Brussels, 29/09/2000 (Agence Europe) - Reacting to articles in the press, the European Commission spokesman explained the following:
a) AOL/Time Warner and Time Warner/EMI mergers. The Commission has received new undertakings by the firms concerned and is examining them. These proposals arrived after the normal deadline, but this is allowed in exceptional circumstances and if the new undertakings are likely to eliminate the Commission's doubts. Commissioner Mario Monti may therefore modify his earlier position and once again convene the advisory committee on concerted practices (in which Member States are represented) to update it on the case. Reports in the press to the effect that the Time Warner/AOL merger would be authorised but the Time Warner/EMI plan banned may not have any grounds in reality;
b) Vivendi/Seagram merger. The parties submitted undertakings to the Commission before the end of the preliminary four-week review. The investigation period has thus been extended by two weeks and it is possible (but not certain) that, if the undertakings are sufficient, the Commission may approve the operation without proceeding with a four-month investigation.