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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 97-11-17
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
17/11/97
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] La croissance économique de l'Union européenne accélère
[02] Commission launches a campaign for quality shipping in Europe to try
and stem the loss of 1,000 lives and 230 vessels a year
[03] Leonardo da Vinci 1997: des parcours de formation sans frontières
[04] Padraig Flynn calls for a strong representation of anti-racism
organisations at European level
[05] Franz Fischler sees consensus growing around need for agricultural
reform
[01] La croissance économique de l'Union européenne accélère
Le Produit Intérieur Brut (PIB) de l'Union européenne (UE) a fortement
progressé (1,4%) en termes réels au deuxième trimestre 1997 comparé au
premier selon les estimations révisées d'Eurostat, l'Office statistique des
Communautés européennes à Luxembourg. Ce chiffre est à comparer avec la
croissance de 0,2% observée au premier trimestre. Cette progression est
essentiellement due à la reprise de la consommation privée (+0,9%) et à une
poussée des exportations (+5,4%). Pour l'ensemble du premier semestre 1997,
par rapport au premier semestre 1996, le PIB de l'UE a augmenté de 2,1%.
Les chiffres comparables sont pour les Etats-Unis 3,7%, pour le Japon 1,1%
et pour le G7 2,5%.
[02] Commission launches a campaign for quality shipping in Europe to try
and stem the loss of 1,000 lives and 230 vessels a year
The European Commission has today launched a campaign for Quality Shipping
in Europe. "While the large majority of maritime operators in Europe and
elsewhere in the world fulfil and often exceed the best standards of safety
and seaworthiness there are still too many owners and users of shipping who
put the pursuit of short term profit far above any considerations of safety
and civilised conditions. The results are seen in unfair competition, in
preventable danger, in appalling living and working conditions on board
ships and - too often - in tragedy. On average, 230 vessels with a gross
registered tonnage of 1.1 million are lost worldwide every year, claiming
more than 1,000 lives and often causing irreparable environmental damage,"
said Neil Kinnock, the European Commissioner responsible for Transport
Policy. He stressed, however, that the emphasis was on the enforcement of
existing rules rather than the framing of new legislation: "We are not
seeking to multiply regulations for their own sake, the priority will be
given to binding quality standards for flag administrations and registers
rather than composing further new demands that would widen the cost gap for
honest, responsible operators".
[03] Leonardo da Vinci 1997: des parcours de formation sans frontières
A l'issue du processus d'évaluation des propositions soumises pour 1997 au
titre du programme Leonardo da Vinci, qui regroupe les actions
communautaires de formation professionnelle, 724 projets (708 pour les 18
pays participant depuis le début du programme, 14 pour la Hongrie et 2 pour
la Roumanie), mobilisant plus de 15.000 partenaires, ont été sélectionnés
parmi les 1.823 candidatures éligibles. La sélection a été faite sur la
base de critères qualitatifs et selon l'adhésion aux cinq priorités
définies par la Commission européenne. Le cofinancement total accordé aux
projets sélectionnés s'élève à 107,7 millions d'Ecus (104,9 pour les 18
pays participant depuis le début de programme et 2,8 pour la Hongrie et la
Roumanie), dont 74,8 millions d'Ecus pour les projets pilotes, 25 millions
pour les programmes de placement et d'échange et 7,9 millions pour les
enquêtes et analyses. Les programmes de placement et d'échange permettent
à plus de 9.000 étudiants et à près de 19.000 jeunes en formation initiale,
y compris les apprentis, jeunes travailleurs, jeunes demandeurs d'emploi et
formateurs, d'effectuer un stage en entreprise ou dans un centre de
formation d'un autre pays participant au programme ou un échange et, dès
lors, de consolider leur expérience et leurs possibilités d'accès à
l'emploi.
[04] Padraig Flynn calls for a strong representation of anti-racism
organisations at European level
Speaking today in Brussels to a conference of anti-racism Non-Governmental
Organisations (NGOs), Employment and Social Affairs Commissioner Padraig
Flynn called upon NGOs to participate in the development of European policy
against racism. "I see a role for a strong representation of anti-racism
organisations at European level. A representation that will complement
those which exist for other major social issues such equal opportunities,
poverty and disability; that will involve you full in the civil dialogue to
which the Commission attaches so much importance; that will enable you to
participate in the development of European policy against racism". He
added: "the revised Treaty gives the Community specific competence in the
field of non-discrimination for the first time". He called on NGOs to
formulate specific ideas about the interpretation and implementation of
this competence and to put the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and
Xenophobia high on their agenda.
[05] Franz Fischler sees consensus growing around need for agricultural
reform
In a speech to the Copa/Cogega (Comité des Organisations Professionelles
Agricoles and Comité Général de la Coopération Agricole de la C.E.) in
Brussels on Friday November 14, Agriculture and Rural development
Commissioner Franz Fischler commented on the different reactions and
opinions towards his "Tour de Capitales", during which he presented the
future agricultural policy of the community within the Agenda 2000. Mr
Fischler saw a broad concensus with the Member States on the following
goals of the reform: to improve food safety and quality, to ensure an
adequate living standard for the rural population, the necessity to
increase the environmental orientation of the community's market and rural
development policies. Though being subject to heavy criticism by some
member states at the beginning of his trip, the commission's forecasts of
the milk and beef markets have now widely been accepted. "Some differences
still remain on the forecasts for arable crops", Mr Fischler said.
Concerning the need to raise the competitiveness of EU agricultural
products on foreign markets, "no serious alternative proposal which would
consider both future income and growth opportunities while supporting the
other goals set", had been made to him, he added.
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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