The European Commission on Friday reiterated its concerns over Microsoft Corp.'s plans to buy MediaOne Group Inc.'s 29.7 percent stake in British cable company Telewest Communications.
Published:
30 May 2000 y., Tuesday
A statement of objections is a legal document setting out the EU antitrust watchdog's competition concerns and asking the companies involved to offer concessions to address them. Microsoft has requested a hearing to put across its arguments why the deal should be cleared. European Competition Commissioner Mario Monti said on March 22 that he had opened a four-month probe into Microsoft's plan, highlighting concerns about reduced competition in various areas of the digital cable industry. He said there were concerns in particular about the provision of software for digital set-top boxes in Britain and its impact for the choice of British cable subscribers. Monti also said he was worried the deal would strengthen Telewest's existing position as an exclusive supplier of cable services to customers within its franchise area, and undertakings already offered by the companies had been insufficient to ease these concerns.
Telewest, which does not currently use Microsoft technology in its set-top boxes, said it welcomed Microsoft as a potential shareholder. The investigation comes as Microsoft faces the possibility of being split up after being found guilty in the United States of breaking antitrust laws.
Copying, publishing, announcing any information from the News.lt portal without written permission of News.lt editorial office is prohibited.
The most popular articles
Standard & Poor's (S&P) affirmed Lithuania's long-term investment grade sovereign foreign currency BBB credit rating and removed it from a CreditWatch negative position, citing government commitments to address deteriorating public finances.
more »
The EBRD-EIB Multilateral Carbon Credit Fund (MCCF) and Azerenerji Joint Stock Company are collaborating in order to promote energy-efficient power generation in Azerbaijan.
more »
U.S. President Barack Obama, meeting with the leaders of Mexico and Canada, called on all three nations hit by the global recession to avoid resorting to protectionism.
more »
A 10-year $75 million EBRD loan will finance the construction of a combined heat and power plant in the east Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk which is expected to improve energy efficiency and cut pollution by 14 percent thanks to the use of more environmentally-friendly technologies.
more »
The Directorate-General for Competition has issued a review of the aid schemes introduced by Member States and approved by the Commission during the financial crisis.
more »
Rescue planes from New Zealand have been taking part in a massive search for passengers after a ferry sank off the coast of Tonga. At least 27 people are missing.
more »
Courtney Adams has always loved cooking. As a kid she baked brownies for her friends and in college her apartment was the place to go to for a home-cooked meal. But she never thought she'd cook for a living.
more »
The European Commission has authorised, under EC Treaty state aid rules, a scheme offering reduced-interest loans to businesses investing in the production of environmentally friendly products, as part of the German package to tackle the current economic crisis.
more »
Ramūnas Bičiulaitis, former board member and financial director of AB LEO LT, starts working as head of the Finance Department of Danske Bankas.
more »
The EBRD has kept up a rapid pace in the syndicated loans market, defying difficult market conditions and pulling together nine deals so far this year, worth a total €1.2 billion.
more »