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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 00-07-10
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 Service Presse et Communicationb
10/07/2000
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Operating brain cancer without a knife
[02] La Commission autorise l'achat par Invensys de l'entreprise de
logiciels néerlandaise Baan
[03] Microsoft gives up joint control over Telewest as Commission objects
to deal
[04] Pascal Lamy paraphe trois accords destinés à faciliter le commerce
avec des pays candidats à l'adhésion
[05] ECHO Flight service in Africa : Commission clears euro 8.8 million to
fund lifeline
[06] International Conference on the Role of Risk Analysis in the EU -
18/19 July in Brussels
[07] Frits Bolkestein calls for closer international cooperation on
copyright
[01] Operating brain cancer without a knife
Research co-funded by the European Commission has helped produce a radical
breakthrough that now enables brain surgery to be carried out without the
use of a knife. Cancer and other brain tumours can now be treated using a
combination of an instrument called Gamma Knife and an imaging technique
called PET, which is unique in the world. Patients at the Brussels Erasme
hospital are now being operated on without the skull being opened. Tumours
up to 3 cm in size are removed under local anaesthetic, the patient can
leave hospital the next day and work the day after. Furthermore it does not
lead to loss of hair. Normally this type of surgery involves a stay in
hospital of 6-8 weeks. The crucial imaging technique guiding the surgeon
while he is removing the tumour has been the object of several research
projects co-funded by the Commission.
[02] La Commission autorise l'achat par Invensys de l'entreprise de
logiciels néerlandaise Baan
La Commission européenne a approuvé l'acquisition de la société
néerlandaise Baan Company N.V par la société britannique Invensys Plc.
L'opération présente de grandes complémentarités et les seuls domaines de
produits où les activités des deux sociétés se recoupent sont les logiciels
de gestion et d'entreprise et certains services informatiques (IT), dans
lesquels elles détiennent des parts de marché limitées.
[03] Microsoft gives up joint control over Telewest as Commission objects
to deal
Microsoft Corp has informed the European Commission that it has agreed to
limit its investment in Telewest Communications Plc to a minority interest,
without the possibility of exercising decisive influence over the British
broadband cable company. This means that Microsoft no longer has joint
control over Telewest, leading it to withdraw its notification of the
original deal, under which it was acquiring control with Liberty Media
Corp. Consequently, the Commission will not take any further action with
regard to this operation.
[04] Pascal Lamy paraphe trois accords destinés à faciliter le commerce
avec des pays candidats à l'adhésion
(! embargo 15h !) Le Commissaire européen responsible du Commerce, Pascal
Lamy, a paraphé aujourd'hui trois accords de destinés à faciliter le
commerce avec la Hongrie, la République Tchèque et la Lettonie. Pour la
première fois, ces accords étendent les bénéfices du marché unique, pour
certains produits industriels, à des pays candidats à l'adhésion.
[05] ECHO Flight service in Africa : Commission clears euro 8.8 million to
fund lifeline
The European Commission has approved aid worth euro 8.8 million to enable
ECHO Flight to continue servicing Somalia, South Sudan and the Horn of
Africa. ECHO Flight is an essential lifeline for the humanitarian community
in a region where road links are dangerous or non-existent, and air links
unreliable, where they exist. This funding will enable Nairobi-based
operations to go on until end-April, 2000. ECHO Flight, first launched in
May 1994, enables ECHO partners and other humanitarian agencies to benefit
from safe, scheduled air transport for staff and goods. It also responds to
emergency calls for security and medical evacuation at short notice. Since
the service started, ECHO Flight aircraft have safely carried over 160,000
passengers and moved more than 4.4 million kg of cargo to more than 200
destinations. Previous funding for ECHO Flight amounts to euro 49.325
million.
[06] International Conference on the Role of Risk Analysis in the EU -
18/19 July in Brussels
The European Commission is organising on 18 and 19 July 2000 an
international conference in Brussels covering the different aspects of risk
analysis : risk assessment, risk management and risk communication. Risk
analysis is recommended or mandated by an increasing number of Community
legislation. The objective of the conference is to take stock of current
knowledge in this area and to further develop ideas about how to use the
different risk analysis instruments in the EU. Distinguished international
experts will introduce the different facets of risk analysis and comment
its increasing significance and application world-wide in the evaluation of
substances, products and processes. Speakers and participants include
scientists, national and European regulators, stakeholder groups and
journalists. Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner David Byrne will
deliver the opening speech on July 18. Andreas Oldag of the Süddeutsche
Zeitung will address the responsibility of the media in risk communication.
The conference takes place in the Charlemagne Building, Rue de la Loi 170.
Participation is open, including for press, but conditional on registration
on the spot. Programme, registration form and other information are
available at: http://europe.eu.int/comm/dg24/events/event30_en.html
[07] Frits Bolkestein calls for closer international cooperation on
copyright
European Commissioner for Internal Market Frits Bolkestein told an
international audience in Strasbourg on 10 July that the challenge for
Europe's copyright policy in the future was to ensure fair rules,
transparency and a proper balance between the adequate protection of
copyright holders and easy access to protected works on reasonable terms in
a time of technological change. "We will only be able to guarantee
continued creativity and investment by effectively protecting artists'
rights and continuing to fight piracy", he said to a Commission conference
on "The Management and Legitimate Use of Intellectual Property". Mr
Bolkestein urged the gathering to advance discussion on domestic and
international copyright issues. With respect to international cooperation
in this field, he said "it would be unrealistic to suggest that we can
reach a consensus on all issues, but I am sure we can work to harmonise our
priorities and match our goals. Closer coordination is clearly in our own
interest", referring in particular to an upcoming conference that will
discuss the drawing up of an international "Audiovisual Protocol" to
protect the rights of performing artists. In the European Union, he said,
"creativity and cultural diversity are our assets and are based on the
protection of intellectual property rights. We must work to anchor those
rights in modern international foundations, to update them to new
technology and to ensure their operation in practice reflecting our legal
and cultural traditions".
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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