The amount of the transaction approach the 3

Less than a month after having acquired 29 of the capital of Parmalat, the French dairy group Lactalis announced Tuesday morning that he had decided to launch an offensive to acquire all of the transalpine firm. The amount of the transaction approach the 3.4 billion euros.

Lactalis has noted that he totally wants to "respect the Italian character of Parmalat", the time seemed rather chosen. Observers feared such that additional friction appeared between Paris and Rome Summit agenda even as turmoil by Lactalis entry to Parmalat capital are still very present in minds across the Alps. But Silvio Berlusconi told a press conference that he did not "that the OPA is hostile".

Whatever it is, the announcement of the OPA sounding record for Rome maps. The Fund deposits Italian, controlled by the State, and the Italian financial partners (banks and funds) were considering, according to sources close to the record, offer over 60 of Parmalat for about 3 billion but bid over Lactalis would now cost them around 5 billion.

Silvio Berlusconi hopes that the Italian alliance will make proposals to Lactalis, so that the Italians take a stake in Parmalat and avoid and OPA "is coming to an end." "Lactalis is the first purchaser of milk to Parmalat." "We are condemned to a solution," said his side Nicolas Sarkozy. The Cavaliere also raised overall the "common desire" of the Italy and the France "to create large groups" transnational. "This will be for the benefit of the Italy and it will be for the benefit of France (.)". "There is no place to be a war", said the head of the French State.

With the market also, Lactalis offer reactions were very positive as soon as the morning: at the Milan Stock Exchange, the Parmalat action earned 11.25 to EUR 2,572, adjusting almost at the proposed price, to 2.60 (21.3 over the course of stock market of Parmalat Bonus 12 months).

The French group explains his decision by the "change of the regulatory framework." the Berlusconi Government has taken urgently, in March, a decree-law to try to prevent him from taking control of Parmalat. The measure has to postpone the annual general meeting of Parmalat. Goal: set up a consortium of Italian shareholders with banks, Intesa Sanpaolo, UniCredit and Mediobanca.

Combined, the two companies realize turnover pro forma about 14 billion euros, which would position the new set as the global dairy leader. Lactalis, which is not listed, said he wanted to maintain the listing of the Group of Parma and "undertakes therefore to restore if necessary the floating minimum for a regular quotation of the shares in Parmalat."

"We have an ambitious growth for Parmalat, to an Italian group of reference in the milk of consumption at the global level with headquarters, its organization and its management in Italy" said in a release Emmanuel Besnier, the President of Lactalis. Moreover, through its project, the French group does not transfer "in Parmalat activities in the area of milk including France and Spain", where he spent the superior in speed