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I Information

Commission

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Euro exchange rates (1)

14 July 2005

(2005/C 175/01)

1 euro= 

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(1)

Source: reference exchange rate published by the ECB.

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Opinion of the Advisory Committee on restrictive practices and dominant positions given at its 379th meeting on 20 September 2004 concerning a preliminary draft decision in Case COMP/C.37 750 — French beer

(2005/C 175/02)

(Text with EEA relevance)

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Opinion of the Advisory Committee on restrictive practices and dominant positions given at its 380th meeting on 27 September 2004 concerning a preliminary draft decision in Case COMP/C.37.750 — French beer

(2005/C 175/03)

(Text with EEA relevance)

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Final report of the Hearing Officer in Case COMP/37.750 — Brasseries Kronenbourg, Brasseries Heineken

(pursuant to Article 15 of Commission Decision 2001/462/EC, ECSC of 23 May 2001 on the terms of reference of Hearing Officers in certain competition proceedings — OJ L 162, 19.6.2001, p. 21)

(2005/C 175/04)

(Text with EEA relevance)

The draft decision in the present case does not give rise to particular comments on the proceedings.

On 5 February 2004 the Commission sent a Statement of Objections to Groupe Danone, Brasserie Kronenbourg S.A, Heineken N.V and Heineken France S.A. Access to file was granted on 10 and 11 February 2004 for Groupe Danone and Brasserie Kronenbourg S.A. and on 12 February 2004 for Heineken N.V and Heineken S.A.

The parties responded in writing between 2 and 6 April 2004. All parties waived their right to an oral hearing.

In the light of responses to the Statement of Objections, the Commission limited the scope of the objections against the parties.

I conclude that the rights to be heard have been respected in the present case. The draft decision deals only with objections in respect of which the parties have been afforded the opportunity of making known their views.

Brussels, 22 September 2004.

Karen WILLIAMS

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Information communicated by Member States regarding State aid granted under Commission Regulation (EC) No 70/2001 of 12 January 2001 on the application of Articles 87 and 88 of the EC Treaty to State aid to small and medium-sized enterprises

(2005/C 175/05)

(Text with EEA relevance)

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STATE AID

(Articles 87 to 89 of the Treaty establishing the European Community)

Communication from the Commission, pursuant to Article 88(2) of the EC Treaty, to the other Member States and other interested parties

State aid C 31/2002 (ex N 149/2000) — Transitional arrangements for the electricity market — Belgium

(2005/C 175/06)

(Text with EEA relevance)

By the following letter, dated 27 April 2005, the Commission informed Belgium of its decision to terminate the procedure provided for in Article 88(2) of the EC Treaty.

‘The Belgian authorities notified the Transitional arrangements for the electricity market to the Commission under Article 88(3) of the EC Treaty by letter dated 3 March 2000, registered in the Commission on 15 March 2000.

The Commission asked the Belgian authorities for further information about the measure on several occasions. The Belgian authorities replied to these questions, the last time by letter dated 26 February 2002, registered in the Commission on 28 February 2002.

By letter sent to the Belgian authorities on 24 April 2002 the Commission initiated the procedure laid down in Article 88(2) of the EC Treaty in order to examine in more detail the part of the Transitional arrangements for the electricity market dealing with the pensions of electricity industry workers. The Commission approved the two other parts of the arrangements in the same decision. The decision was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 18 September 2002 (1).

By letter dated 18 February 2005, registered in the Commission on 23 February 2005, the Belgian authorities withdrew their notification of the part of the Transitional arrangements for the electricity market dealing with the pensions of electricity industry workers. They stated that the undertakings would continue to be responsible for funding these workers' pensions.

The Commission would point out that, under Article 8 of Council Regulation (EC) No 659/1999 of 22 March 1999 laying down detailed rules for the application of Article 93 of the EC Treaty (2), the Member State concerned may withdraw its notification in due time before the Commission has taken a decision about the aid. In cases where it has already initiated the formal investigation procedure, the Commission closes that procedure.

Consequently, the Commission has decided to close the formal investigation procedure provided for in Article 88(2) of the EC Treaty in respect of the aid in question, having noted that Belgium has withdrawn the notification.’

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(1)OJ C 222, 18.9.2002, p. 2.

(2)OJ L 83, 27.3.1999, p. 1.

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Prior notification of a concentration

(Case COMP/M.3729 — EDF/AEM/Edison)

(2005/C 175/07)

(Text with EEA relevance)

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(1)OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1.

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Prior notification of a concentration

(Case COMP/M.3881 — Phoenix/A&C Adivar-Comifar)

Candidate case for simplified procedure

(2005/C 175/08)

(Text with EEA relevance)

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(1)OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1.

(2)OJ C 56, 5.3.2005, p. 32.

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Prior notification of a concentration

(Case COMP/M.3875 — PAI Partners SAS/Kwik-Fit Group Ltd)

Candidate case for simplified procedure

(2005/C 175/09)

(Text with EEA relevance)

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(1)OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1.

(2)OJ C 56, 5.3.2005, p. 32.

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Non-opposition to a notified concentration

(Case COMP/M.3824 — EQT IV/Brandtex)

(2005/C 175/10)

(Text with EEA relevance)

On 14 June 2005, the Commission decided not to oppose the above notified concentration and to declare it compatible with the common market. This decision is based on Article 6(1)(b) of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004. The full text of the decision is available only in English and will be made public after it is cleared of any business secrets it may contain. It will be available:

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NOTICE

On 8 April 2005, in Official Journal of the European Union C 86 A, the ‘Common catalogue of agricultural plant species — First supplement to the 23rd complete edition’ and the ‘Common catalogue of varieties of vegetable species — Second supplement to the 23rd complete edition’ were published.

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