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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 98-10-20
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
20/10/98
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Points de vente de denrées alimentaires en France
[02] Innovative language learning and the European Label : Commission opens
website
[03] Neil Kinnock says Europe must soon decide if it wants a strategic role
in Global Satellite Navigation
[01] Points de vente de denrées alimentaires en France
Réagissant à des informations parues dans la presse et diffusées à la
télévision française sur des soi-disantes nouvelles normes européennes
d'hygiène à respecter sur les marchés en France, la Commission européenne a
clarifié les points suivants : Il n'y a aucune nouvelle législation
européenne à ce sujet. La seule Directive pertinente (93/43 CEE) date du
14 juin 1993. Elle doit être appliquée par les Etats membres depuis le 1
janvier 1996. Elle est formulée de manière générale. Elle dit dans son
annexe III relative aux sites mobiles de vente : ils doivent permettre "de
maintenir les denrées alimentaires dans des conditions de température
adéquates". La Commission a connaissance d'un règlement français
concernant la température dans les points de vente des denrées
alimentaires. Elle partage l'objectif de cette législation nationale,
c'est-à-dire la protection des consommateurs. Cependant, il ne s'agit pas
d'une nouvelle législation européenne, mais d'une mesure nationale
française qui va plus loin que le texte général adopté par les Ministres
européens.
[02] Innovative language learning and the European Label : Commission opens
website
Learning a language no longer means just sitting at a desk doing grammar
exercises. Modern methods can be more fun and more effective. The
European Commission has opened a new website, in five European Union (EU)
languages and soon to be available in all eleven, dealing with innovative
language learning. The site gives details of initiatives the Commission has
taken in the light of its 1995 White Paper "Teaching and Learning : towards
the learning society", which set the objective of helping all EU citizens
to become proficient in at least three European languages. The site
includes comprehensive information on the EU's new "European Label for
Innovative Projects in Language Learning", a project launched in the 1995
White Paper by Edith Cresson, Member of the European Commisison responsible
for Education, Training and Youth. The Label aims to encourage new
initiatives in the field of language teaching and learning and to let
teachers, learners and others throughout Europe know about such
initiatives.
[03] Neil Kinnock says Europe must soon decide if it wants a strategic role
in Global Satellite Navigation
Opening a symposium on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) in
Toulouse today, Neil Kinnock, Member of the European Commission responsible
for Transport and Trans-European Networks, set out the challenge facing
Europe if it is to play a full role in the development of GNSS, described
by some as "the Internet in the sky". He said : "If we do not make a
decisive effort now to establish a European strategy we will have lost an
unrepeatable opportunity". The Commission is working towards
recommendations on the strategy of the European Union to allow decisions in
the first half of 1999. Within a few years most of our Transport systems
will be reliant on satellite navigation, and the worldwide market could
reach $ 50 billion. There are also strong security and sovereignty
arguments for a European role in GNSS. The Commission has brought together
the industry, users and the other major institutions to help define that
role. Mr Kinnock said : "It is essential that we all continue to work
together to get clear recommendations on what option Europe should choose,
who our partners should be, and how we can finance the system. We shall be
looking for historic decisions under the German presidency in the first
half of 1999. That decision will clearly determine the nature, the degree,
the opportunities and reward of Europe's involvement in Satellite
navigation for the 21st century."
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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