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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 00-11-13
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
13/11/2000
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] MM. Byrne et Fischler proposent le test ESB pour l'ensemble du bétail
âgé dans l'UE
[02] Pedro Solbes welcomes report on coordinated issuance of public debt in
the euro area
[03] Third round of EU-Mercosur association negotiations
[04] EU requests WTO consultations with the US in order to eliminate
countervailing measures against EU steelmakers
[05] Poul Nielson to visit UNIDO and UNDCP
[06] Commission draws on UNIDO to support the Western African Monetary and
Economic Union
[07] Développement de l'utilisation de l'euro
[01] MM. Byrne et Fischler proposent le test ESB pour l'ensemble du bétail
âgé dans l'UE
Les consommateurs européens ont fortement réagi aux derniers événements
liés à l'ESB en France. M. David Byrne, commissaire européen responsable de
la santé et des consommateurs, et M. Franz Fischler, commissaire européen à
l'agriculture, à la pêche et au développement rural, prônent la plus grande
transparence possible sur l'étendue de l'ESB dans le bétail européen. La
Commission proposera aux Etats membres de mettre en place un test de l'ESB
complet pour tous les bovins au dessus d'un certain âge. Ces tests
serviraient de garantie supplémentaire pour les consommateurs quant à la
salubrité de la viande qu'ils consomment, complétant ainsi les normes
sévères de protection en vigueur. Les différentes options sur la manière de
mettre le programme en oeuvre seront discutées au comité vétérinaire
permanent qui se réunira mercredi 15 novembre ainsi qu'au Conseil
agriculture le 20 novembre.
[02] Pedro Solbes welcomes report on coordinated issuance of public debt in
the euro area
The report on "Coordinated Public Debt Issuance in the Euro Area" considers
four hypotheses for more coordinated issuance of public debt in the euro
area. It has been prepared by a group of financial experts offering advice
to the European Union on capital market integration in EMU chaired by
Alberto Giovannini. In assessing the hypotheses, the report distinguishes
between arrangements that could be agreed without legal or institutional
changes and those that would require such changes. In outlining the main
elements of the Report, Alberto Giovannini noted "that the Group's analysis
had focused on technical aspects of coordinated public debt issuance. While
there is evidence of fragmentation in the euro-area government bond market,
the level of distortion involved would not seem to justify a major change
in issuance arrangements at this time. However, the rapid pace of change in
Europe's financial market would suggest that the topic should be kept under
review." European Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs Pedro
Solbes welcomed the report as an important contribution to the debate on
financial-market integration in the EU: "This report helps to clarify the
current situation and offers food for thought in considering any possible
policy response. I hope the analysis in the report will stimulate further
discussion."
[03] Third round of EU-Mercosur association negotiations
The third meeting of the EU-Mercosur bi-regional Negotiations Committee
took place in Brasilia during 7-10 November 2000 and was opened by the
Brasilian Minister for External Relations, Ambassador Luiz Felipe Lampreia,
and the European Commissioner for External Relations, Chris Patten. Both
underlined the strong commitment and priority given to the EU-Mercosur
association negotiations by the two parties. The third round included
negotiations on the future political dialogue, trade and cooperation, with
a view to establishing an Interregional Association between the two
regions.
[04] EU requests WTO consultations with the US in order to eliminate
countervailing measures against EU steelmakers
The EU has today requested WTO consultations with the United States due to
the continued imposition by the US of countervailing duty measures against
important European Steel producers, such as AST, Ilva and Cogne in Italy,
Usinor and GTS in France, Corus in the UK, Aceralia in Spain and Dillinger
in Germany. These consultations are in response to the failure of the US to
take appropriate steps remove these dutiesfollowing the findings of recent
"British Steel" case. The EU sees consultations in Geneva as a further
attempt to resolve this question in a speedy and satisfactory manner
without pre-judging a decision to proceed to dispute settlement. It is
hoped that a successful conclusion to these consultations will avoid the
need to launch a number of new dispute settlement cases.
[05] Poul Nielson to visit UNIDO and UNDCP
Today, European Commissioner for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian
Aid, Mr Poul Nielson will be visiting Vienna where he will address the
UNIDO (United Nations Industrial Development Organisation) Round Table on
"Marginalization versus Prosperity : The Challenge Ahead". On this occasion,
he will meet with Mr Margarinos, Director General of UNIDO. UNIDO was
established as a UN agency in 1966 to help developing countries and
transition economies to pursue sustainable industrial development. The
Commission and UNIDO are working together in areas of mutual interest where
there is complementarity and value-added. One such initiative is the
financing (euro 8 million) by the Commission of the regional programme in
the Western African Monetary and Economic Union (UEMOA) for which UNIDO has
been selected as the technical assistance agency (see IP/00/1288 for
details). Whilst in Vienna, Mr Nielson will also meet with Mr Arlacchi
Executive Director of the UNDCP (United Nations Office for Drug Control and
Crime Prevention) to discuss Commission/UNDCP cooperation.
[06] Commission draws on UNIDO to support the Western African Monetary and
Economic Union
The European Commission has endorsed a project worth over euro 8 million
concerning a regional programme in the Western African Monetary and
Economic Union (Union Economique et Monétaire Ouest Africaine - UEMOA) to
be implemented by UNIDO. This cooperation is based on the identification of
a concrete area of cooperation where UNIDO can offer added value and
specific expertise. As the UN specialised agency mandated to promote
sustainable industrial development, UNIDO ensures sustained productivity
growth and its equitable distribution, thus contributing to the
international fight against poverty. Aimed primarily at eliminating supply
side constraints, UNIDO's approach consists of services targeting
institution- and capacity-building initiatives for the improvement of
enterprise competitiveness. UNIDO's programs tackle the issue of economic,
social and environmental sustainability by facilitating the mobilisation of
information, knowledge, skills and technology to support the private
sector.
[07] Développement de l'utilisation de l'euro
La Commission européenne a publié aujourd'hui la quatrième note
trimestrielle (troisième trimestre 2000) sur le développement de
l'utilisation de l'euro. L'utilisation de l'euro dans les relations avec
les administrations évolue de manière contrastée. En moyenne, elle
progresse légèrement en valeur pour les déclarations de TVA mais diminue
pour les déclarations douanières. Les paiements nationaux des entreprises
en euro stagnent à un niveau élevé en valeur et régressent très légèrement
en volume. Près de 24% des paiements internationaux sont en euro (36% en
valeur). La part des comptes en euro tend à régresser légèrement mais le
flux d'ouvertures de comptes en euro, qui avait fortement chuté au deuxième
trimestre, repart vers le haut. 45% des entreprises déclarent avoir
commencé à fixer des prix en euro et 10% à facturer systématiquement en
euro. Les paiements en euro des particuliers continuent de diminuer en
volume au troisième trimestre. En valeur, ils progressent de 6,4% à 7,1%,
sans toutefois atteindre le niveau du début de l'année (8,9%).
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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