Friday, January 29, 2021
Countries on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean are increasingly concerned with the spread of the COVID variants, as they work to ramp up vaccination efforts and impose travel restrictions on those countries where these variants are active. The European Union (EU) signaled this week that it might move forward with a proposal that seeks to improve export transparency on the COVID experimental vaccines produced within its boundaries. Separately, the European Commission is moving forward with efforts to devise a sustainable food systems chapter for its existing and future trade agreements.
In this issue we cover:
COVID-19 updates in the EU, UK and US
[PARIS] French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire on Thursday welcomed the Biden administration's "active participation" in talks on taxing global giants, as well as trailing reduced tensions after years of transatlantic trade battles. Read more at The Business Times.
Takeover talks between Carrefour and Couche-Tard have been halted. However, both companies are looking at how they can work more closely together in the future.
French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire is already threatening to torpedo a possible takeover deal between Carrefour and Canadian Couche-Tard under the guise of "food sovereignty".
Fincantieri accepts proposal Italy and France plan to send letter to Commission - minister EU regulators want to know impact of virus on industry - source
PARIS/MILAN, Dec 30 (Reuters) - France has offered Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri a one-month extension to its planned acquisition of French rival Chantiers de l’Atlantique, the finance ministry said in a statement sent to Reuters on Wednesday.
State-controlled Fincantieri has accepted the proposal, a spokesman said.
The agreement between France and Fincantieri was due to expire on Thursday, after repeated deadline extensions following competition concerns over the merger of two global leaders and the deal has yet to receive European antitrust approval.