EXME07 / 27.3
MIDDAY EXPRESS
News from the Communication Directorate General's midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction Générale Communication
27 / 03 / 07
The European Commission has today published the first call for proposals for the creation of new freight transport services under the second Marco Polo programme. Successful projects should fight congestion on European roads and improve the environmental performance of the freight transport system, two main objectives of the EU transport policy. Companies across the European Union and beyond are invited to submit proposals in this second Marco Polo programme.
The European Commission has adopted the rules on the implementation of the European Fisheries Fund (EFF). The purpose of this Commission regulation is to set out in detail how Member States should implement the EFF in line with the priorities laid down in the basic regulation adopted by Council in June 2006. These rules complete the legal framework of the EFF, and the Member States will now be able to finalise their operational programmes and present them to the Commission for approval. The EFF is the major fund through which the European Union will provide financial support to the fisheries sector over the period 2007-2013 (see IP/06/793 and IP/06/1310).
- Commission clears acquisition of Dailycer by OEP
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger Regulation to the acquisition of sole control of Dailycer BV of the Netherlands, Dailycer France SAS, Dailycer Limited of the UK and Delicia BV of the Netherlands (Dailycer) by OEP Holding Corporation (OEP), part of the JP Morgan Chase Group, of the US. OEP is a private equity company. Dailycer manufactures, markets and distributes cereal products and chocolate decorations. The operation was examined under the simplified merger review procedure.
- La Commission autorise l'acquisition de Go Voyages par Groupe Arnault
La Commission européenne a autorisé, en vertu du règlement Concentrations, le projet d'acquisition de l’entreprise française Go Voyages SA par le Groupe Arnault SAS (Groupe Arnault) de la France. Groupe Arnault est une société de holding exerçant des activités dans le secteur des produits de luxe à travers ses filiales (Christian Dior Couture et LVMH). Go Voyages SA est une agence de voyages en ligne spécialisée dans la vente de billets d'avion. Il ressort de l'enquête menée par la Commission que l'opération envisagée n'entravera pas de manière significative la concurrence dans le marché commun. Cette affaire a été traitée selon la procédure simplifiée.
- Commission clears acquisition of Thomas Cook by KarstadtQuelle
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger Regulation to the acquisition of sole control of Thomas Cook AG of Germany by KarstadtQuelle AG, also of Germany. KarstadtQuelle is a European department store and mail order group. Thomas Cook is an international tourism company active in the leisure travel sector. The operation was examined under the simplified merger review procedure.
The Kimberley Process (KP), chaired by the European Community in 2007, is sending a review mission to Ghana to assess efforts to combat conflict diamonds. The mission is headed by Canada, with representatives of the European Community, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the World Diamond Council and civil society (Global Witness). The mission will take place with the full cooperation of the Ghanaian authorities and in collaboration with the United Nations in view of the UN ban on diamonds from Côte d’Ivoire. The mission will focus on improving Ghana’s internal controls in a bid to tackle the last remaining case of conflict diamonds, and thus contribute to the stabilisation of West Africa.
The EU Troika will meet its Central Asian counterparts tomorrow in Astana, Kazakhstan, to open a new chapter in EU-Central Asia relations. For the first time the EU is meeting the Foreign Ministers of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kirgizstan all at the same time. On the agenda are items that will be central to the new EU strategy on Central Asia, including economic and trade issues, security, education, democracy, rule of law and human rights, energy and the environment as well as regional issues (Afghanistan and Iran). In tandem with the plenary session, bilateral meetings with all Foreign Ministers will also take place. The EU intends to demonstrate the growing significance of relations with Central Asia by more than doubling assistance to the region in the period 2007-2013, with a total of €750 million.
The vice-President of the European Commission Franco Frattini stated : "The free movement of people in an area without borders is one of the European Union's greatest achievements. This goes hand in hand with securing the EU's external borders. Here, Frontex plays a vital role."
On a visit to Washington DC, just after the adoption of the Energy Policy for Europe and in the run-up to the next EU-US Summit, European Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs welcomed the increased cooperation with the United States in the field of energy supply and security. Following the Declaration of last year to increase strategic energy cooperation, the Commission has worked closely with the US authorities on a wide range of energy issues. Research is the key area for cooperation, particularly in biofuels development and energy efficiency.
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