique, espace, électronique, systèmes terrestres, construction navale) sous l'action des forces du marché. Les relations avec les pays tiers partenaires (en particulier les relations transatlantiques) ont également été discutées.
Danuta Hübner in Malta : "Cohesion policy brings European regions quality employment and growth"
European Regional policy Commissioner Danuta Hübner is visiting Malta, on April 24 and 25, to discuss the overall impact of cohesion policy on Malta's economy, the progress of the implementation of current 2004-2006 programming period and the preparations for the new period 2007-2013. Commissioner Hübner is meeting with President of Malta, Edward Fenech Adami, Prime minister Lawrence Gonzi, and Minister for Gozo, Giovanna Debono. The Commissioner will address the members of Parliament and the members of the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development (MCESD) and visit projects which have received EU funding in the islands of Malta and Gozo.
Autre matériel diffusé Note on preparation of Agriculture/Fisheries Council of April 2006 Speech by Neelie Kroes : "Competition in the aviation sector: the European Commission's approach" at the International Institute of Air and Space law (Leiden University) Discours de M. Vladimir Špidla : "L'année européenne de la mobilité des travailleurs" au Forum 2006 des ingénieurs européens (Hanovre) Speech by President José Manuel Barroso : "EU and Japanese strategies for a better tomorrow - a knowledge renaissance" at Kobe University - Japan (22/04)
