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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 00-05-03
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 Service Presse et Communicationb
03/05/2000
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[I] Résultats de la Commission de ce jour - Outcome of today's Commission
meeting
[01] La Commission propose que la Grèce devienne le douzième membre de la
zone euro
[02] Commission proposes to strengthen public health protection with
proposal to remove specified BSE risk materials from the food chain
[03] Commission sets out plans for sustainable development of EU mining
industry
[04] Commission reports on state of world shipbuilding market
[05] Commission adopts 13th monitoring report on the article 95 ECSC steel
aid cases
[06] Commission approves regional aid package for Sweden
[07] Commission says Danish low income tax rate for experts recruited
abroad is not State aid
[08] Commission says Swedish income tax relief for foreign experts does not
constitute State aid
[09] Commission questions Belgian plan to grant aid to Ford's factory in
Genk
[10] La Commission autorise une aide en faveur des propriétaires de navires
et des pêcheurs portugais affectés par le non-renouvellement de l'accord de
pêche signé entre l'UE et le Maroc
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[11] Rencontre entre la Commission et Rubens Ricupero, Secrétaire Général
de la CNUCED
[I] Résultats de la Commission de ce jour - Outcome of today's Commission
meeting
[01] La Commission propose que la Grèce devienne le douzième membre de la
zone euro
La Commission européenne a adopté son rapport sur l'état de la convergence
2000, dans lequel elle conclut que la Grèce remplit les conditions
nécessaires pour adopter la monnaie unique, l'euro. Sur la base de ce
rapport et du rapport de convergence également publié aujourd'hui par la
Banque centrale européenne, la Commission propose au Conseil d'abroger à
compter du 1er janvier 2001 la dérogation dont la Grèce fait l'objet. La
décision finale devrait être prise par le Conseil Ecofin après consultation
du Parlement européen, et après une discussion des chefs d'Etat ou de
gouvernement lors de leur sommet de Santa Maria da Feira, les 19 et 20 juin
prochains. Le rapport sur l'état de la convergence 2000 conclut qu'il n'y a
pas lieu de modifier le statut de la Suède, Etat membre faisant l'objet
d'une dérogation. Le processus de convergence n'a pas été évalué au
Danemark et au Royaume-Uni puisque ces pays, en vertu de leur clause
d'exemption, n'ont pas notifié leur intention d'adopter l'euro.
[02] Commission proposes to strengthen public health protection with
proposal to remove specified BSE risk materials from the food chain
In a renewed effort to set out harmonised rules to ensure that tissues
likely to be infected with BSE are kept out of the animal and human food
chain, the European Commission has endorsed a proposal for a Decision to
regulate the use of specific risk materials (SRM) presenting a BSE risk.
The proposed approach would oblige all Member States to remove certain risk
materials - a long list in the UK and Portugal and a short list in all
other Member States. Removal of SRM is the single biggest contribution that
can be made to reducing the risk to humans from BSE, and thereby reducing
the possibility of human infection by nvCJD. The new strategy follows
continuous and recently reinforced scientific advice to remove highly risky
tissues from the food and feed chain. Additionally, the first ever
diagnosis of BSE in a native Danish cow in March this year raised more
doubts about the BSE-free status of many countries without reported BSE.
The proposal will replace the previous Commission's proposals to this end
which have not been accepted by Member States up to today. While there is
no EU-wide system on removal of risk materials, eight Member States have
introduced national rules (B, DK, F, IRL, L, NL, PT, UK). The EU has
already adopted a wide-spread testing scheme for BSE to measure a high
level of protection.
[03] Commission sets out plans for sustainable development of EU mining
industry
The European Commission has adopted a Communication on the promotion of
sustainable development in the EU mining industry. The Commission stressed
the need for improved dialogue and cooperation among all stakeholders to
achieve this goal. The Communication identifies key issues that must be
addressed at local, regional, national and European levels through a
coherent EU policy. Specific environmental priorities (which the Commission
will return to in more detail), are the prevention of mining accidents,
improvement of the industry's overall environmental performance and sound
management of mining waste. The Council of Industry Ministers plans to have
a first exchange of views on these issues at its meeting 18 May.
[04] Commission reports on state of world shipbuilding market
The European Commission has adopted the second in a series of reports to
the Council of Ministers on the state of the world shipbuilding market. The
report reveals a continuing decline in the market share of the EU
shipbuilding industry. It expresses particular concern about commercially
unsustainable prices being offered by South Korean yards. The report also
outlines the strenuous efforts made by the Commission to convince the South
Korean Government to play its part in creating fair and competitive world
market conditions. In particular, after several rounds of consultations,
the Commission and the Korean Government finalised talks on 10 April 2000
and initialled "Agreed Minutes relating to the World Shipbuilding Market".
These Agreed Minutes are focusing on non-subsidisation, banking, financial
transparency (with regard to international accounting standards),
commercial pricing practices and an effective consultative mechanism. The
report is due to be considered by the Council of Industry Ministers at its
meeting on 18 May 2000.
[05] Commission adopts 13th monitoring report on the article 95 ECSC steel
aid cases
The European Commission has adopted its latest report on the implementation
of a number of decisions taken in 1994 and 1995 authorising important aid
to steel companies. This 13th monitoring report will be submitted to the
Industry Council on 18 May 2000. It covers the period 01/07/1999-
31/12/1999. Only four companies are still subject to monitoring : Irish
Steel (Ireland), Siderurgia Naçional (Portugal), EKO Stahl (Germany) and
Voest Alpine Erzberg (Austria). Most of the conditions attached to the
approval of the aid are already fulfilled and only conditions still
monitored by the Commission are addressed in the report.
[06] Commission approves regional aid package for Sweden
The European Commission has approved the regional development aid scheme
for Sweden. With this approval, the Commission gives the green light for
Swedish plans to provide financial assistance for a wide range of business
aid measures in the assisted regions in Northern Sweden.
[07] Commission says Danish low income tax rate for experts recruited
abroad is not State aid
The European Commission has decided that the Danish scheme granting a lower
flat rate income tax to experts recruited abroad does not constitute State
aid to companies. As employers in all sectors of industry are hiring
experts covered by the scheme, it does not, de facto, favour certain
undertakings or the production of certain goods.
[08] Commission says Swedish income tax relief for foreign experts does not
constitute State aid
The European Commission has decided that a Swedish scheme granting a
reduction of the income tax base to experts recruited abroad, and a
corresponding reduction of the basis for calculating the social
contributions to be paid by their employers, does not constitute State aid.
As employers in all sectors of industry are able to hire experts benefiting
from the scheme, it does not favour certain undertakings or the production
of certain goods.
[09] Commission questions Belgian plan to grant aid to Ford's factory in
Genk
The European Commission has decided to open a formal investigation into the
regional aid Belgium plans to grant towards Ford's investment in its
factory situated in Genk (Flanders). The reason for the opening of this
probe is doubts about the necessity of the aid. The planned aid amounts to
euro 6.5 million (BEF 262.5 million). With this decision the Commission
maintains its firm line from previous similar cases.
[10] La Commission autorise une aide en faveur des propriétaires de navires
et des pêcheurs portugais affectés par le non-renouvellement de l'accord de
pêche signé entre l'UE et le Maroc
La Commission européenne vient d'autoriser le Portugal à accorder des aides
nationales destinées à indemniser les propriétaires de navires et les
équipages qui ont été contraints de mettre fin à leurs activités de pêche
dans les eaux marocaines après l'expiration, le 30 novembre 1999, de
l'accord de pêche signé entre l'UE et le Maroc. Cette aide temporaire sera
disponible jusqu'à la fin du mois de juin, sauf si de nouveaux arrangements
sont trouvés d'ici là. L'aide nationale sera complétée par un concours
financier de l'UE dans le cadre du nouvel instrument financier
d'orientation de la pêche (IFOP), le montant total de l'aide devant
s'élever à 2,2 millions d'euros pour les propriétaires de navires et à 3,3
millions d'euros pour les équipages.
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[11] Rencontre entre la Commission et Rubens Ricupero, Secrétaire Général
de la CNUCED
Le Président de la Commission européenne, Romano Prodi, ainsi que les
membres de la Commission chargés du commerce (Pascal Lamy) et de la
coopération au développement et de l'aide humanitaire (Poul Nielson),
tiendront des réunions bilatérales avec M. Rubens Ricupero, Secrétaire
Général de la Conférence des Nations Unies sur le Commerce et le
Développement (CNUCED), les 3 et 4 mai à Bruxelles. L'objet de ces
rencontres est de préparer la troisième conférence de l'ONU sur les pays
les moins avancés qui aura lieu à Bruxelles du 13 au 20 mai 2001. Cette
conférence, convoquée en 1997 à la demande de l'Assemblée Générale de l'ONU,
est la première à être accueillie par l'UE.
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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