PARIS (Standard&Poor's) Dec. 16, 2003--Standard&Poor's Ratings Services said today that announcements made by the European Commission regarding France-based Electricité de France (EDF; AA-/Negative/A-1+), the world's largest electric utility, have no impact on the company's ratings or outlook. The Commission announced today that: -- It has requested EDF to make a tax-related payment of €889 million plus interest to the French state, -- The French government has agreed to eliminate EDF's unlimited state guarantee by end-2004 (by way of a change of the company's EPIC status), and -- A draft reform of EDF's pension scheme is compatible with state-aid rules. The €889 million payment, although material, is a nonrecurrring item. The main rating uncertainties continue to be
