WRITTEN QUESTION E-3085/02 by Jonas Sjöstedt (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Competition on the feed market in Sweden.
Date: 2002-10-28
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Sweden, control of restrictive practices, food industry, manufactured feedingstuffs, merger control

C 161 E/64

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

10.7.2003

This programme is funded from EIB’s own resources and does not involve any financial support from the
Community budget. The terms and conditions of the loans are exclusively determined by the EIB according
to their normal practice.

The improved availability of medium and long term funding in the Swedish market should in itself be of
independent of its pricing which, nevertheless,
prime value to small and medium enterprises (SMEs),
remains competitive with alternative products. The EIB’s priority remains to promote the availability of a
wider range of financial products in favour of SMEs, including new products as and when they become
available.

(2003/C 161 E/067)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3085/02

by Jonas Sjöstedt (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(28 October 2002)

Subject: Competition on the feed market in Sweden

Some farmers in Sweden fear that competition on the Swedish feed market will be undermined once
Svenska Lantmännen takes over a minority holding of 49 % in Svenska Foder. Although Svenska
Lantmännen says that its Danish partner DLG will have operational responsibility, two directors’ posts will
fall to Svenska Lantmännen. It is not improbable either that Svenska Lantmännen and DLG will merge in
the future. In the agricultural sector, collaboration between the two companies may be strengthened.

Will the Commission examine this case to assess whether there is a risk that competition on the Swedish
feed market will now deteriorate?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(6 December 2002)

According to a press release from the Danish agribusiness group DLG, it appears that DLG, under an
agreement with the Swedish agribusiness group Svenska Lantmännen, has indeed acquired a 51 % stake in
Svenska Foder AB, a Swedish company which operates inter alia on the animal feed market in southern
Sweden. Under the same agreement Svenska Lantmännen acquires 49 % of Svenska Foder.

DLG, in the said press release, also states that it will, in accordance with the competition rules, notify the
relevant agreements to the Swedish competition authorities.

It would seem, therefore, that the Swedish authorities will examine this transaction on the basis of the
relevant national legislation and asses whether there is a risk that competition on the Swedish feed market
will now deteriorate.

If, however,
would examine the case.

it would appear that the criteria for Community dimension are fulfilled, the Commission

(2003/C 161 E/068)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3087/02

by Jonas Sjöstedt (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(28 October 2002)

Subject: State aid to the German pulp industry

According to the newspaper Dagens Industri, on 17 September 2002 the Commission approved state aid
and loan guarantees totalling SEK 6,5 billion to a huge pulp plant at Stendal in Germany. The Swedish
company Södra claims that the German state aid is a direct blow to their plans for expansion. Swedish