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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 96-11-14
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
MIDDAY EXPRESS
News from the Spokesman's midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi du Porte-Paroleb
14/11/1996
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[I] Résultats de la Commission du 13 novembre - Outcome of Commission's
meeting of 13 November
(voir aussi - see also Midday Express 13.11)
[01] European Union to be present at the 1998 Lisbon World Expo
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[02] Jacques Santer: "No return to 19th century Dickensian sweat-shops"
[03] Franchises voyageurs - La Commission propose des dérogations pour le
Danemark, la Finlande et la Suède
[04] Programme d'action Tacis 1996 en faveur de l'Ukraine
[05] Comité consultatif de l'énergie: ouverture et transparence pour les
actions et la politique énergétique
[06] Follow-up to Rio 1992 Environment Summit: Commission presents
communication on the way forward
[07] Aerial photography: infringement proceedings against Belgium for
excessive restrictions
[08] Sir Leon Brittan: "Time to push for a restart of talks on Chinese
membership of WTO"
[09] Christos Papoutsis: "The Information Society is one of the most
important challenges for the commerce and distribution sectors"
[10] Franz Fischler: "EU's position on food security"
[I] Résultats de la Commission du 13 novembre - Outcome of Commission's
meeting of 13 November
(voir aussi - see also Midday Express 13.11)
[01] European Union to be present at the 1998 Lisbon World Expo
The European Commission adopted on 13 November a communication proposing to
the European Parliament and to the Council that the European Union should
participate in the 1998 World Expo in Lisbon, Portugal. Some eight million
visitors are expected at this exhibition, on the theme "The oceans, a
heritage for the future". Running from 22nd May to 30th September, it will
be the last international world exhibition of the 20th century.
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[02] Jacques Santer: "No return to 19th century Dickensian sweat-shops"
( !!! embargo 2.30 pm !!!) Speaking at the 7th European Day of Commerce in
Brussels today, organized by Eurocommerce, European Commission President
Jacques Santer strongly expressed himself in favour of the 48-hour work
rule upheld by the Court of Justice. "Yes, we need more flexible labour
markets but not a return to the Dickensian sweat-shops of the 19th Century.
Those who seem to say the less social regulation, the better it is for
competitivity - do they mean no regulation at all ? A 48-hour week is a
very long week - a minimum standard - which allows those who want to work
more if they so wish. The Directive allows working time to be planned
reasonably and flexibly. It is not disruptive and most employers say so."
( !!! embargo 2.30 pm !!!)
[03] Franchises voyageurs - La Commission propose des dérogations pour le
Danemark, la Finlande et la Suède
La Commission européenne a adopté une proposition de directive pour
autoriser le Danemark, la Finlande et la Suède à continuer à limiter les
quantités de certaines boissons alcooliques et de certains produits de
tabac achetés dans d'autres Etats membres et introduits sur leurs
territoires par des particuliers pour leur propre usage. La proposition
prévoit une augmentation progressive des quantités en question jusqu'au 30
juin 2002, date à laquelle la dérogation au régime commun expire.
[04] Programme d'action Tacis 1996 en faveur de l'Ukraine
La Commission européenne a approuvé le 13 novembre 1996, le Programme
d'Action Tacis 1996 en faveur de l'Ukraine. Ce programme comprend une
série d'actions dans trois domaines de coopération selectionnés, à savoir:
la réforme et le développement des Institutions, le développement du
secteur privé ainsi que la réforme et le développement du secteur
énergétique. L'objectif commun de ces actions est d'aider et d'accélerer
la transition de l'Ukraine vers une économie de marché. Le programme sera
financé au moyen d'une aide de la Commission de 27,35 millions d'Ecus.
[05] Comité consultatif de l'énergie: ouverture et transparence pour les
actions et la politique énergétique
La Commission européenne a décidé la création d'un Comité Consultatif de
l'Energie en vue de garantir qu'à l'avenir les politiques et les actions
communautaires dans le domaine de l'énergie soient développées dans un
esprit d'ouverture et de transparence. La création de ce Comité
Consultatif de l'énergie poursuit un double but: susciter des idées
nouvelles sur la politique énergétique européenne et créer les bases d'un
dialogue "informel institutionnalisé" permettant à la Commission de
s'assurer du soutien du secteur lors de l'élaboration d'une décision.
[06] Follow-up to Rio 1992 Environment Summit: Commission presents
communication on the way forward
The European Commission today unveiled a Communication called "A Common
Platform" which proposes policy guidelines for the Union's preparation for
the Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly (known as
UNGASS) to be held in New York in June 1997. UNGASS will review the
Agreements reached at the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development
(the Rio Earth Summit). The Commission Communication takes stock of the
progress made since Rio and sets out a number of areas where further action
is needed to stop the continuing degradation of the global environment. It
recognises that high-level political impetus is still needed to set more
specific obligations in some areas. Furthermore, it proposes that more
detailed commitments to protect forests should be one of the major outcomes
of the Special Session. It highlights the need for global cooperation and
increased assistance to developing countries and it encourages the
"greening" of private investments as a means of ensuring sustainable
development.
[07] Aerial photography: infringement proceedings against Belgium for
excessive restrictions
In view of Belgium‘s refusal to allow companies or aircraft based in other
Member States to undertake aerial photography over Belgian territory, the
European Commission has decided to send Belgium a reasoned opinion (the
second stage of formal infringement proceedings under Article 169 of the EC
Treaty). The Commission considers the aerial photography restrictions
violate EC Treaty rules on the freedom to provide services (Article 59) and
the freedom of establishment (Article 52). In the absence of a
satisfactory response to the reasoned opinion within 40 working days, the
Commission could refer the case to the Court of Justice.
[08] Sir Leon Brittan: "Time to push for a restart of talks on Chinese
membership of WTO"
The European Union is determined to restart negotiations on Chinese
membership of the WTO in earnest. A serious initial offer is needed, and
China must ensure that all countries are treated equally during the endgame
of negotiations if consensus is to be achieved, says Trade Commissioner Sir
Leon Brittan during a speech to the International Herald Tribune conference
in Beijing today.
[09] Christos Papoutsis: "The Information Society is one of the most
important challenges for the commerce and distribution sectors"
( !!! embargo 2.30 pm !!!) Addressing the annual Conference "Retail and
Distribution on the information highways", organised by Eurocommerce,
Commissioner Christos Papoutsis said that on the eve of the 21st century
commerce is confronted with important challenges, such as the introduction
of the Euro, employment and competitiveness as well as the information
society and in particular the electronic commerce. Mr Papoutsis emphasized
that "we should not believe that the acceptance of the information
technologies will be a panacea" for commerce and distribution, because
despite the immediate benefits, "there will be a need for readjustment to
the introduction of new methods of selling and new ways of organising
business" and "if electronic commerce begins to acquire an important part
of the market, a new division of the market will occur". The Commissioner
also announced the forthcoming adoption by the European Commission of a
Green Paper addressing these issues and launching a public debate and
consultation, whith the objective of identifying and proposing the
appropriate answers. ( !!! embargo 2.30 pm !!!)
[10] Franz Fischler: "EU's position on food security"
( !!! embargo 5 pm !!!) Addressing the Family Farmers' Summit on World
Food Security on the occasion of his participation in the World Food Summit
in Rome today, Agriculture and Rural Development Commissioner Franz
Fischler outlined the position of the EU on food security. The EU, one of
the world's largest donors of food aid, has an important role to play in
food security, but the complexity of the issue is such that "even if we
limit ourselves simply to the agro-food elements of food security, we must
ask ourselves whether we can at one and the same time pursue partly
contradictory objectives, such as: greater market orientation, notably
stock reduction, extensification of agriculture and more organic and
quality farming, keeping as many people as possible on the land, reducing
food prices for consumers ... and most important, help address the needs of
the 800 million chronically undernourished people in the world." Mr
Fischler stressed that there was no ready-made solution, but that the EU
and its Member States would continue to play an active part in solving the
problems of food security, an essential element of which was continuing the
CAP reform. ( !!! embargo 5 pm !!!)
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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