Paris (AFP)
Alstom announced Thursday that it will propose several measures to the European Commission, including the sale of its production site in Reichshoffen (Bas-Rhin) and facilities on a site in Germany, in order to be able to buy out its competitor Bombardier Transport .
"To respond to the initial concerns of the European Commission", guardian of competition in Europe, "Alstom, in coordination with Bombardier Transportation and the Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec (CDQP), today announces its intention to submit a certain number of commitments, "said the group in a press release.
Alstom proposes in particular to sell its regional trains for the French market, Coradia Polyvalent, and its production site in Reichshoffen in France.
The group is also said to be ready to sell the Bombardier Talent 3 platform - self-propelled vehicles sold in Germany and Austria - as well as "corresponding production facilities located at the Hennigsdorf site", north of Berlin, Germany.
The company will also provide "third-party access to certain interfaces and products of the various Bombardier Transportation on-board signaling units and train control management systems".
Finally, the new set would refocus on Alstom's high-speed trains (TGV), after having transferred the contribution from Bombardier Transport to other high-speed trains (V300 Zefiro).
These commitments "are subject to the approval of the European Commission", specifies Alstom which estimates that the acquisition of Bombardier Transport "remains on track for a closing planned for the first semester of the year 2021".
Alstom had notified last month its plans to buy its competitor Bombardier Transportation for 6 billion euros to the European Commission, which has until July 16 for a first review of the case.
In February 2019, Brussels had vetoed a plan to take over Alstom by the German group Siemens, fearing an overly dominant position in Europe in railway signaling and high-speed trains.
With a combined turnover of more than 15 billion euros and an order book exceeding 75 billion, the Alstom-Bombardier marriage must create a powerful group, capable of facing the Chinese behemoth CRRC.
The two groups currently have a virtual monopoly on rolling stock in France, where they collaborate regularly as on the Paris metro and RER.
© 2020 AFP