Court

• Commission welcomes European Court of Justice judgment in sodium gluconate cartel case
  19 March 2009
  The Court ruled in case C-510/06 on an appeal by Archer Daniels Midlands against the CFI judgment of 27 September 2006, in case T-329/01, upholding a Commission decision of October 2001 fining a worldwide Sodium Gluconate cartel. The CoJ dismissed the appeal entirely and confirmed, in particular, the fine imposed on ADM.
  

Conferences and Speeches

• The forthcoming Broadcasting Communication: Measures to promote broadband, Education, Culture and Science Committee of the Dutch Parliament, Den Haag, Neelie Kroes
  19 March 2009
  "The Commission is serious about listening to Europe's citizens and to the governments and parliaments which represent Europe's citizens in the Member States. This is why I have asked my department to hold two full public consultations with stakeholders and to carefully analyse all replies received and to publish them on our website. This is why I went to Strasbourg to explain the draft in the European Parliament and to listen to the views of the representatives of the European citizens. And this is also why I am here today, to listen to the views of the representatives of the Dutch citizens."
  
• The urgent need for leadership, Address at High-Level Conference on Industrial Competitiveness, Brussels, Neelie Kroes
  17 March 2009
  "Aside from the lessons of the 1930s about what happens when we build walls between our economies, for Europe it would simply be madness to throw away the current benefits of our Single Market. To exchange decades of peace and prosperity for nothing more than the chance to fund a few loud, politically connected companies, would be the definition of tragedy. We would be propping up structurally inefficient companies, then leaving our children and grandchildren to foot the bill."
  

Antitrust

• Commission confirms sending Statement of Objections to ENI concerning the Italian gas market
  19 March 2009
  On 6 March, the Commission sent a Statement of Objections to the Italian ENI group, setting out its preliminary view that the management and operation of natural gas transmission pipelines by ENI may be in breach of Article 82 EC Treaty. The behaviour concerns alleged capacity hoarding, capacity degradation and strategic underinvestment in ENI's international transmission pipeline system. These practices allegedly took place despite very significant short- and long-term demand from third party shippers. The Statement of Objections indicates that these practices may have weakened competitors on the market and harmed customers in Italy. (B-1)
  
• Commission opens German gas market to competition by accepting commitments from RWE to divest transmission network
  18 March 2009
  The Commission rendered legally binding commitments offered by RWE to address concerns raised in the course of an investigation under EC antitrust rules (see MEMO/06/205). The Commission had concerns that RWE may have abused the dominant position on its gas transmission network to restrict its competitors' access to the network. The Commission's suspicion related to a possible refusal to supply gas transmission services to other companies and to behaviour aiming at lowering the margins of RWE's downstream competitors in gas supply ("margin squeeze"). In reaction to the Commission's concerns, RWE offered to divest its entire Western German high-pressure gas transmission network. (B-1)
  

State Aid

• Commission approves Slovenian liquidity scheme for financial sector
  20 March 2009
  The Commission approved a Slovenian support scheme to stabilise financial markets by providing state loans to eligible financial institutions. The Commission found the measure to be in line with its October 2008 Guidance Communication on state aid to overcome the financial crisis (see IP/08/1495). In particular, the scheme is non-discriminatory, limited in time and scope, provides for behavioural constraints to avoid abuses and is subject to a market-oriented remuneration from the beneficiaries. (D-3)
  
• Commission authorises temporary Belgian scheme allowing subsidised state guarantees to boost real economy
  20 March 2009
  The Commission approved a Belgian scheme aimed at companies in Flanders encountering financing difficulties as a result of the credit squeeze in the current economic crisis. The scheme provides aid in the form of subsidised guarantees for investment and working capital loans concluded by 31 December 2010. It meets the conditions of the Commission’s Temporary Framework for state aid measures to support access to finance during the crisis (see IP/08/1993), because it is appropriate to remedy a serious disturbance in the entire Belgian economy, is limited in time, respects the relevant thresholds and applies only to companies that were not in difficulty on 1 July 2008. (H-1)
  
• Commission authorises Latvian temporary aid scheme to grant aid of up to €500 000
  20 March 2009
  The Commission authorised a Latvian measure allowing for aid of up to €500 000 per firm to be granted in 2009 and 2010 to businesses facing funding problems because of the current credit squeeze. The aid will be granted in form of public guarantees. The scheme meets the conditions of the Commission’s Temporary Framework for state aid measures, which gives Member States additional scope to facilitate access to financing during the crisis (see IP/08/1993). (H-1)
  
• Overview of national measures adopted as a response to the financial and economic crisis
  17 March 2009
  
• Commission approves modification of French risk capital scheme to boost real economy
  16 March 2009
  The Commission approved a temporary increase in investment tranches of a French risk-capital scheme, approved by the Commission in March 2008 (see IP/08/434). The proposed modifications are in line with the Commission's Temporary Framework for state aid measures to support access to finance during the crisis (see IP/08/1993). In particular, the increase in investment tranches will be possible only until the end of 2010. (H-2)