EC to give Alitalia-Etihad ruling Nov 3

(ANSA) - Brussels, September 30 - The European Commission will give its ruling on Alitalia's lifesaving recent deal with Etihad Airlines on November 3, EC sources said Tuesday.
    A dossier on the deal reached the EC Tuesday, they said.
    Transport Minister Maurizio Lupi said he was sending the file after meeting Etihad CEO James Hogan in Rome on September 11.
    Lupi said he planned to meet Transport Commissioner Joaquin Almunia by the end of September - but has not yet managed to do so.
    Hogan was in Rome for two days of meetings with Lupi, Alitalia CEO Gabriele Del Torchio and others to tie up the early August deal. Del Torchio said 400 Alitalia workers had so far opted for voluntary redundancy under the deal's restructuring provisions.
    Alitalia Chairman Roberto Colaninni said Hogan was in Rome to explain future strategic plans for Alitalia as part of "an open and honest dialogue with our employees (going) forward together to transform our business" .
    Etihad, which is investing 560-million euros for a 49% stake in struggling Alitalia, has promised to ultimately spend as much as 1.758 billion euros on the carrier, if the deal signed last month is approved by regulators.
    Del Torchio said at the time that he expected the key EC anti-trust ruling on Etihad's investment in November.
    "I don't see any particular problems," from regulators, said Del Torchio, who previously announced he would resign as CEO in October amid expected major management changes including Colaninni's resignation.
    The investment deal required major concessions by unionized employees including layoffs and salary reductions.
    Etihad, based in the United Arab Emirates, demanded cuts of 2,250 jobs, but the Italian government has said it has found ways to re-employ at least half of the affected workers.
    While the deal, which was formally signed August 9, will keep Alitalia in the air, it also offers Etihad a stronger foothold in Europe and access to lucrative routes.