December 1996

The decision concerns a request for the granting of an individual exemption (based on the Malta Competition Act) to agreements already entered into by applicant company binding resellers of its products. The request centred around the fact that the termination of these agreements was going (...)

SECOND GSM OPERATOR IN SPAIN : THE COMMISSION REQUESTS CLARIFICATION FROMTHE SPANISH AUTHORITIES* The European Commission has decided to request the Spanish authorities to provide clarifications on the initial licence fee imposed on Aírtel Móvil for the grant of a second concession (...)

Case T-87/92 BVBA Kruidvat v Commission of the European Communities* A decision granting exemption to a selective distribution system cannot be regarded as being of individual concern, within the meaning of the fourth paragraph of Article 173 of the Treaty, to an undertaking in competition (...)

Case T-88/92 Groupement d’Achat Edouard Leclerc v Commission of the European Communities* 1. An intervener is not entitled to raise an objection of inadmissibility not set out in the form of order sought by the defendant. 2. A decision granting exemption to a selective distribution system (...)

"Mergers - Summary of the most important recent developments"* On 20th December 1996, the Commission approved an operation whereby AXA will acquire sole control of UAP via an offer for exchange of shares, covering the whole of UAP‘s shares. The new French group will become a leading European (...)

The Commission clears the creation of Iridium, a future provider of worldwide satellite personal communications services* The European Commission has given its formal green light to the creation of Iridium, a company led by the US corporation Motorola, which intends to provide as (...)

"Mergers - Summary of the most important recent developments"* On 16th December 1996 the Commission decided to open proceedings to carry out a “Phase 2” investigation in another case, the shareholding of the Anglo-American Corporation of South Africa (AAC) in Lonrho. AAC and companies (...)

"Mergers - Summary of the most important recent developments"* The second prohibition decision concerned the creation of a joint venture in the silicon carbide sector between Société Européenne des Produits Réfractaires (SEPR), belonging to the Saint-Gobain group, Elektroschmelzwerk Kempten (...)

"Steel Aid Code (1997-2002)"* A new Steel Aid Code comes into effect on 1 January 1997. Following the unanimous agreement in the Industry Council in November, the Commission decided in December 1996 to establish these new Community rules under the ECSC Treaty for State Aid to the steel (...)

"Proposal for a new steel aids code"* In a Communication of March this year the Commission proposes to the Council of Ministers to give its unanimous assent pursuant to Article 95 of the ECSC Treaty to the adoption of a new Steel Aids Code to replace the current fifth Steel Aids Code which (...)

"Motor vehicles industry: Cost-benefit analysis is no longer used in cases with low aid intensities"* On 18 December 1996, the Commission took a positive decision on an investment aid project in favour of Ford Bridgend (South Wales, UK). The aided investment is concerned with setting up a (...)

"Commission approves the redefinition of regional aid areas in Germany for the period 1997-99"* On 18 December 1996, the Commission has approved the redefinition of the regional aid areas for Germany for the period 1997 to 1999. As a result of this redefinition, the regional aid status (...)

"Directive concernant les règles communes pour le marché intérieur de l’électricité"* On the 19th of December the Council finally adopted the directive on common rules for the internal market in electricity. The Directive provides for a gradual opening of the electricity market over six (...)