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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 99-11-09
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-Parole 09/11/1999b
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Commission and Government of the Czech Republic sign Joint Economic
Assessment
[02] Michaele Schreyer calls on agreement on funding for Kosovo
[03] EU economic and development cooperation : responding to the new
challenges of climate change
[04] Forests and development : the EU approach
[01] Commission and Government of the Czech Republic sign Joint Economic
Assessment
Mr Pavel Mertlík, Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of the Czech
Republic, and Mr Pedro Solbes Mira, European Commissioner for Economic and
Financial Affairs, signed today a "Joint Assessment of economic policy
priorities of the Czech Republic" for the period up to 2005 as part of the
Accession Partnership process.
[02] Michaele Schreyer calls on agreement on funding for Kosovo
European Commission for Budget, Michaele Schreyer, has called on the
Council of ministers and the European Parliament to find a rapid agreement
on the financing of the euro 500 million for the reconstruction in Kosovo.
"The euro 500 million which the Commission proposed for the reconstruction
in Kosovo next year are necessary in order to fulfil the most urgent
demands. The need is especially high in the year 2000", Mrs Schreyer said.
She pointed out that the Commission's proposal is backed by the recent
report 'Towards stability and prosperity a program for reconstruction and
recovery in Kosovo', jointly prepared by European Commission and World Bank
staff. The report estimates external financing requirements until December
2000 at USD 1,1 billion with housing, energy and private sector development
as being priority areas. The Council wants to finance the funding for the
reconstruction in Kosovo next year by an across-the-board cut in external
policy programs. The Parliament has rejected this approach in its first
reading of the 2000 budget. The Commission then proposed to finance the
euro 500 million by redeployment, use of the flexibility reserve and a
revision of the financial perspective in 2000. The report estimates the
requirements for all donor financial assistance for the year 2000 at USD 1,
1 billion and in total until 2003 at 2,3 billion.
[03] EU economic and development cooperation : responding to the new
challenges of climate change
The European Commission has adopted the policy document "EC economic and
development cooperation : responding to the new challenges of climate
change" which reflects the importance the Commission attaches to the issue
of climate change and which serves as an initial response to an important
ongoing public debate. It addresses challenges and options concerning
climate change and the European Union's (EU) economic and development
cooperation. Many developing countries contribute little to climate change,
but are nevertheless vulnerable to its effects and have little resources
for adaptation. The greenhouse gas emissions of developing countries, in
particular the emerging economies, are forecasted to increase rapidly and
eventually to surpass developed countries' emissions. It is therefore
crucial to involve developing countries in the global efforts to slow down
climate change. However, developing countries differ significantly in terms
of their development status, contribution to climate change and also in
terms of their vulnerability to its effects. The document stresses that
mainstreaming of climate change considerations into EU cooperation policies
has to be done with a view to ensuring that it does not divert the focus
from sustainable development priorities of the developing country partners.
[04] Forests and development : the EU approach
Responding to a call from the European Parliament for "an integrated
international strategy seeking to ensure the qualitative and quantitative
conservation and sustainable management of forests", the European
Commission has adopted a Communication to the Council of Ministers and the
Parliament entitled "Forests and Development the EU approach". The
Communication gives an overview of the forest sector in developing
countries and defines the objectives of the European Union in forest
development cooperation, identifies areas for dialogue and assistance and
sets out actions to achieve these objectives taking into account experience
gained in recent years. The commitment of the EU and Member States to
sustain economic and social development, while fostering environmental
protection, is reaffirmed. Hence, interventions are proposed to achieve the
following forestry specific objectives : (i) reduced uncontrolled
deforestation and forest degradation ; (ii) increased extent of areas under
sustainable forest management ; (iii) increased equitable revenues from
forest products ; (iv) maintained genetic resources and bio-diversity ; (v)
improved capacity of institutional frameworks to meet conflicting demands
on forests ; (vi) expanded forest related knowledge base. The Communication
also pursues the goal of combating poverty in developing countries while
improving the quality of human life within the carrying capacity of
supporting ecosystems.
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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