European Press Roundup: German Minister Backs Self-Driving; COO Says 'No Cheating' at Renault

In Europe today, the European Commission conditionally approved Bayer's acquisition of Monsanto, while Ubisoft shares gained after Vivendi said it plans to sell its entire stake in the maker of videogames. Read about the above topics on Dow Jones Newswires or WSJ.com.

In Other Media...

Germany's transport minister, Andreas Scheuer, continues to support tests for self-driving vehicles in the country, despite an accident in the U.S. involving an Uber autonomous car. He called the accident tragic but said Germany needs to take advantage of the "big opportunities" that new digital innovations offer. -Augsburger Allgemeine

Renault Chief Operating Officer Thierry Bollore says "there is no cheating--period" at the French car maker. Commenting on Renault's alliance with Nissan and Mitsubishi, Mr. Bollore says synergies should be fully exploited. "We want to make our alliance irreversible," he says. -Sueddeutsche Zeitung

Accountancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers faces questions from the U.K. government's work and pensions committee over its role in the collapse of contractor Carillion. PwC, which advised the bankrupted company, was accused of "milking the Carillion cow dry," by the committee's chair, Frank Field. -The Guardian

French GDP should rise by 0.4% in both the first and the second quarters of 2018--a slower pace than the year previous--driven mainly by commercial investment, according to statistics agency INSEE. -Le Figaro

Thirteen British members of parliament have threatened to vote down a proposed Brexit transition deal over concerns about its impact on the fishing industry. The group of Conservative parliamentarians said in an open letter to Prime Minister Teresa May that the agreement represents a continuation of the EU's control over the U.K.'s fishing policy, and would harm coastal communities. -The Guardian

German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz has hired Joerg Kukies, Goldman Sachs' co-head for operations in Germany and Austria, as his deputy. -Bild

Spanish airport operator Aena has until April 6 to decide if it wants to secure full control of Luton Airport, after receiving a letter from minority shareholder Ardian on its intention to divest itself of its 49% stake. State-controlled Aena, which controls 51% of the airport, has a preferential purchase right for Ardian's stake. -El Economista

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(END) Dow Jones Newswires

March 21, 2018 08:48 ET (12:48 GMT)

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