Brussels, 03/05/2000 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has terminated the contract with the British consulting firm SH&C, which should have submitted this week its report on the conditions in which Italian authorities transferred flights between the two Milan airports, Linate and Malpensa. Without calling into question the independence of the firm or the value of the documentation it compiled, the Commission faulted it with not having pointed out that it is 49% owned by the German airline Lufthansa, which is directly involved in the case (see EUROPE of 29 April, page 11). The Commission now has to publish another call for bids for the appointment of a new consultant, in order to have all the facts enabling it to decide whether Italy complied with its obligations. Its final decision will be delayed.