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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 99-12-10
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 10/12/1999b
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Euro-zone GDP grew by 1.0% in the third quarter ; 2.3% compared to
third quarter 1998
[02] La Commission autorise CVC Group à acquérir le contrôle exclusif du
groupe Torraspapel
[03] EU secures better protection of ozone layer through stricter
international control of harmful substances
[04] Michaele Schreyer welcomes Poland's efforts to prepare for membership
[01] Euro-zone GDP grew by 1.0% in the third quarter ; 2.3% compared to
third quarter 1998
(! embargo 12 am !) According to the first estimates by Eurostat, GDP grew
by 1.0% in the third quarter of 1999 compared to the previous quarter both
in the euro-zone and the European Union (EU15). Compared to the third
quarter of 1998 GDP grew by 2.3% in the euro-zone and by 2.2% in EU15. The
results of the euro-zone and EU15 for the third quarter of 1999 are mainly
due to an acceleration in household final consumption expenditure (+0.8%
for the euro-zone and EU15 respectively) as well as in gross fixed capital
formation (+1.0% for the euro-zone and +0.9% for the EU15), compared to the
previous quarter. The growth of the US economy accelerated, increasing by
1.4%, compared to 0.5% in the previous quarter. Japan's GDP dropped by -
1.0% after an increase of 1.0% in the second quarter of 1999.
[02] La Commission autorise CVC Group à acquérir le contrôle exclusif du
groupe Torraspapel
La Commission européenne a autorisé, dans le secteur du papier couché sans
bois, une opération par laquelle l'entreprise britannique CVC Group
acquiert le contrôle exclusif du groupe espagnol Torraspapel. Etant donné
que la part de marché combinée résultant de la fusion reste limitée,
l'opération ne comporte pas de risque en matière de concurrence.
[03] EU secures better protection of ozone layer through stricter
international control of harmful substances
The European Commission, in cooperation with Member States, succeeded in
achieving significant strengthening of the controls on substances that
deplete the ozone layer, at the Beijing Meeting of the Parties to the
Montreal Protocol. The European Union had proposed a comprehensive and
significant package of proposals for consideration by about 150 countries
attending the meeting. The agreement in Beijing comes at the time when the
ozone layer is reaching its most vulnerable state. Despite significant
decrease in emissions of harmful substances world-wide, the level of
depletion of the ozone layer is expected to remain at its maximum over the
next two decades. This is because large amounts of ozone depleting
substances continue to reach the ozone layer as a result of historical
large scale emissions in the past. The controls agreed will help to avoid
future harmful effects of high levels of UV radiation recently recorded in
Europe.
[04] Michaele Schreyer welcomes Poland's efforts to prepare for membership
Michaele Schreyer, European Commissioner for Budget, has welcomed Poland's
efforts to establish a counterpart to the European Anti-Fraud Office OLAF.
"The largest candidate country and the most significant beneficiary of
Phare funds has made a significant step forward and agreed to create a
specific service for the protection of the Communities' financial
interests. The success of this project which is cofinanced by the Phare
programme with euro 3.5 million in 1999, is all the more important as it
could serve as an example for other candidate countries in the anti-fraud
field", Mrs Schreyer said during her two-days visit to Poland and after
having discussed Poland's progress in budgetary and financial provisions
with the Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Leszek
Balcerowicz.
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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