login
login

Europe Daily Bulletin No. 7710

5 May 2000
Contents Publication in full By article 37 / 47
ECONOMIC INTERPENETRATION / (eu) agri-food

The American group BESTFOODS ($8.6 bn turnover in 1999) has rejected a 18.3 bn euro bid, representing $66 a share from the Anglo-Dutch group UNILEVER (41.043 bn euro turnover in 1999). BESTFOODS considered this offer as being "unsolicited" and "financially inadequate". In addition, according to the economic daily Handelsblatt, UNILEVER is considering taking a stake in the capital of the German pharmaceutical group BEIERSDORF ("Nivea", "Tesa" and "Hansaplast" brands; net profit of 175.37...

Contents

THE DAY IN POLITICS
(EU) EU/INSTITUTIONAL REFORM: Opposition -for different reasons- by Member States to Presidency's suggestions for extension of qualified majority (especially concerning taxation and structural funds)
(EU) EP/MOTO: The motto "Unity in Diversity" is presented to the President
(EU) EU/GREECE/TURKEY:
(EU) EU/CYPRUS:
(EU) EU/ZIMBABWE:
(EU) EP/NATIONAL FRONT:
GENERAL NEWS
(EU) EU/UNITED STATES: European Commission welcomes American initiative over "foreign sales corporations", but remains careful over contents of Washington plan
(EU) EU/UNITED STATES: European Commission asserts that EU respected all undertakings in case of Airbus aid and remains calm in face of American accusations
(EU) EU/BANANAS: Ecuador is optimistic over an imminent agreement with European Union
(EU) EU/INTERNAL MARKET: European Commission clarified its guidelines concerning application of single market rules to "concessions" through which public authorities confer to a third party management of a public service
(EU) EP/TRANS-EUROPEAN NETWORKS: MEPs call for completion six years after Essen summit - European Commission reaffirms its commitment - Discussion on Brenner project
(EU) EP/SWITZERLAND: Parliament issues assent for bilateral agreements with Switzerland
(EU) EP/FOOD AID:
(EU) EP/DEVELOPMENT:
(EU) EP/AIR TRANSPORT: Two different concepts in EP, one in favour of total liberalisation, the other placing emphasis on environment and safety
(EU) EP/ETHIOPIA: Parliament calls on Ethiopia and Eritrea to allow delivery of aid to victims of famine through all ports in the region
(EU) EP/FRAUD: Rothley welcomes the order of the Court of First Instance on Olaf investigations within the European Parliament
(EU) EP/COMPETITION:
(EU) EU/ELECTRONIC COMMERCE: Parliament having approved the Council's "common position" without amendments, the directive on electronic commerce is definitively adopted - Fontaine and Bolkestein welcome this success
(EU) EU/FISHERIES: Restructuring of Community fleet still insufficient - Towards revision of MAGP IV?
(EU) EU/STATE AID: Commission authorises Danish and Swedish tax benefits for recruitment of experts abroad
(EU) EU/STATE AID: Commission approves Swedish regional aid system
(EU) EU/COMPETITION: Commission authorises merger between Alcoa and Reynolds Metals (alumunium) under certain conditions
(EU) EU/COMPETITION: Commission approves acquisition of Union Carbide by Dow Chemical (chemicals, plastics) after the parties make undertakings
(EU) EU/COMPETITION: Commission endorses merger between Ocean and Exel (logistics services)
(EU) EU/COMPETITION: Commission authorises joint venture between Hitachi and NEC to produce DRAMs
(EU) EU/ENVIRONMENT: First official visit by Margot Wallström to Czech Republic
(EU) EU/INSURANCE:
(EU) EU/PUBLIC HEALTH: Commission again proposes exclusion from the food chain of specified risk marterials in a move to reduce risk of public exposure to BSE
(EU) EU/TRANSPORT: European Commission and European Space Agency open joint office for Galileo programme
(EU) EU/SOCIAL: New Community Support Framework to promote education, training and employment in the United Kingdom for next seven years (with European financing of EUR 4.7 billion)
(EU) EU/UNEMPLOYMENT: New drop in unemployment in EU as well and Euro-zone
(EU) EU/COMMISSION: Mr. Valenzuela Marzo new deputy Director General of External Relations responsible for CFSP
(EU) EP/COMMISSION: Positive comments (and some questions) by Euro-MPs on changes in upper administration
(EU) EU/COMMISSION: Netherlands are "unpleasantly surprised" by fact that Carlo Trojan is not Secretary General of European commission - Italy regrets loss of important post
ECONOMIC INTERPENETRATION
(EU) Electronics:
(EU) Agri-food:
(EU) Agri-food:
(EU) Agri-food:
(EU) Flooring:
(EU) Construction:
(EU) Construction:
(EU) Cement:
(EU) Leasing:
(EU) Optics:
(EU) Internet:
VALUE OF THE EURO IN DIFFERENT CURRENCIES 05/05/2000: