Brussels, 03/09/2003 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday, the European Commission said it planned to make a careful examination of rescue aid that the French government plans to grant Alstom (see EUROPE of 22 August, p.4). Spokesperson for Commissioner Monti Tilman Lueder said that the Commission needed "to look at all the measures" proposed by France to rescue Alstom before describing the aid proposed by the French government as a rescue operation. "We won't go for a two-step approach", the spokesperson said, adding that French aid is "one big package which needs to be assessed".
During his meeting with European Commissioners last week, French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin defended the cause of Alstom, saying that Europe should help its main industrial poles (EUROPE of 28 August, p.4).
Tilman Lueder recalled for his part that there are many major competitors in the rail and maritime engineering sectors, such as Siemens, ABB Ltd, Bombardier Inc, General Electric, Aker Kvaerner ASA, Fincantieri and Izar. "Competition is sufficient. It is not true that if Alstom were to leave the market that would lead to a monopoly", he concluded.
The Commission is to decide over coming weeks whether a formal inquiry into State aid should be launched. The inquiry would last at least eighteen months.