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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 96-05-06
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
06 / 05 / 1996
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Commission warns US on Iran and Libya, following WTO move on Cuba law
[02] Padraig Flynn says that Social Policy is not a burden but is a productive
factor for the European economy and society
[03] Ritt Bjerregaard:
We need a change in our mobility culture
[04] L'inflation annuelle dans l'UE se stabilise à 2,7% en mars 1996
[01] Commission warns US on Iran and Libya, following WTO move on Cuba law
The European Commission has urged the United States to avoid adopting
legislation relating to Iran and Libya that would risk violating its international
obligations and threaten European economic interests. The EU Ambasssador to
Washington, Hugo Paemen, has written to key members of the US Congress
expressing concern at the Bill on Iran and Libya, currently working its way
through the US legislative process. This follows a request last Friday by the
Community and its Member States for formal consultations with the US on the
newly approved Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity (Libertad) Act. On Cuba,
the formal request has been transmitted to the US Permanent Representative in
Geneva in a letter from the Italian Presidency and the European Commission.
The EC action relates principally to provisions in the Act which restrain the EC's
ability to export to Cuba or to trade in goods of Cuban origina, as well as
restrictions on EC-registered vessels transiting through US ports. The action also
focuses on the threatened loss of access to the US sugar quota, as well as to the
possible refusal of visas and the exclusion of non-US nationals from US territory.
[02] Padraig Flynn says that Social Policy is not a burden but is a productive
factor for the European economy and society
Speaking today in Ottowa to the School of Policy Studies, Queen's University,
Social Affairs Commissioner Padraig Flynn said that social policy creates
solidarity, productivity, wealth and justice in society. Europe has demonstrated
the truth of this by delivering good trade balances, low inflation, high profits and
lower interest rates while holding onto its distinctive social model. However, the
Commissioner warned that reform was needed if European social systems were
to survive into the 21st century.
[03] Ritt Bjerregaard:
We need a change in our mobility culture
In her opening speech at the 2nd "Car Free Cities Conference" in Copenhagen
today, Environment CommissionerRitt Bjerregaard emphasized that the
responsibilities for reducing the impact of the car on our cities are widely shared.
The cities' autorities have the major role to play in their decisions on the
management and planning of transportation and city development. The
Community also has its role to play through legislation on air quality standards
and controlling emissions from vehicles, and through the integration of
environmental considerations into the wider Community policies on transport.
"Legislation, pricing of road-use and financial initiatives can help to establish the
overall infrastructure within which a more environmentally friendly urban transport
system can function, but real success will require complementary action to
encourage a change in our attitudes towards mobility in towns and cities. In fact
we need a change in our 'mobility culture'", said Ritt Bjerregaard.
[04] L'inflation annuelle dans l'UE se stabilise à 2,7% en mars 1996
L'inflation annuelle dans l'UE s'est stabilisée à 2,7% en mars 1996, au taux
atteint en février, selon les chiffres publiés aujourd'hui par Eurostat, l'Office
statistique des Communautés européennes à Luxembourg. Il y a un an, le taux
d'inflation s'élevait à 3,2%. A l'exception de l'Espagne (3,4%), de l'Italie (4,5%),
de la Grèce (9,1%) et de l'Autriche (chiffres pas disponibles, tous les Etats
membres sont dans ou en-dessous de la moyenne communautaire.
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://www.cec.lu/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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