Eon bid is first challenge for new Spanish industry minister

Joan Clos, the former mayor of Barcelona, assumed one of the most demanding jobs in Spanish government, September 2006, when he started work as minister for industry, tourism, and commerce. He first has to deal with a row with the European Commission over government efforts to frustrate a €27bn takeover bid by Eon, the German energy group, for Endesa, Spain's largest electricity utility.