Q&A: Remaining steps in GM's sale of Opel

(Reuters) - Germany expects the European Commission to approve state aid for Opel, even as Brussels warned that any support for the European carmaker being sold by General Motors needs to adhere to EU rules.

Opel parent General Motors agreed this week to sell a 55 percent stake of the company to Canada's Magna and Russia's Sberbank. Germany has promised 4.5 billion euros ($6.6 billion) in state guarantees.

Below are some questions and answers about what happens next:

WHEN WILL THE DEAL CLOSE?

GM's chief negotiator on the Opel sale, John Smith, said the deal was expected to close by November 30. That is also the date on which a 1.5 billion euro loan Opel has already received from the German government matures.

WHO WILL PUT UP THE 4.5 BILLION EUROS IN GUARANTEES?

Germany has said it could provide the full amount up front and later collect contributions from other European countries that are home to Opel factories, such as Spain and Belgium. It is so far unclear when the European governments plan to pitch in.

COULD THE EU BLOCK THE AID?

The European Commission has said that any aid for Opel will have to adhere to EU rules. It has not yet given any indication of whether it would approve support for the carmaker.

It has also said that aid should not be tied to geographic conditions, such as demands that no German factories be shut down.

HOW MANY JOBS CUTS AND PLANT CLOSURES ARE PLANNED?

Labour representatives hope to start talks on wage and jobs cuts with the new owners of Opel as early as next week. About 20 percent of Opel's 50,000 jobs are to be cut under Magna's plan.

In addition, Opel workers -- who will have a 10 percent stake in New Opel -- are to help save 260 million euros by doing without wage increases and Christmas bonuses.

Magna has said it could close a Belgian plant in Antwerp and a British factory in Luton if it failed to lure new contracts that would use their capacity.

WHAT ELSE DO GM, BERLIN AND MAGNA NEED TO AGREE ON?

GM has said several key issues needed to be finalized to get the Opel deal with Magna done, but chief negotiator John Smith described them as "garden variety" issues which should be overcome easily.

Two people close to the deal told Reuters on Friday that further details to be worked out concern primarily the German federal and state government's commitments to provide aid for Opel and did not pose a threat to the deal's completion.

(Reporting by Maria Sheahan; editing by John Stonestreet)