The German group RWE has carried off the auction bidding organised by the Czech Government for the privatisation of TRANSGAS, the country's gas company, as well as stakes in 8 regional gas distributors. The offers made by GAZ DE FRANCE, allied for this occasion to German RUHRGAS, and of a consortium associating DUKE ENERGY and E.ON have been put to one side. RWE paid out EUR 4.1 billion for this, an amount clearly above the floor price of EUR 3 billion. TRANSGAS made a turnover of EUR 1.3 billion in 2001 with 1450 employees. Regional companies achieved sales of EUR 1.2 billion. See E.I. of 10 November.