do-me/EUR-LEX huggingface dataset:
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2373/02 by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission. GATS.
Date: 2002-08-02
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: GATS, award of contract, common commercial policy, competition law, environmental protection, public contract, services contract

C 110 E/52

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

8.5.2003

(2003/C 110 E/053)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2373/02

by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission

(2 August 2002)

Subject: GATS

Local authorities are obliged to ensure that any contracts for services above a certain threshold are opened
to competition throughout the EU. Can the European Commission advise what, if any, threshold applies to
services which are subject to GATS?

(2003/C 110 E/054)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2374/02

by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission

(2 August 2002)

Subject: GATS

Local authorities in the UK promote environmental and social goals through the procurement of goods
and services, for example by specifying the use of recycled paper and timber from renewable resources.
Can the European Commission provide information on how GATS will
local and national
government’s ability to include environmental and social criteria in their procurement activity?

limit

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-2373/02 and E-2374/02
given by Mr Lamy on behalf of the Commission

(25 September 2002)

Article XIII-1 of the GATS stipulates that the provisions of the GATS concerning MFN, market access and
national treatment (i.e. GATS Articles II, XVI and XVII) do not apply to ‘laws, regulations or requirements
governing the procurement by governmental agencies of services purchased for governmental purposes
and not with a view to commercial resale or with a view to use in the supply of services for commercial
resale’.

GATS Article XIII-2 gives World Trade Organisation (WTO) Members a mandate to develop multilateral
rules to be applied to government procurement of services under the GATS. Until such multilateral rules
are agreed, GATS does not impose any obligation/constraint on thresholds, nor on the possibility to
promote environmental and social considerations when awarding contracts.

In the context of GATS Article XIII-2 negotiations, the European Communities and their Member States
have tabled a proposal on 15 July 2002 (S/WPGR/W/39) on a general framework for such rules. This
framework and the implementation of clear procurement rules (in particular transparency rules) would
contribute to good governance. This proposal suggests for instance that criteria used by public authorities
in their procurement activity should be transparent. It also stresses the flexibility offered by GATS to WTO
Members, who can decide which sectors to open up to international competition and which restrictions to
market access and national treatment to maintain. We will of course keep in mind our domestic regime,
regarding in particular thresholds and the taking into account of environmental and social requirements,
when negotiating future GATS rules.
Interest rate applied by the European Central Bank to its main refinancing operations: 3,30 % on 1 August 2002 — Euro exchange rates
Date: 2002-08-02
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: European Central Bank, euro, exchange rate, interest

2.8.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 184/1

I

(Information)

COMMISSION

Interest rate applied by the European Central Bank to its main refinancing operations (1):

3,30 % on 1 August 2002

Euro exchange rates (2)

1 August 2002

(2002/C 184/01)

1 euro =

USD

JPY

DKK

GBP

SEK

CHF

ISK

NOK

BGN

CYP

CZK

EEK

HUF

LTL

Currency

US dollar

Japanese yen

Danish krone

Pound sterling

Swedish krona

Swiss franc

Iceland króna

Norwegian krone

Bulgarian lev

Cyprus pound

Czech koruna

Estonian kroon

Hungarian forint

Lithuanian litas

Exchange
rate

0,976

116,94

7,4291

0,6274

9,3205

1,4505

82,9

7,449

1,9468

LVL

MTL

PLN

ROL

SIT

SKK

TRL

AUD

CAD

Currency

Latvian lats

Maltese lira

Polish zloty

Romanian leu

Slovenian tolar

Slovak koruna

Turkish lira

Australian dollar

Canadian dollar

0,57448

HKD

Hong Kong dollar

30,277

NZD

New Zealand dollar

15,6466

SGD

Singapore dollar

Exchange
rate

0,5895

0,4127

4,092

32130

226,8914

44,23

1646000

1,8121

1,5461

7,6127

2,1074

1,7216

244,95

KRW

South Korean won

3,4524

ZAR

South African rand

1149,53

10,026
Prior notification of a concentration (Case COMP/M.2932 — CVC/Halfords) — Candidate case for simplified procedure (Text with EEA relevance)
Date: 2002-08-02
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: economic concentration, financial institution, merger control, motor car, retail selling, two-wheeled vehicle, vehicle parts

C 184/2

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

2.8.2002

Prior notification of a concentration

(Case COMP/M.2932 — CVC/Halfords)

Candidate case for simplified procedure

(2002/C 184/02)

(Text with EEA relevance)

On 25 July 2002 the Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to
1.
Article 4 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 4064/89 (1), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1310/97 (2),
by which the CVC Group acquires, within the meaning of Article 3(1)b of that Regulation, control of the
whole of the undertaking Halfords Limited, by way of purchase of shares.

2.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

— CVC Group: provision of investment and management advice and management of investment funds.

— Halfords Limited: retail of car parts and accessories and cycles and cycle accessories.

3.
On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified concentration could fall within
the scope of Regulation (EEC) No 4064/89. However, the final decision on this point is reserved. Pursuant
to the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under Council
Regulation (EEC) No 4064/89 (3), it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under the
procedure set out in the notice.

The Commission invites interested third parties to submit

4.
proposed operation.

their possible observations on the

Observations must reach the Commission not later than 10 days following the date of this publication.
Observations can be sent by fax (No (32-2) 296 43 01 or 296 72 44) or by post, under reference
COMP/M.2932 — CVC/Halfords, to:

European Commission,
Directorate-General for Competition,
Directorate B — Merger Task Force,
J-70,
B-1049 Brussels.

(1) OJ L 395, 30.12.1989, p. 1; corrigendum: OJ L 257, 21.9.1990, p. 13.
(2) OJ L 180, 9.7.1997, p. 1; corrigendum: OJ L 40, 13.2.1998, p. 17.
(3) OJ C 217, 29.7.2000, p. 32.