- Czech Republic: 1) EDF of France is candidate for privatisation of the electricity company CEZ (turnover EUR 1.5 billion in 2000 with an installed capacity of around 10,000 megawatts, amounting to 66% of the country's total capacity). In August, the Czech government put the group up for privatisation. It holds most of the capital as well as six of the eight regional electricity distribution companies. CEZ, whose stock exchange capitalisation reached EUR 5.4 billion at the end of 2000, is now being eyed by many European companies because of the Czech Republic's strategic situation, being among the largest electricity producers of Central Europe. 2) Furthermore, EDF is candidate for acquisition of 97% of the capital of the national company TRANSGAZ (gas), the second largest Czech company after CEZ in terms of turnover (that is, EUR 1.2 billion annually) as well as six of the eight electricity distribution companies. For this, it has become associated with Italian SNAM and German RUHRGAS. The three partners also made an offer for partial privatisation (49%) of the Slovakian gas company SPP. - Brazil: ABN AMRO buys up the privatised PARAIBAN for US $29.4 million. The Dutch bank is also candidate for buying up BESG, an operation that could begin next month.