According to comments reported by the International Herald Tribune, Mr Conti’s meeting with Ms Kroes was productive and friendly.
Enel declared its willingness to play a relevant role in the energy sector within an open and competitive Europe thus providing greater benefits to consumers, companies and families, Mr Conti was reported as saying.
My trip to Brussels is only a small contribution towards the creation of clear and open rules that are equal for all potential competitors in order to create the basis for a common European energy policy.
Ms Kroes has already held talks with executives from Gaz de France and Suez, which are set to merge under a contentious deal brokered by the French government.
Enel was planning an approach of its own for Suez and feels that Paris intervened in a manner contrary to EU competition rules in a bid to keep the group in French hands.
With the Gaz de France-Suez tie-up unlikely to be finalized before the autumn, there is still talk that Enel may mount a hostile counter-bid for the firm. However this prospect appeared to recede somewhat on March 21 following reports in France’s Les Echos newspaper suggesting Enel has been forced to delay any move until after the forthcoming Italian elections, scheduled for April 9/10.
Indeed, reports in Italy hint that Enel may be satisfied with a deal that sees it inherit some of the assets that Suez and GdF may have to sell under antitrust rules. Enel is thought to be particularly interested in Suez’s Distrigaz unit and its share of Elia, according to the newspaper.
