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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 98-03-26
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
26/03/98
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[I] Résultats de la Commission du 25 mars 1998 - Outcome of Commission
meeting of 25 March 1998
[01] A Directive to tackle late payments in commercial transactions
[02] Application du régime des quotas laitiers en Espagne et en Italie
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[03] Le PIB de l'UE a augmenté de 2,6% en 1997
[04] Commission clears UK plant hire joint venture by Tarmac and Bovis
[05] Commission clears UK music and bookshops joint venture
[06] Racism and the media : Northern Irish newspapers scoop top
international press award for tolerance
[07] La Commission soutient le parlement éthiopien et les élections au Togo
[08] Franz Fischler : "Agenda 2000 will strengthen Common Agricultural
policy in WTO-round"
[I] Résultats de la Commission du 25 mars 1998 - Outcome of Commission
meeting of 25 March 1998
(voir aussi - see also Midday Express of 25/3)
[01] A Directive to tackle late payments in commercial transactions
The European Commission adopted a proposal for a European Parliament and
Council of Ministers Directive combating late payments in commercial
transactions between enterprises of the private sector and between
enterprises and the public sector. The general aim of the proposed
Directive is to encourage respect of payment periods and the proposed
measures respect the principle of contractual freedom in the private
sector. To this effect, the Directive proposes a compensation for late
payment, including an interest on any outstanding amount as well as for any
further damage caused by late payment, the retention of title by the seller
until the buyer has made the payment, accelerated recovery procedures not
exceeding 60 days for undisputed debts, simplified legal procedures for
small debts, a date limit for the payment of debts not exceeding 21 days
unless otherwise specified in the contract, and the prompt and automatic
payment by the public sector.
[02] Application du régime des quotas laitiers en Espagne et en Italie
La Commission européenne a décidé d'entreprendre la seconde étape de la
procédure d'infraction entamée en décembre 1997 à l'encontre de l'Italie et
de l'Espagne qui ont manqué à leurs obligations dans l'application du
régime des quotas laitiers. La Commission est particulièrement préoccupée
de la carence persistante de recouvrer définitivement le superprélèvement
applicable aux producteurs responsables du dépassement de la production.
Le montant du prélèvement dû au Fonds Européen d'Orientation et de Garantie
Agricole (FEOGA) par les Etats membres pour les périodes 1995-1996 et 1996-
1997 a déjà été récupéré par la réduction des avances du FEOGA.
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[03] Le PIB de l'UE a augmenté de 2,6% en 1997
Le PIB de l'Union européenne (UE) en termes réels a augmenté de 2,6% en
1997, contre 1,8% en 1996, selon les premières estimations publiées
aujourd'hui par Eurostat, l'Office statistique des Communautés européennes
à Luxembourg. Le taux de croissance s'est élevé à 0,6% durant le quatrième
trimestre par rapport au troisième trimestre, contre 0,7% durant le
troisième trimestre par rapport au deuxième trimestre. Par rapport au
quatrième trimestre 1996, le PIB de l'UE s'est accru de 3,0%. Aux Etats-
Unis, la croissance a atteint 3,8% en 1997 (2,8% en 1996) et 1,0% au
quatrième trimestre par rapport au troisième trimestre, en hausse par
rapport au taux de 0,8% du troisième trimestre comparé au deuxième
trimestre
[04] Commission clears UK plant hire joint venture by Tarmac and Bovis
The European Commission has authorized the creation of the joint venture
Castlewyse Ltd. by Tarmac Construction Ltd ('Tarmac') and Bovis Ltd
('Bovis'), a subsidiary of the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation
Company, both of which are active in building and civil engineering as well
as construction and project management. The joint venture will combine its
parents' general UK plant hire and consumables sales businesses. The
Commission found that Castlewyse would only be the fourth or fifth largest
player in the highly fragmented UK construction plant hire sector, with
only a small share. The consumables (e.g. protective clothing, small
tools) sales sector is likewise highly fragmented and the parties' share
minimal. Accordingly the Commission concluded that the notified operation
will not create or strengthen a dominant position as a result of which
effective competition would be significantly impeded in the European
Economic Area or any substantial part of it.
[05] Commission clears UK music and bookshops joint venture
The European Commission has decided to clear the operation whereby Advent
International, a US-based private equity investment firm, and EMI, a UK-
based music and books group, create a joint venture in book and music
retailing. The new company will combine HMV music shops and bookshops
together with the Waterstone's bookshops business, which UK newsagent/
bookseller WH Smith will sell to the joint venture. The operation will add
approximately 100 Waterstone's bookstores (98 in the United Kingdom) to the
78 (77 in the UK) currently owned by EMI under the Dillons/Hatchards
brands. The merger will not create or strengthen a dominant position which
would significantly impede competition in the common market or a
substantial part of it.
[06] Racism and the media : Northern Irish newspapers scoop top
international press award for tolerance
'The Irish News' and 'The Newsletter', two Northern Irish daily newspapers
which in 1997, collaborated to promote tolerance and an end to violence
during the controversial marching season by issuing joint editorials, have
been awarded the 1998 International Federation of Journalists written press
award. Belgium's public broadcaster RTBF won the television award with a
film that aims to demystify the situation of Algerian exiles in Europe.
The radio category was won by a Deutschland Radio/Radio Breman journalist
for a broadcast tracing a young Togolese man's application for asylum in
Germany. The awards were presented today the 1998 European Media Forum at
the European Parliament. The annual award is supported by the European
Commission. Employment and Social Affairs Commissioner Padraig Flynn said
today : "It is particularly fitting that these prizes are being awarded
the day after the Commission has launched its Action Plan Against Racism.
The media, because of its tremendous power, has a vital role to play in the
fight against racism and the promotion of tolerance. These prize winners
have set an example of what can be done even in difficult circumstances. I
offer them my sincere congratulations for their achievements."
[07] La Commission soutient le parlement éthiopien et les élections au Togo
La Commission européenne a approuvé neuf projets de soutien aux
institutions démocratiques et à la société civile en Afrique dans le cadre
de son action en faveur des droits de l'homme et de la démocratie dans les
pays en voie de développement. Ces projets représentent un montant total
de 3,5 millions d'Ecus. Ils concernent un appui au parlement et à la mise
en place d'un ombudsman en Ethiopie, un soutien logistique aux élections au
Togo et une action en faveur des survivants du génocide au Rwanda.
[08] Franz Fischler : "Agenda 2000 will strengthen Common Agricultural
policy in WTO-round"
Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal Conference on the occasion of its
50th anniversary today, Agriculture and Rural development Commissioner
Franz Fischler presented his view on the proposed reform package
implementing "Agenda 2000". "We have no intention of sacrificing the
European Union's agricultural model or its rural heritage on the altar of
free trade." Mr Fischler maintained the European Commission's purpose is
to promote a European model of agriculture. However, the future Common
Agricultural Policy (CAP) must be able to meet the competitive requirements
of the markets and of consumers demanding high-quality products generated
with sustainable production methods. In order to defend the CAP's
principles in the forthcoming World Trade Organisation negotiations, the
proposed measures were a necessity, even if they bring uncomfortable change
to many farmers, Mr Fischler remarked.
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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