European Union News - Industry

On 15 April 2008 the Official Journal of the European Union has published the Commission repection of a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation 139/2004 by which the undertaking and Gonvarri (Spain) and Arcelor Mittal (Luxembourg) acquire joint control of Gonvarri Brasil Produtos Siderúrgicos SA (‘SSC Brazil’, Brazil) by way of purchase of shares.

On the 14th April 2008 the European Commission published its official decision concerning a technical specification for interoperability relating to the ‘energy’ sub-system of the trans-European high-speed rail system (notified under document number C(2008) 807). The Decision shall apply from 1st October 2008.

Two years after the establishment of the first Community list of airlines subject to an operating ban in the European Union, the European Commission today adopted the seventh update of the "blacklist". The Commission is imposing a ban on all operations of an additional Ukrainian airline (Ukraine Cargo Airways) as well as on all operations of the Congolese carrier Hewa Bora Airways.

Parliament adopted two reports on cultural industries, the first calls for a new task force on culture and the creative economy, a programme to support the culture industries the second calls more should be done to ensure that EU programmes reflect Europe's common cultural heritage.

On 9 April 2008, it has been published in the Official Journal of the European Union the Commission decision not to oppose the a new concentration of AXA Group in the Case COMP/M.5055 - Axa/Klepierre/Annecy Courier.

European Commission cleared under the EU Merger Regulation the proposed acquisition of joint control over AvtoVaz of Russia by Renault SA of France and Russian Technology of Russia. After examining the operation, the Commission concluded that the transaction would not significantly impede effective competition in the European Economic Area (EEA) or any substantial part of it. Prior notification of a concentration information has been published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

The European Commission cleared last 28th March, under the EU Merger Regulation the proposed acquisition of Aearo Company, a US producer of protective equipment, by the US company 3M, a diversified technology company.

The OJ has published on 4th april the Commission Decision of 17 March 2008 amending Decision 2007/176/EC as regards the List of standards and/or specifications for electronic communications networks, services and associated facilities and services in order to include the Digital Video Broadcasting (Handheld) DVB-H as an standard.

The European Commission has presented last 2nd april 2008 a Communication related to the damages actions for breach of the EC antitrust rules in a White paper.

The Commission has recognised in a Communication dated on 1st april 2008 the need to reduce the emissions of harmful air pollutants if significant progress is to be delivered towards the objectives established in the 6th Environmental Action Programme. The Commission's communication on a Thematic Strategy on air pollution sets out a significant number of possible Community measures. 

The European Union published on the 27th March 2008 the Council decision on the signing and conclusion by the European Community of the International Coffee Agreement 2007.

On 28th September 2007 the International Coffee Council (ICC) adopted the text of a new 2007 Agreement replacing the International Coffee Agreement 2001 which had been extended to 30th September 2008. In the discussions on the Agreement the Community negotiated on the basis of the negotiating mandate and directives proposed by the Commission and approved by the Council on 29th January 2007.