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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 96-05-02
From: News Distribution Manager <dist@hri.org>
MIDDAY EXPRESS
News from the Spokesman's midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi du Porte-Paroleb
02 / 05 / 1996
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Jacques Santer rencontre les chefs de gouvernement des Etats membres
du Conseil des Etats de la Mer baltique
[02] Banking: Commission proposes improvements to supervisory rules
[03] Caucasus and Tadjikistan: Commission sends food aid worth ECU 3.2
million
[04] Humanitarian aid: news in brief
[05] Ritt Bjerregaard: No renegotiation of Agenda 21
[06] João de Deus Pinheiro: Improve business climate in Africa is top priority
[01] Jacques Santer rencontre les chefs de gouvernement des Etats membres
du Conseil des Etats de la Mer baltique
Le Président Santer participera les 3 et 4 mai à la rencontre des chefs de
gouvernement du Conseil des Etats de la Mer Baltique (CEMB) qui se déroulera
à Visby sur l'île de Gotland sous présidence suédoise. M. Santer y présentera
l'initiative pour la région de la Mer Baltique que la Commission a adoptée le 10
avril dernier. L'initiative créera un cadre durable pour le renforcement de la
coopération entre les membres du CEMB. Elle vise notamment la planification
et le financement coordonnés de grands investissements d'infrastructures. En
outre, des actions concrètes sont envisagées dans un certain nombre de
domaines, tels que la démocratie et la stabilité, la coopération économique et
commerciale et le développement régional. Par ailleurs, le Président aura, à
cette occasion, des rencontres bilatérales avec le Premier Ministre polonais,
M. Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz, ainsi qu'avec le Premier Ministre lituanien,
M. Mindaugas Stankevicius.
[02] Banking: Commission proposes improvements to supervisory rules
A proposal for a Directive aimed primarily at introducing refined and more realistic
capital requirements in particular for credit risks inherent in over-the-counter
derivatives (i.e. traded outside recognised exchanges) has been put forward by
the European Commission. The amendments proposed would also allow certain
assets exposed to credit risk to be granted more favourable capital treatment and
give Member States the possibility to conclude agreements for exchanging
information with non-banking supervisory authorities of non-EC countries. The
proposal would therefore fine tune existing Community banking supervisory rules
in line with experience gained in applying them in practice and take account of
recent supervisory developments at the international level. The text has been
drafted in close cooperation with the Member States, notably in the framework of
the Banking Advisory Committee.
[03] Caucasus and Tadjikistan: Commission sends food aid worth ECU 3.2
million
The European Commission has approved a package of emergency food aid worth
ECU 3.2 million for the Caucasus and Tadjikistan. The aid consists of 10,500
tonnes of bread-making quality wheat flour, which will be distributed free of
charge in Georgia, the northern Caucasus and Tadjikistan. The operation is
being channelled via the European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO). The
World Food Programme and German Agro Action will carry out the distribution
over the next six months.
[04] Humanitarian aid: news in brief
The European Commission has approved humanitarian aid projects in Mali,
Afghanistan and Indonesia. Worth a total of ECU 1.72 million, the projects are
being channelled via the European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO). The
specialist agencies of the United Nations, the Red Cross family and non-governmental organisations will carry out the practical work of humanitarian
assistance in the field.
[05] Ritt Bjerregaard: No renegotiation of Agenda 21
Environment Commissioner Ritt Bjerregaard, in a speech held yesterday, 1 May,
during the Fourth Session of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development,
in New York, outlined the EU's views on the approach which should be taken
towards global sustainable development. The Commissioner gave a strong
message of encouragement to the ongoing climate change negotiations. On
follow-up of the Rio Earth Summit in 1992, the Commissioner said: "There should
be no renegotiation of Agenda 21. Instead we must concentrate on its
implementation within the UN system and in the wider world".
[06] João de Deus Pinheiro: Improve business climate in Africa is top priority
"Much more can and should be done to improve the business climate in Africa
and the EU is ready to support this effort", said Development Commissioner João
de Deus Pinheiro today in Johannesburg. He was addressing the "Africa
Connect Conference" and his speech concentrated on the role of private
investment in developing African economies. He underlined the EU commitment
in this top priority area by means of providing support for trade development and
enterprise promotion through aid programmes. But he stressed that African
countries themselves should improve foreign investment regimes, enlarge
privatisation programmes and encourage appropriate development of financial
institutions in order to stimulate private national and foreign investment.
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://www.cec.lu/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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