国际英语新闻：EC expresses concern over Opel aid

BRUSSELS, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- A top European Union competition official has expressed concern over Germany's planned financial aid for a deal that would see car-parts maker Magna and a partner take a majority share in troubled carmaker Opel.

    EU Commissioner for Competition Neelie Kroes voiced her concerns by writing to German Economics Minister Karl Theodor zu Guttenberg, a news release from the EU's executive Commission said here on Friday.

    Kroes wrote that there were significant indications that the German government's promised aid to Opel was on condition that a specific bidder was selected to acquire a majority of the shares in the carmaker.

    Such a precondition would be incompatible with EU state aid and internal market rules, she noted.

    She urged the German government to give Opel's parent company GM an opportunity to reconsider the outcome of the bidding process on the basis of firm written assurances that the aid would be available irrespective of the choice of investor.

    The Commission said that Kroes also sent the letter to Austria, Britain, Spain, Belgium, Poland and Hungary, where Opel has activities.