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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 97-06-18
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
18/06/97
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[I] Résultats de la Commission de ce jour - Outcome of today's Commission
meeting
[01] Commission endorses action on BSE
[02] La Commission propose une directive concernant la stabilité et les
dispositifs de sécurité des autobus et des autocars
[03] Commission adopts a Communication aiming at ending public support for
short-term export credit insurance
[04] Projet de directive du Conseil sur l'harmonisation de l'assurance-
crédit à l'exportation
[05] Communication on the World Radiocommunications Conference 1997 (WRC-
97)
[06] Commission approves training program at Philips Semiconductor B.V.
(The Netherlands)
[07] La Commission approuve une aide en faveur de BMW Motoren AG à Steyr
(Autriche)
[08] Commission authorises a production loans scheme offered by the Irish
Film Board (Ireland)
[09] La Commission approuve un régime d'aides en faveur des jeunes
entrepreneurs au Portugal
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[10] "Ecoles de la deuxième chance": ouverture cet automne
[11] EU heads to Denver with world's best record on aid to poor countries
[12] Christos Papoutsis: "It is of critical importance to join efforts to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions"
[I] Résultats de la Commission de ce jour - Outcome of today's Commission
meeting
[01] Commission endorses action on BSE
The European Commission today endorsed a number of draft proposals on BSE.
These proposals are designed to increase the protection of human and animal
health against any potential risk from Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathies
(BSE). The proposals include: (1) the removal of high risk materials from
the human food and animals feed chains. These include the head, including
the brain and eyes (but excluding the tongue) and spinal cord of cattle,
sheep and goats over 12 months of age and the spleen of all sheep and
goats; (2) to put in legal form that which is already the practice in
relation to gelatine produced from UK bovines i.e. to withdraw the
possibility of export of this gelatine for the purpose of use in food, feed,
cosmetics and medicinal products. The export of technical gelatine
continues to be allowed; (3) the decision of March 1996 introducing the ban
on UK beef exports will be amended to clarify the rules for the re-export
from the UK of beef from non UK cattle; (4) an EU system of traceability
and labelling will be introduced for all non-UK bovine derived products
which are exempted from the export ban.
[02] La Commission propose une directive concernant la stabilité et les
dispositifs de sécurité des autobus et des autocars
La Commission européenne a adopté une proposition de directive relative aux
prescriptions techniques applicables aux autobus et aux autocars. Ces
prescriptions concernent notamment la stabilité du véhicule, la taille
minimale des sièges et l'écart minimal entre ceux-ci, le nombre et
l'emplacement des portes et des issues de secours et d'autres aspects en
rapport avec la stabilité du véhicule et l'amélioration des dispositifs de
sécurité. Les prescriptions techniques applicables aux autobus et aux
autocars sont actuellement fixées dans le cadre des législations
nationales. Les constructeurs se trouvent de ce fait dans l'impossibilité
de faire agréer leurs véhicules pour l'ensemble de l'Europe. Cette nouvelle
directive doit leur permettre de demander et d'obtenir dans n'importe quel
État membre une homologation valable dans l'ensemble de l'Union.
[03] Commission adopts a Communication aiming at ending public support for
short-term export credit insurance
The European Commission adopted a Communication to the Member States about
short-term export credit insurance with the aim to remove distortions of
competition due to state aid to the export credit insurance business in
which there is competition between public or publicly supported export
credit insurers and private export credit insurers. The Communication
requests Member States to end, within one year of the publication of the
Communication, the granting of state aid to public or publicly supported
export credit insurers in respect of export credit insurance for which
there is a commercial market. However, in certain countries insurance
cover for such export credit risks may be temporarily unavailable on the
commercial market.
[04] Projet de directive du Conseil sur l'harmonisation de l'assurance-
crédit à l'exportation
La Commission européenne vient d'adopter un projet de directive du Conseil
des Ministres portant sur l'harmonisation de l'assurance-crédit à
l'exportation à moyen et long terme. Chaque Etat membre possède son propre
système d'assurance-crédit à l'exportation dont les modalités de la
garantie, les primes facturées et les politiques de couverture présentent
des différences sensibles. Ces différences font que les exportateurs de
l'Union se concurrencent pour obtenir des marchés dans des conditions
inégales. Les enjeux financiers en ce domaine sont importants, les agences
d'assurance-crédit à l'exportation des Etats membres garantissant environ,
chaque année, pour 25-30 milliards d'Ecus de nouveaux contrats d'une durée
de crédit supérieure à un an. La nouvelle proposition établit des
principes communs touchant les modalités des garanties et instaure le cadre
dans lequel la fixation des primes et de la politique de couverture
s'effectueront. Ce projet a été élaboré en consultation avec les Etats
membres et les milieux industriels et bancaires.
[05] Communication on the World Radiocommunications Conference 1997 (WRC-
97)
In order to ensure efficient representation of European Union (EU)
interests in the forthcoming World Radiocommunications Conference (WRC-97),
which will be held in Geneva from 27 October to 21 November 1997, there is
a strong need to establish a common position in areas where the views of
the Member States may initially diverge. Moreover, EU should be more
closely involved in the WRC process, and industry at European level should
be more vocal in its support for the positions to be worked out and should
participate at WRCs where there is a need for on-the-spot consultation.
These are the main conclusions of a communication adopted today by the
European Commission. Important items to be covered by WRC-97 include: the
mobile satellite and fixed satellite service, the simplification of ITU
Radio Regulations; the rules applicable to broadcasting services; and the
discussion of allocation of spectrum above 30 Ghz for high-density
applications. Considering that the availability of radio frequencies is a
sine qua non for the further development of the EU's radiocommunications
sector, the Communication is to inform Council and Parliament about the
issues at stake at WRCs, to identify how WRC decisions relate to EU policy
on radiocommunications, and to propose necessary improvements.
[06] Commission approves training program at Philips Semiconductor B.V.
(The Netherlands)
The European Commission has approved a training program, supported by the
European Social Fund (ESF) and the province of Gelderland, aiming at
retraining unemployed and employees threatened with unemployment. The
overall costs of the program are estimated at HFL 22 million (ECU 10.2
million). The approved aid consist of HFL 6.6 million (ECU 3 million)
granted by the ESF and HFL 2 million (ECU 0.9 million) granted by the
province of Gelderland.
[07] La Commission approuve une aide en faveur de BMW Motoren AG à Steyr
(Autriche)
La Commission européenne a décidé de ne pas soulever d'objection à l'égard
des aides des autorités autrichiennes à BMW Steyr pour un projet à
multiples facettes intégrant des actions de recherche et dévéloppement et
de formation du personnel, des investissements régionaux et de protection
de l'environnement et enfin des investissements à des fins d'innovation
industrielle. Ce paquet d'aides est financé à la fois au niveau national,
régional et local pour un montant total de 345 millions d'ATS.
[08] Commission authorises a production loans scheme offered by the Irish
Film Board (Ireland)
The European Commission decided to raise no objections to aid granted in
the form of interest-free loans by the Irish Film Board for the production
of television documentaries and feature length fiction films. Higher loans
may be considered for documentaries of particular Irish interest and
significance, for an annual series of first-time short films by film-makers
and for a minority of low-budget feature films of particular cultural
significance. Production loans on average amount to IR£149,887 of the
production budget of a film. These loans are repayable and repaid to the
extent that the film generates sufficient resources and the Board also
acquires an equity return where a film is particularly successful.
[09] La Commission approuve un régime d'aides en faveur des jeunes
entrepreneurs au Portugal
La Commission européenne a approuvé un régime d'aides en faveur des jeunes
entrepreneurs (Sistema de apoio aos jovens empresários - SAJE) au Portugal.
Ce régime vise à promouvoir l'esprit d'entreprise et, partant, à favoriser
la création d'entreprises et d'emplois, par le biais de l'octroi d'aides à
des projets d'investissement visant la création, l'expansion et la
modernisation de petites et moyennes entreprises détenues majoritairement
par des jeunes entrepreneurs (âgés de 18 à 35 ans). Sont éligibles les
projets d'investissement d'un montant maximum d'investissement en capital
fixe de 100 millions PTE (+/- 510.000 Ecus). La Commission observe
toutefois que les mesures en cause ont été tardivement notifiées et
rappelle au Gouvernement portugais que tout projet visant à instituer,
proroger ou modifier des aides doit être dûment notifié.
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[10] "Ecoles de la deuxième chance": ouverture cet automne
Proposées en 1995 par la Commission européenne dans son Livre blanc
"enseigner et apprendre: vers la société cognitive" comme projets pilotes
destinés à lutter contre l'exclusion sociale, les "écoles de la deuxième
chance" vont entrer dès l'automne dans leur phase concrète. Cinq d'entre
elles - à Marseille (France), Bilbao (Espagne), Hämeenlinna (Finlande),
Catania (Italie) et Halle (Allemagne) - vont en effet ouvrir leurs portes
en septembre-octobre, quatre autres - Nikea (Grèce), Ribe (Danemark),
Seixal (Portugal) et Heerlen (Pays-Bas) - devraient faire de même à la fin
de l'année. C'est ce que va annoncer aujourd'hui Edith Cresson,
commissaire européen à la recherche, l'éducation, la formation et la
jeunesse, au cours d'une réunion de travail à Bruxelles avec les
représentants de chacune de ces villes.
[11] EU heads to Denver with world's best record on aid to poor countries
Two days ahead of the Denver Summit, the European Union (EU) fully backs
the G8's drive to improve economic prosperity in the world's poorest
countries, especially Africa. The figures speak for themselves: Europe is
already by far the world's most generous donor and trading partner for
developing nations. The EU's major G8 partners lag way behind the EU and
its member states in aid, trade and humanitarian assistance, whether
calculated by value, volume, percentage of GDP or on a per capita basis.
For example, Europe paid out 7 times more aid to sub-Saharan Africa in 1995
than did the US, and imported 14 more farm produce. It is now proposing
bolder plans than any of its partners on opening markets further to goods
from the third world. On the environment, the EU will challenge the G8 to
meet its own bold targets for cutting pollution. It will call for a global
convention to protect the world's forests and will promote three
initiatives on fresh water, energy and eco-efficiency.
[12] Christos Papoutsis: "It is of critical importance to join efforts to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions"
"In order to face the climate change challenges, we need to have the
cooperation of the electricity industry", stressed Energy Commissioner
Christos Papoutsis in his opening address at the Seminar on "Viable
Policies for Sustainable Development: Which role for Electricity?", held
today in Brussels and organised by the European Commission and Eurelectric.
The Commissioner said that the challenge of climate change and the types of
measures that will be needed "require cooperation between all the economic
actors" and stressed that "our joint efforts to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions are of critical importance". Mr Papoutsis urged the electricity
industry to work towards "the achievement of a substantial penetration of
renewables in the electricity production mix", as well as to "promote
energy efficiency and energy saving".
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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