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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 97-03-10
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
10/03/97
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Business and consumer survey - continued recovery
[02] Statement of Monika Wulf-Mathies on the movement of companies
[03] Signature de la Convention de Financement UE/Maroc - facilité
d'ajustement structurel: 120 millions d'Ecus
[04] Strong EU support for Romania's reform package
[05] EU announces gradual reintroduction of minimum prices on computer
chips
[06] "EU Common Agricultural Policy - Achievements and challenges ahead" -
Address by Franz Fischler in Japan
[01] Business and consumer survey - continued recovery
The economic sentiment indicator augmented strongly in February 1997,
reflecting improvements in all sectors. More optimistic assessments of
stocks and order-books boosted industrial confidence. Positive employment
expectations brought construction confidence to its highest level since
December 1995. Consumer confidence in on an upward trend.
[02] Statement of Monika Wulf-Mathies on the movement of companies
In response to the current discussion on the movement of companies from and
into regions supported by the European Union's (EU) structural funds,
Monika Wulf-Mathies, Commissioner responsible for regional policy and
cohesion, declared on Friday: "The aim of EU structural policy is to help
regions lagging behind in development to catch up with the rest of the EU.
To achieve this, regions which trail the EU-average also need support above
the average. This is, and will be in the future, the underlying principle
of EU structural policy. Besides infrastructures and training, the
structural funds cofinance national subsidies to enterprises. These
subsidies are subject to competition scrutiny. Unfortunately, neither
present competition rules nor the structural fund regulations, can
sufficiently prevent companies from abusing the system by moving their
activities in such a way as to maximize the aid they receive from public
sources. This can no longer be tolerated. In the context of the reform of
the structural funds for the years after 1999, I have the firm intention to
prevent such behaviour. In the near future, I will look at different
options to achieve this."
[03] Signature de la Convention de Financement UE/Maroc - facilité
d'ajustement structurel: 120 millions d'Ecus
Le Vice-Président de la Commission européenne Manuel Marin et M. Mohammed
Kabbaj, Ministre des Finances et Investissements extérieurs ont signé la
Convention de Financement entre l'Union européenne (UE) et le Maroc
relative à la Facilité d'Ajustement Structurel (FAS). Il s'agit d'une aide
non-remboursable de 120 millions d'Ecus prélevée sur le programme MEDA, en
appui aux réformes économiques et sociales au Maroc. La Commission assure
ainsi le leadership d'un programme d'ajustement structurel parmi les
baîlleurs de fonds. Le montant en jeu est parmi les plus élevés destinés à
cette fin. La FAS s'inscrit dans le cadre de l'appui de l'UE accompagnant
l'intégration progressive du Maroc dans la zone de libre-échange euro-
méditerranéenne. Cet appui, conçu avec les autorités marocaines, est
étroitement coordonné avec les institutions de Bretton Woods qui partagent
la même appréciation sur les réformes en cours et encouragent le programme.
[04] Strong EU support for Romania's reform package
On the occasion of a two-day visit to Bucharest last week, Commissioner
Hans van den Broek voiced his strong support for the government's bold
reform package. "My talks with the government confirm our impression that
Romania is serious about reforms. The government's programme is ambitious
and courageous and therefore wholly appropriate to address the country's
problems. The EU will provide tangible support to Romania at this difficult
time".
[05] EU announces gradual reintroduction of minimum prices on computer
chips
Minimum prices on D-RAMs originating in Japan and Korea and sold in the
European Union (EU) will be gradually reintroduced as of today. The
minimum prices were first agreed upon in January 1990 when dumping by
Japanese and later by Korean exporters on the European market was found,
but these measures were suspended 21 months ago owing to the rise in D-RAM
prices. In the meantime, prices have fallen dramatically to below cost of
production of most producers, and EU producers are suffering injury again.
The 21-month suspension expires to day, and the measures are due to be
reintroduced, but the Commission has decided, after consulting economic
operators, to reintroduce them in a flexible, gradual way in order to
minimise potential disruption to the D-RAM market until an overall review
of the anti-dumping measures is completed until June this year. As part of
this flexible approach, companies will not be obliged to raise their prices
during March.
[06] "EU Common Agricultural Policy - Achievements and challenges ahead" -
Address by Franz Fischler in Japan
Addressing the Japanese Agricultural Journalists Association, in Tokyo,
Agriculture and Rural Development Commissioner Franz Fischler outlined that
"we are fully aware that we are a part of the world community, in which we
have not only rights but also obligations. In a new round of trade
negotiations the European Union, as the world's largest single trading
partner, will fully respect its international obligations; but we will also
be fully aware of the concerns of our farmers." He noted that certain of
our trading partners have already set their sights on the abolition of some
of our direct income support payments to farmers, on further reductions in
agricultural support and on increased market access. "While they have every
right to mark out their negotiating position, we equally have every right
to reject demands which would serve to undermine our interests. This is our
social responsibility and it will not be solved by market forces alone. I
think that this is a natural aim for the European Union, the largest food
importer in the world, and agricultural policy in Japan seems to have much
the same objective."
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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