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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 00-02-28
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 28/02/2000b
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] "An agenda of economic and social renewal for Europe" - the
Commission's contribution to the Lisbon Special European Council
[02] Yad Vashem : message of Romano Prodi, President of the European
Commission
[03] Commission clears Celestica's acquisition of IBM's electronic
manufacturing services (EMS) businesses in Italy and the US
[04] Evaluation des incidences sur l'environnement : la Commission engage
des poursuites judiciaires contre plusieurs Etats membres
[05] Günter Verheugen urges Poland to speed up its preparation effort
towards accession
[06] Chris Patten on human rights violations in Chechnya
[07] Commission improves external assistance performance
[01] "An agenda of economic and social renewal for Europe" - the
Commission's contribution to the Lisbon Special European Council
(! embargo 3.30 pm !) European Commission President Romano Prodi sent today
to Antonio Guterres, President of the European Union, and to Heads of State
and Government of the European Union the Commission's contribution to the
Lisbon Special European Council. Building on the stable macroeconomic
framework that has been achieved, the Commission is proposing to take
advantage of the favourable economic outlook in order to : pursue economic
reform to prepare Europe for the knowledge economy and strengthen the
European social model by investing in people. The Commission believes that
Lisbon provides a unique opportunity for a reflection about our longer-term
policy orientations setting long-term goals, identifying priorities,
establishing targets and dates and defining who does what. As a complement
to the legislative process, the Commission proposes to monitor progress
using benchmarking and peer review. Romano Prodi argues that "the measures
proposed are ambitious but achievable. If the Commission, the Member States
and European citizens at all levels summon the political energy and courage
to implement this ambitious integrated programme, Europe will see a new
'renaissance' with full employment and prosperity". He stressed, however,
that "it is essential to commit to all the reforms, economic, social and
political as a package to achieve results. A pick-and-choose strategy
simply will not work".
[02] Yad Vashem : message of Romano Prodi, President of the European
Commission
"Sixty years ago, in Europe, the most terrible page of all human history
was written. Europe did not forget and does not want to forget. For this
reason the first thing I did as president of the European Commission was to
go to Auschwitz. For this reason I am here, today. Auschtwitz, Yad Vashem
are the places of memory. Auschwitz, Yad Vashem are the places where to
start from when moving to build the future. Europe we built at the end and
on the basis of the tragedy of war and Shoah is and wants to be a land, a
Union of peace, of liberty, of respect for rights and identities, of
safety. For all and everyone, whatever their origin, the colour of their
skin, their religion may be. These are the values Europe is committed to
guarantee and defend. These are the values I am personally committed to
guarantee and defend."
[03] Commission clears Celestica's acquisition of IBM's electronic
manufacturing services (EMS) businesses in Italy and the US
The European Commission has approved the transaction whereby Celestica Inc.
acquires sole control over part of IBM Italia S.p.A.'s manufacturing
operations in Italy which produce printed circuit assemblies and assembles
and tests servers, as well as the operations of electronic card assembly
and test of IBM located in Rochester, Minnesota (US). The operation does
not raise competition concerns.
[04] Evaluation des incidences sur l'environnement : la Commission engage
des poursuites judiciaires contre plusieurs Etats membres
La Commission européenne a envoyé un avis motivé à l'Allemagne pour non-
respect d'un arrêt de la Cour de justice européenne constatant qu'elle
n'avait pas transposé correctement la directive de 1985 concernant
l'évaluation des incidences sur l'environnement (directive EIE). Elle a
également décidé d'envoyer un avis motivé à l'Autriche, à la France, au
Luxembourg, à l'Allemagne, à la Grèce, à l'Espagne et au Royaume-Uni pour
non-transposition de la directive de 1997 modifiant la directive précitée.
L'envoi d'un avis motivé constitue l'ultime phase d'une procédure
d'infraction avant la saisine de la Cour de justice.
[05] Günter Verheugen urges Poland to speed up its preparation effort
towards accession
The progress towards accession lies in the hands of Poland, the European
Union will do all it can to help achieve this task successfully but the
driving force must be Poland itself. This is in substance the main message
delivered by European Commission for Enlargement Günter Verheugen during
his two-day visit to Poland where he met with President Kwasniewski, Prime
Minister Buzek, Foreign Affairs Minister Geremek, representatives of the
Sejm and the Senate as well as SLD leader Miller.
[06] Chris Patten on human rights violations in Chechnya
European Commissioner for External Relations, Chris Patten, made the
following statement on human rights violations in Chechnya last Friday : "I
was shocked and deeply concerned by the news footage on European television
stations yesterday appearing to show a mass grave in Chechny with mutilated
bodies. This follows other deeply disturbing reports about massive human
rights abuses by Russian security forces from most reputable non-
governmental organisations. These reports underline once again the urgent
need to establish a permanent presence of international human rights
monitors in the region, notably through the OSCE and the Council of Europe,
as well as to provide their full acess to Chechnya. I call upon the Russian
authorities to allow a full and independent investigation of the alleged
crimes and human rights abuses. Again and again we have made abundantly
clear to the Russian governement our dismay at these allegations. We will
certainly raise our concerns, notably on the mass grave and filtration camp
allegations as well as on the fate of Russian journalist Andrei Babitsky,
at the upcoming EU-Russia Ministerial on 2 March and the trilateral
ministerial meeting with Russia and the US on 3 March in Lisbon."
[07] Commission improves external assistance performance
The External Relations Common Service (SCR) releases a report, handed over
to the European Parliament's Budget Committee on 22 February 2000, on last
year's performance figures on the implementation of external assistance
programmes. The implementation of EU external assistance has reached
historical heights in 1999 both in commitments and in payments : euro 7.9
billion and euro 4.9 billion respectively, compared to euro 7.4 billion and
euro 4.7 billion in 1998. In order to cope with this increasing
implementation task, the Commission obtained an additional euro 504 million
in payment credits from the Budgetary Authority. Between 1990 and 1999 the
amounts committed increased by 183% and those paid by 100%. The accumulated
amount "rest to be paid" in the budget has grown less than ever since 1990
(1998 : euro 13,455 million ; 1999 : euro 14,407 million). The accumulated
amount "rest to be contracted" in the budget, decreases for the first time
ever in absolute figures (1998 : euro 8,080 million ; 1999 : euro 8,021
million). Thanks to improved management a greater amount of money will thus
be paid to contractors during the next years. The SCR has managed 11,640
projects and 16,448 contracts in 1999 ; 3,343 tenders were published and 8,
826 new contracts or riders were signed ; 2,826 commitments were handled
and 40,097 payment orders released. The report is now available.
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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