(Adds details, context)
MADRID, Nov 17 (Reuters) - The Spanish government on Tuesday
widened restrictions on foreign takeovers of strategic Spanish
companies so that they also apply to bids coming from companies
based in the European Union, Economy Minister Nadia Calvino told
a news conference.
The restrictions will be in place until the end of June and
do not constitute a ban, but during that time foreign companies
will have to submit takeover proposals to the government for
evaluation, Calvino said.
This is likely to affect the potential acquisition of
Spanish carrier Air Europa by International Consolidated
Airlines Group (IAG), among others.
Earlier on Tuesday, news website El Confidencial cited
unidentified sources as saying IAG had managed to cut the
purchase price for Air Europa to 300-400 million euros
($355-$474 million).
(Reporting by Belen Carreno and Inti Landauro
Editing by Andrei Khalip, Ingrid Melander)