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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 97-11-10
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
10/11/97
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] La Commission soutient la reconversion industrielle de Navarre
[02] Mario Monti insists financial market turbulence best tackled by WTO
agreement
[03] Commission signs a Memorandum of Understanding on Customs Assistance
with Albania
[04] Forum "Les consommateurs et l'euro" (Luxembourg 1-2 décembre 1997):
comment réduire les craintes des citoyens face à l'introduction de l'euro
[05] Franz Fischler: "Networks of rural, national and transnational
cooperation are an opportunity to consider a new European Union initiative"
[06] A Live internet chat with Padraig Flynn on November 13 1997: A sneak
preview of the European Jobs Summit
[01] La Commission soutient la reconversion industrielle de Navarre
La région de Navarre en Espagne recevra une aide communautaire de 25,4
millions d'Ecus au titre de l'Objectif 2 des Fonds structurels
(reconversion des zones industrielles en déclin) pour la période 1997-1999.
Une bonne partie des actions prévues visent à favoriser l'emploi, la
compétitivité et l'internationalisation de l'activité économique de la
région. La protection de l'environnement ainsi que le soutien à la
recherche, à la technologie et à l'innovation font également partie des
priorités inscrites dans le programme. Au total, les dépenses publiques
prévues, y inclus l'assistance technique, dans le cadre du programme
totalisent 53,1 millions d'Ecus dont 25,4 millions d'Ecus de l'Union
européenne (20,4 du Fonds européen de développement régional (FEDER) et 5
du Fonds social européen (FSE)). La mise en oeuvre des mesures approuvées
devrait encore générer une dépense additionnelle de 83,2 millions d'Ecus de
la part du secteur privé.
[02] Mario Monti insists financial market turbulence best tackled by WTO
agreement
"Attracting foreign capital through improved market access is essential to
tackling financial turbulence in emerging market countries", Financial
Services Commissioner Mario Monti has told Ambassadors to the European
Union (EU) from a number of leading participants in current World Trade
Organisation (WTO) financial services negotiations. "And the best way to
improve access is by ensuring the WTO negotiations succeed." On the eve of
crucial negotiations on a WTO agreement to open up world trade in financial
services, which must be concluded by 12 December, Mr Monti repeated his
call for all countries to table offers that match the EU's offer (see
IP/97/587). Mr Monti called for binding commitments from WTO members which
allow for effective market access underpinned by a rules-based system, non-
discriminatory treatment of foreign companies, and the right of financial
services providers not only to establish new operations, but also to retain
their current shareholdings in existing overseas operations. Foreign
companies should also be able to establish operations abroad in whatever
commercial form they choose - provided of course that all sensible
prudential considerations are met. "If the high expectations of the EU are
not met, the EU will not repeat its "white knight" role of 1995 and save an
agreement that is not satisfactory to all WTO members", Mr Monti warned.
[03] Commission signs a Memorandum of Understanding on Customs Assistance
with Albania
Customs Commissionner Mario Monti and Arben Malaj, Minister of Finance of
Albania, will today sign a Memorandum of Understanding in Brussels. It
will establish a legal framework for the activities of the Albania Customs
Assistance Mission in Albania whose headquarters were established in Tirana
in June 1997. The Customs Assistance Mission was established as a part of
the Commission's response to the request for support that the Government of
Albania addressed to the international community following the unrest in
the country in early 1997. One of the pre-conditions for international
donor assistance to Albania was that the Government should take control of
the border crossings and ensure correct collection of State budgetary
revenue as soon as possible. During the Donors Conference on Albania that
was held in Brussels on 22 October 1997, the participants noted that this
pre-condition had been substantially met.
[04] Forum "Les consommateurs et l'euro" (Luxembourg 1-2 décembre 1997):
comment réduire les craintes des citoyens face à l'introduction de l'euro
Les 1er et 2 décembre prochains, environ 300 représentants d'organisations
de consommateurs, psychologues, représentants de l'industrie, politiciens
et fonctionnaires se réuniront à Luxembourg autour du thème "Les
consommateurs et l'Euro". Pendant deux jours, ils débattront des problèmes
pratiques qui pourraient se poser aux citoyens lors du passage à la monnaie
unique. Sept ateliers traiteront de thèmes tels que la double indication
des prix, l'échange de billets et pièces, timbres et cartes téléphone, les
coûts de conversion et autres questions pratiques. Lors de chacun de ces
ateliers, les consommateurs prendront la parole et des représentants des
administrations, des banques et du commerce leur répondront. Des exposés
sur l'expérience acquise lors de l'introduction du système décimal au
Royaume-Uni et sur l'histoire de la monnaie unique clôtureront les débats.
La conférence est une initiative de la présidence du Conseil
luxembourgeoise, de la Commission européenne et du Parlement européen.
Pour les représentants de la presse, les formulaires d'inscription peuvent
être obtenus auprès de Nyens Michel - Ministère de la Famille - 12-14,
avenue Emile Reuter - L-2919 Luxembourg - Tel: 00352/4786515 - Fax:
00352/241889.
[05] Franz Fischler: "Networks of rural, national and transnational
cooperation are an opportunity to consider a new European Union initiative"
At the opening speech of the LEADER (Liaison Entre Actions de Développement
de l'Economie Rurale) European symposium on rural development in Brussels
today, Agriculture and Rural Development Commissioner Franz Fischler
commented on the current success of the initiative. Its main features are:
an active participation of the local population; giving priority to
innovative schemes and supporting small and medium-sized businesses as well
as craft enterprises. The LEADER-initiative since its launch in 1991 had
evolved "from a project-oriented to a rather program-oriented approach".
Between 1991 and 1994, the European Union (EU) allocated ECU 442 million to
the LEADER I initiative, reaching 11 million people in 217 LEADER areas.
LEADER II, the follow-up initiative based on the same successful formula
currently integrates 775 local action groups and 46 other collective bodies
benefiting until 1999 from ECU 1,700 million of EU funding.
[06] A Live internet chat with Padraig Flynn on November 13 1997: A sneak
preview of the European Jobs Summit
In preparation for the European Jobs Summit, the European Commission is
organising an on-line debate on employment policy with Padraig Flynn, the
Commissioner for Employment and Social Affairs. The themes for the chat
are as follows: How to foster entrepreneurship in the European Union (EU)?
How to reduce the skills gap and improve employability? And which concrete
employment measures are working, and which are not? The Heads of State and
Government will discuss these and other issues at the special European Jobs
Summit, scheduled for November 20-21, 1997. The chat, which will take
place on November 13, from 18:00 - 20:00 (GMT + 1), will be conducted in
the 11 EU languages. Participants can, therefore, communicate in their own
language or follow the whole chat in English. In the run-up to the chat, a
mailbox will be opened <jobsummit@dg5.cec.be> to allow people to ask
questions in advance. Mr Flynn will open the chat by responding to the more
fundamental of these questions, while the technical ones will be dealt with
by specialists within his services. Three documents on employment form the
backbone of the Commission's contribution to the Jobs Summit, and are
therefore of interest for the chat as well. They can be consulted at
<http://europa.eu.int/jobsummit/>. The address of the chat is:
http://europa.eu.int/chatflynn.
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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