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EU News Flashes and Events for 96-05-10
From: News Distribution Manager <dist@hri.org>
CONTENTS
[01] Beef ban easing proposed
[02] BSE cost must be in EU budget
[03] UK measures eradicating BSE/Hogg
[04] Meat and bonemeal to be labelled
[05] US hormone beef imports ban
[06] EU grain export tax attacked
[07] De Silguy on EMU
[08] Commercial communications paper
[09] SAVE II budget/Bjerregaard
[10] 1.1 billion Ecus in fraud in 1995
[11] EU-Asia bilateral trade talks
[12] No copyright sanctions on China
[13] WTO sets panel in banana dispute
[14] Sea container trade deals cleared
[15] EU cancels meeting with Turkey
[16] EU role in peace process
[17] Main EU events for May 10
[01] Beef ban easing proposed
BRUSSELS - The European Commission took a tentative step on Wednesday towards
easing the worldwide ban on British beef but faced intense opposition to the
move among among Britain's European Union partners.
[02] BSE cost must be in EU budget
BRUSSELS - The cost of the Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy crisis must be
contained within the European Union's annual agricultural budget guideline, EU
Farm Commissioner Franz Fischler said on Wednesday.
[03] UK measures eradicating BSE/Hogg
LONDON - British Agriculture Minister Douglas Hogg said on Thursday that a
total ban on using mammalian protein in animal feed, introduced last month,
would gradually root out mad cow disease, or BSE.
[04] Meat and bonemeal to be labelled
BRUSSELS - Meat and bonemeal will have to be labelled under European Union
legislation to be introduced when existing regulations are revised, EU Farm
Commissioner Franz Fischler told the European Parliament.
[05] US hormone beef imports ban
VIENNA - Farm Commissioner Franz Fischler reiterated on Thursday that the EU
was against lifting a ban on U.S. hormone-treated beef and said the European
beef market would collapse if the sanctions were lifted.
[06] EU grain export tax attacked
VIENNA - European grain traders on Thursday attacked European Union grain
export policy, saying a tax on wheat and barley exports had effectively cut
off shipments to an increasingly needy world market.
[07] De Silguy on EMU
LONDON - Yves-Thibault de Silguy, the European Commissioner for Economic and
Monetary Affairs, said it could be bad for the equilibrium of Europe if
Britain stays on the sidelines of a single currency. He also said that nothing
can stop a single European currency, adding that he was convinced member
states would go ahead on time.
[08] Commercial communications paper
BRUSSELS - The European Commission on Wednesday adopted its green paper on
commercial communications, launching talks aimed at ensuring the information
highway will not be blocked by unnecessary restrictions on advertising and
other "commercial communications" services.
[09] SAVE II budget/Bjerregaard
BRUSSELS - Environment Commissioner Ritt Bjerregaard, concerned about carbon
dioxide emissions, expressed deep alarm on Wednesday over the decision by EU
energy ministers to limit the budget for the SAVE II programme on energy
efficiency to 45 million Ecus.
[10] 1.1 billion Ecus in fraud in 1995
BRUSSELS - Fraud against the European Union's budget grew to 1.1 billion Ecus
in 1995, with sophisticated international crime organisations taking a major
chunk of the money, the European Commission said on Wednesday.
[11] EU-Asia bilateral trade talks
BRUSSELS - Less than two months after being criticised for ignoring them, the
European Commission has proposed bilateral trade deals with two South Asian
nations.
[12] No copyright sanctions on China
TOKYO - The European Union distanced itself on Thursday from U.S. threats of
trade penalties against China over copyright infringement, saying there was
little likelihood it would impose independent sanctions. In BEIJING, European
Union Trade Commissioner Sir Leon Brittan said he had urged China to put its
cards on the table for entry to the World Trade Organisation.
[13] WTO sets panel in banana dispute
GENEVA - The World Trade Organisation on Wednesday agreed to set up a dispute
panel to look into the European Union's controversial banana import regime,
trade officials said.
[14] Sea container trade deals cleared
BRUSSELS - The European Commission said on Wednesday it had cleared five
separate agreements for the maritime transport of containers.
[15] EU cancels meeting with Turkey
BRUSSELS - The European Union has cancelled another association council with
Turkey because of Greece's ongoing dispute with Ankara, EU diplomats said on
Thursday.
[16] EU role in peace process
ROME - Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri called on the European Union on
Wednesday to take a more active role in brokering peace in the Middle East.
[17] Main EU events for May 10
BONN - French President Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Helmut Kohl hold
informal dinner to discuss current political issues and European integration
(Friday).
DUBLIN - European People's Party council begins at 0700 GMT (Friday);
discussions focus on Irish EU presidency programme and preparation for the
inter-governmental conference; EPP President Wilfried Martens and Irish Prime
Minister John Bruton hold joint news conference at 1045 GMT.
WINDHOEK, Namibia - Fisheries and Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Emma Bonino
meets Namibian Foreign Minister Theo-Ben Gurirab and Fishing and Marine
Resources Minister Hifikepunye Pohamba (Friday).
BRUSSELS - EU Council of Ministers, European Parliament and European
Commission hold open doors "Europe day" celebration from 0800 GMT (Saturday).
DUBLIN - Environment and Nuclear Safety Commissioner Ritt Bjerregaard meets
Irish President Mary Robinson (Sunday).
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://www.cec.lu/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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