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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 98-11-26
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
26/11/98
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Commission closes mobile telecommunications cases after price cuts
[02] Commission rejects criticisms of the decision on the UK Date Based
Export Scheme
[03] La zone euro affiche un excédent de 6,6 milliards d'Ecus avec le reste
du monde en août
[04] Ecarts considérable du chômage dans les zones urbaines de l'UE
[05] Anti-racism documentary contest reveals young European TV talent
[06] 100 jeunes construisent "leur" Europe
[07] EU nuclear safety strategy for the East underlined
[08] Yves-Thibault de Silguy : Fixing the conversion rates against the euro
on 31 December
[09] Yves-Thibault de Silguy : "The UK will be profoundly affected by the
euro"
[10] Franz Fischler : "Hungary on the way to membership of the EU"
[01] Commission closes mobile telecommunications cases after price cuts
The European Commission has decided to close the file on some of the in-
depth investigations into fixed and mobile operators' interconnection rates
which it opened in July 1998. The decision follows the announcement since
of reduced margins or interconnection charges for mobile calls and affects
Italy and Spain as regards the termination of mobile-to-fixed calls. Also,
Ireland has lowered the fixed network operator's retention on fixed-to-
mobile calls. In three other cases relating to Germany and the Netherlands,
the Commission has stayed its proceedings in view of action taken by the
national regulatory authorities.
[02] Commission rejects criticisms of the decision on the UK Date Based
Export Scheme
Reacting to certain criticisms regarding the decision on the Date Based
Export Scheme the European Commission stressed the sound scientific basis
for this decision and totally rejected suggestions that the decision was
motivated by political or economic considerations. This scheme has been
scrutinised very carefully by the Scientific Steering Committee who have
delivered two opinons on the subject, firstly in December 1997 and finally
in February 1998. The modifications to the scheme suggested by the
Scientists in December 1997 were fully introduced and the final proposal
meets all of the requirements and recommandations of their opinion of
February 1998 which were put forward as the approach which would give
maximum guarantees in relation to the protection of human and animal
health. The Commission considers it necessary to repeat the main elements
of the scheme which guarantees that no BSE infected meat can be exported ie
: this scheme will apply only to deboned meat and meat products obtained
from animals born after the 1 August 1996 (the date on which it is
considered that the meat-and-bone meal ban in the UK was fully effective)
and which are over six months and under thirty months of age. The scheme
also includes the slaughter and destruction of offspring from Bovine
Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) infected animals and verification that the
dam of the animal concerned has lived for at least six months after birth
and not developed BSE. Strict rules on the identification and traceability
of animals and meat are also included. It should be stressed that meat
from animals over thirty months of age will continue to be excluded from
all markets including the domestic UK market. Furthermore it is important
to point out that no UK beef can be exported until such time as the
Commission has been satisfied on the basis of an inspection that all
aspects of the scheme are being completely applied. Note : the two
opinions of the Scientific Steefing Committee are available on the internet
site : http://europa.eu.int/comm/dg24/sc/ssc/outcome_en.html
[03] La zone euro affiche un excédent de 6,6 milliards d'Ecus avec le reste
du monde en août
(! embargo 12h !) La zone euro a enregistré un excédent commercial de 6,6
milliards d'Ecus avec le reste du monde au mois d'août de cette année, en
hausse de 0,3 milliard par rapport à la même période de l'année dernière.
Les échanges extra-Union européenne (UE15) ont dégagé un excédent de 1,6
milliards d'Ecus en août, en baisse de 1,5 milliard par rapport à août
1997. Ces chiffres sont publiés aujourd'hui par Eurostat, l'Office
statistique des Communautés européennes à Luxembourg. La croissance extra
et intra-communautaire a continué à ralentir en août, tant pour la zone
euro que pour l'UE15, les exportations extra-UE15 ayant même légèrement
baissé par rapport au mois d'août 1997.
[04] Ecarts considérable du chômage dans les zones urbaines de l'UE
(! embargo 12h !) Eurostat, l'Office statistique des Communautés
européennes à Luxembourg, publie aujourd'hui un rapport sur le chômage dans
les zones urbaines de l'Union européenne (UE). Les résultats ressortent de
l'enquête sur les forces de travail (EFT) réalisée en avril 97. Le rapport
indique que le taux de chômage de l'ensemble des agglomérations urbaines de
l'UE était de 11,6%. Cette moyenne va de 2,8% à Luxembourg à 30,5% dans les
zones urbaines de l'Andalousie (Espagne). Parmi les 141 régions de l'EFT
où se trouvent des zones urbaines englobant une ou plusieurs agglomérations
urbaines et pour lesquelles les données ont un niveau de fiabilité
satisfaisant, 13 se distinguent par un taux de chômage inférieur à 5,5%
(soit 50% plus faible que la moyenne de l'UE). Huit se concentrent dans
les pays du Bénélux et trois en Autriche. A l'opposé, plus d'une douzaine
de zones urbaines se caractérisent par un taux de chômage qui avoisine ou
dépasse largement le double de la moyenne de l'UE. Elles sont surtout
situées en Italie et en Espagne.
[05] Anti-racism documentary contest reveals young European TV talent
Four talented young film makers, winners of a TV documentary competition
backed by the European Commission, will see their work premiered at the
International Documentary Film Festival (IDFA) in Amsterdam this month.
The prize winners originate from Portugal, France, Sweden and the UK. The
IDFA runs from 25 November to 3 December, and the films, all exploring anti-
racist and cultural diversity themes, will be featured as special
screenings on 30 November. The competition, which is organised by EMMA, the
European Multicultural Media Agency, is part of an initiative aimed at
young people, aged 17-25, in the 18 countries of the European Economic Area,
especially welcoming those with recent migrant and ethnic minority
backgrounds. The initiative is jointly backed by the Commission's
Directorates General responsible for "Education, Training and Youth" (DG
XII), "Employment, Industrial Relations and Social Affairs" (DG V), and
"Information, Communication, Culture and Audiovisual" (DG X).
[06] 100 jeunes construisent "leur" Europe
Pour la deuxième année consécutive, à l'invitation d'Edith Cresson, Membre
de la Commission européenne responsable pour l'éducation, la formation et
la jeunesse, 100 jeunes de 17 à 32 ans bénéficiant des programmes éducatifs
et scientifiques de l'Union européenne (UE) débattront de thèmes qu'ils
jugent importants pour leur avenir. Cette deuxième rencontre Jeunes, qui
se tiendra les 26 et 27 novembre à Bruxelles, couvrira les thèmes suivants
: créativité et esprit d'initiative ; recherche, société et éthique ; et
identités locales dans l'Europe de demain. La première rencontre,
organisée en novembre 1997, avait permis de proposer des solutions
concrètes dans les domaines suivants : stimulation de la mobilité des
jeunes dans les différents pays de l'UE ; accroissement de l'information
sur les programmes européens ; allègement des procédures administratives.
En 1997, près de 400.000 jeunes ont bénéficié directement des programmes
éducatifs et scientifiques de l'UE.
[07] EU nuclear safety strategy for the East underlined
European Commissioner for Foreign Affairs Hans van den Broek today rejected
allegations that the European Union's (EU) nuclear safety programmes for
Eastern Europe lack a comprehensive strategy. "Our strategy has always
been clear and conducted in full transparency", he said at the European
Parliament today, "Contrary to what is frequently assumed, the EU's
objective has never been to assume full and exclusive responsibility to
solve all the problems, but was clearly limited to help the concerned
States to shoulder their responsibilities in this area. Grants of the order
of ECU 100 million per year are by far insufficient for the modernisation
or closure of the 65 nuclear reactors in Central and Eastern Europe and in
the New Independent States. The cost of this undertaking is estimated to
be at some tens of billions of ECU". In addition to these financial
constraints, the Commissioner also outlined the complex technical,
political and legal constraints of nuclear safety projects and the many
concrete results that have already been achieved.
[08] Yves-Thibault de Silguy : Fixing the conversion rates against the euro
on 31 December
Speaking at a conference on EMU in London, Yves-Thibault de Silguy,
European Commissioner responsible for economic, monetary and financial
affairs, explained the timetable for the fixing of conversion rates against
the euro on 31 December : "All that now remains is to fix the conversion
rates between national currencies and the euro. For technical reasons,
this cannot be done before the 31st of December 1998. However, the
procedure has already been decided. The starting point will be a
teleconference between national central banks to establish the market value
of the ECU. The Commission, after consultation with the European Central
Bank, will then be in a position to calculate conversion rates against the
euro. We will publish our proposals in the early afternoon of 31 December,
probably at around 1pm. The rates will be legally adopted by the Council
of Ministers later in the afternoon. Finally, the text will be published
in the Official Journal of the European Union at about 6pm. It will enter
into force at midnight local time in all participating countries. This
timetable should allow financial market operators the maximum possible time
to prepare for the first trading day in EMU on 4 January 1999." He also
commented on the debate on the external value of the euro : "Intensified
international cooperation could help to limit violent exchange rate
movements which can undermine confidence and damage trade flows. In
today's world of free capital movements, exchange rates are not set by
decree. The markets decide the relative values of our currencies on the
basis of the economic conditions in the countries involved. The key to
greater exchange rate stability is therefore working together to reduce the
economic divergences which can provoke markets to react. Without an
effective international dialogue, it is unrealistic to envisage any system
of indicative zones for exchange rates."
[09] Yves-Thibault de Silguy : "The UK will be profoundly affected by the
euro"
(! embargo 3 pm !) Speaking to the French Chamber of Commerce in Great
Britain, Yves-Thibault de Silguy, European Commissioner responsible for
economic, monetary and financial affairs, said : "The debate in the UK has
always underestimated the political momentum behind EMU. Once a rocket is
launched, there is no going back. The theoretical debate in the UK over
whether EMU would happen was counter-productive. Those in the UK who tried
to prevent other member states from pressing ahead have simply damaged
Britain's image in the European Union. And, at a more practical level,
this sterile debate has undoubtedly held back some business preparations in
the UK. Now that the arrival of the euro is a certainty, the attack has
shifted to how long EMU will last. The sceptics argue that economic
pressures will destroy the euro four or five years down the line. They use
this scenario to justify the UK remaining outside for as long as possible.
My answer is do not make the same mistake twice. EMU is not a leap in the
dark. It is the next step in a long and successful process of European
integration." "The UK has decided to stay outside monetary union, at least
for the present. The UK has this absolute right. And the decision under
the opt-out is for the UK and the UK alone." " Not being in monetary union
means being outside. And that brings a number of economic and political
consequences for the UK. Firstly, the UK will be directly affected by the
interest rates set by the European Central Bank. Secondly, companies in
Britain will face exchange rate risks when they do business in the euro
zone. Thirdly, individuals will also be able to make uncomfortable
comparisons with other Member States. In 1995, interest on a mortgage of
£100,000 in Italy cost £1,100 per month. The same loan would have cost
£670 a month in the UK. Today, you are still paying £650 in the UK. But
the Italian interest payments have dropped by half to £540."
[10] Franz Fischler : "Hungary on the way to membership of the EU"
On his two-day visit to Budapest, European Commission for Agriculture Franz
Fischler praised Hungary's progress in preparing for membership. He
appreciated Hungary's achievements in fighting corruption and improving its
legal system. As to economy Hungary could now be regarded as a functioning
market economy that may be capable of coping with the competitive pressures
on the internal market in the medium term, provided that it continues its
current efforts. The Commission's progress report confirms Hungary's
compliance with the priorities in the sphere of economic reforms,
veterinary and plant health law and financial controls. He underlined that
the food industry was the only major sector in which Hungary is already a
net exporter. However, further efforts were still necessary, not least in
the agriculture sector, before Hungary could hold its own in the European
single market. "In the last resort, each applicant country must decide for
itself at what pace it can undertake reform", Mr Fischler told the
Hungarian Parliament.
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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