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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 00-12-14
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
14/12/2000
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[I] Résultats de la Commission du 13 décembre 2000 - Outcome of Commission
meeting of 13 December
[01] Des moyens renforcés pour le recouvrement de créances de la Commission
[02] Executive agencies : a new administrative body for the implementation
of Community programmes
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[03] Michaele Schreyer salue l'adoption du budget 2001
[04] Commission approves merger in the Dutch insurance sector
[05] Fonds Social Européen : la Commission adopte un train de mesures de
376 millions d'euros en matière d'éducation, de formation et d'emploi pour
la Flandre (Belgique)
[06] Houblon : la Commission propose une prolongation de deux ans de
l'organisation du marché
[07] Frits Bolkestein disappointed with Parliament vote on takeover bids
Directive
[08] Philippe Busquin welcomes Parliament initiative to set up committee on
genetics
[09] Commission and WHO to intensify their cooperation
[10] EU to lift textiles quotas for Sri Lanka in market access deal
[11] External trade in 1999 - weak growth of Bulgarian and Slovenian
exports to EU
[12] "Prospects for agricultural markets report 2000-2007" published by DG
Agriculture
[13] Fusions approuvées selon la procédure simplifiée
[14] Autre matériel diffusé Discours de Mme Reding : "Quelles priorités
pour l'éducation et la culture en 2001?" à l'assemblée plénière du Comité
des Régions (PE)
[I] Résultats de la Commission du 13 décembre 2000 - Outcome of Commission
meeting of 13 December
(voir aussi see also ME of 13/12)
[01] Des moyens renforcés pour le recouvrement de créances de la Commission
La Commission européenne a adopté une proposition qui réforme en profondeur
les procédures de recouvrement des créances (action 96 du Livre Blanc de la
réforme). Cette réforme responsabilise les services gestionnaires dans la
poursuite des débiteurs, clarifie le rôle des services comptables et
renforce les moyens du service juridique et de l'OLAF dans la phase
contentieuse. Michaele Schreyer, Commissaire responsible du Budget, a
déclaré : "Souvent le recouvrement des créances n'est pas perçu comme une
tâche exaltante, c'est pourtant un aspect indispensable de la bonne
exécution du budget et une responsabilité essentielle à l'égard du
contribuable. Les services de la Commission s'acquittent, en général, très
bien de cette tâche comme le prouvent les 730 millions d'euros apurés en
1999. Mais il faut améliorer encore le taux de recouvrement des créances.
C'est pourquoi la Commission a décidé de renforcer les moyens des services
dans ce domaine en termes de procédures, d'outils informatiques et de
ressources humaines."
[02] Executive agencies : a new administrative body for the implementation
of Community programmes
Refocusing the Institution's resources on core tasks and functions is a key
objective of the European Commission's reform. Externalisation of the
management of activities which could be delegated to outside entities is
one of the tools the White Paper foresees. The Commission has adopted a
proposal from Vice-President Kinnock and Commissioner Michaele Schreyer for
a Regulation for the establishment of "Executive Agencies" which would,
under the strict supervision of the Commission, implement Community
programmes. They would be established by Commission decision and work with
Commission officials and temporary staff.
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[03] Michaele Schreyer salue l'adoption du budget 2001
Le Parlement européen a adopté ce matin le budget de l'Union pour l'année
2001 qui comporte 96.2 milliards de crédits d'engagement et 92.6 milliards
de crédits de paiement, soit une hausse respectivement de 3.1% et de 3.5%
par rapport à l'année 2000. Ainsi s'achève la première procédure budgétaire
complète de la Commission Prodi. Mme Michaele Schreyer, Commissaire
européen au Budget, s'est réjouie de l'excellente coopération avec
l'autorité budgétaire (Parlement européen et Conseil) tout au long de la
procédure qui a permis répondre aux défis de l'UE en 2001 : Balkans et
crise de l'ESB notamment, tout en respectant la discipline budgétaire. Mme
Schreyer a également noté le soutien de l'autorité budgétaire au processus
de réforme de la Commission par l'allocation de 400 postes supplémentaires
suivant les résultats du Groupe de Pilotage.
[04] Commission approves merger in the Dutch insurance sector
The European Commission has decided to approve the operation by which
Belgian-Dutch group Fortis will acquire sole control of Dutch insurance
company ASR Verzekeringsgroep N.V. The only overlap in the companies'
activities was found to be in the Dutch transport insurance sector but it
did not result in a dominant position.
[05] Fonds Social Européen : la Commission adopte un train de mesures de
376 millions d'euros en matière d'éducation, de formation et d'emploi pour
la Flandre (Belgique)
Un programme de 376 millions d'euros en matière d'éducation, de formation
et d'emploi, financé par le Fonds Social Européen, a été approuvé
aujourd'hui par la Commission européenne pour la Flandre (Belgique). Ce
document unique de programmation au titre de l'Objectif 3 prévoit une aide
communautaire à la Région flamande pour les sept prochaines années. La
décision prise aujourd'hui s'inscrit dans une série de mesures arrêtées en
ce moment par la Commission pour lancer dans tous les Etats membres la
nouvelle période de programmation des Fonds Structurels, qui va de 2000 à
2006.
[06] Houblon : la Commission propose une prolongation de deux ans de
l'organisation du marché
La Commission européenne a adopté aujourd'hui une proposition visant à
prolonger de deux ans le régime actuel d'aide à la production prévu par
l'organisation commune des marchés dans le secteur du houblon. Compte tenu
de la réussite du régime existant visant à encourager la production à
s'adapter à la demande, la proposition prévoit de n'apporter aucune
modification au taux actuel d'aide aux producteurs de houblon fixé à 480
euros/hectare. La Commission propose également de réexaminer l'ensemble du
régime concernant le houblon dans un rapport qui sera publié avant le 31
décembre 2002. Ce réexamen tiendra compte de l'efficacité des "mesures
spéciales temporaires" applicables dans le cadre du régime (mise en repos
et arrachage permanent) et dont l'expiration est prévue en 2002. Il
analysera également l'impact potentiel de l'élargissement de l'Union
européenne sur le secteur puisqu'un certain nombre de pays candidats sont
d'importants producteurs de houblon. La proposition devrait être adoptée
par le Conseil des ministres et serait applicable à partir du 1er janvier
2001.
[07] Frits Bolkestein disappointed with Parliament vote on takeover bids
Directive
"It is deeply disappointing that the European Parliament has voted in
Strasbourg to introduce fundamental changes to the long overdue takeovers
Directive", commented European Commissioner for the Internal Market Frits
Bolkestein. "In particular, they have voted to change the crucial principle
in the proposed Directive that the management of target companies must
consult shareholders before putting in place defensive 'poison pill'
measures. As a result of this change, management could act to defend their
own, potentially narrower interests rather than being obliged to act in the
interests of the target company's shareholders as a whole. Moreover, this
change would allow an important source of artificial takeover barriers to
remain in place, and so effectively hinder company restructuring on a pan-
European level. The Commission will of course try to foster a compromise in
the process of conciliation between the Parliament and the Council of
Ministers, but such fundamental changes from the text agreed by the Council
could put adoption of the proposal at risk. We would then have to throw
away more than ten year's work and start all over again. In other words,
the European economy would have to pay the opportunity cost for several
more years of being unable to restructure on the basis of clear pan-EU
takeover rules. The Union's Heads of State and Government identified the
Directive as a priority at the Lisbon European Council in March 2000
precisely because it would contribute to the goal of making Europe the most
competitive economy in the world within ten years. Unfortunately, the
Parliament's vote has undermined the credibility of the practical
implementation of the Lisbon agenda."
[08] Philippe Busquin welcomes Parliament initiative to set up committee on
genetics
European Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin welcomed yesterday the
European Parliament's initiative to set up a temporary enquiry committee on
genetics. "It will contribute to and complement the Commission's own
efforts to reconcile science and society", he said. Recalling the Union's
substantial financial support to research in this field, Commissioner
Busquin added that the newly formed committee could count on the full
cooperation of DG Research. The Parliament's enquiry committee on "human
genetics and other new technologies in modern medicine" will examine new
and potential developments and uses of genetics and examine the ethical,
legal and socio-economic issues that these imply. The issue of science,
society and the citizen in Europe is an important pillar of the proposed
European Research Area (ERA), which is currenlty implemented by the
Commission with the Member States and whose importance was stressed at the
recent Nice summit.
[09] Commission and WHO to intensify their cooperation
(! embargo 4 pm !) Dr Gro Harlem Brundtland, Director-General of the World
Health Organisation (WHO), and Mr. David Byrne, European Commissioner for
Health and Consumer Protection, signed today an agreement between their two
institutions to strengthen and intensify their cooperation in the field of
health. The agreement is a major political commitment to work closely
together. It refers to joint work by the European Union and WHO which
reduce the burden of avoidable mortality and morbidity, counter risks to
health, improve health and health systems, and create the conditions for
advances in knowledge and technology in the service of health. The
agreement entered into force today with the signature by Dr Brundtland and
Mr Byrne of an exchange of letters.
[10] EU to lift textiles quotas for Sri Lanka in market access deal
The European Union and Sri Lanka have agreed to open their markets further
to their exports of textiles and clothing products. According to a deal
initialled in Brussels, Sri Lanka will reduce and bind tariffs on EU
textile exports, whilst the EU will suspend the textiles quotas currently
applicable on Sri Lanka's exports of these products to the EU.
[11] External trade in 1999 - weak growth of Bulgarian and Slovenian
exports to EU
(! embargo 12 am !) According to two reports issued today by Eurostat,
Bulgaria imported goods worth euro 2.7 billion from the EU while it
exported 2.2 billion worth to the EU market in 1999. As compared to 1998
imports rose by 11%, and exports were up by less than 1%. Its trade deficit
with the EU was euro 0.5 billion, compared to 0.2 billion in 1998. Slovenia
imported goods worth euro 6.9 billion from the EU and exported 5.3 billion
worth to the EU market. Imports were up by 2%, and exports grew by 1%
compared with 1998. Its trade deficit with the EU was euro 1.6 billion,
compared to 1.5 billion in 1998.
[12] "Prospects for agricultural markets report 2000-2007" published by DG
Agriculture
DG Agriculture today published its "Prospects for agricultural markets 2000-
2007". The report provides a picture of the likely developments of
agricultural markets up to 2007 in the EU, the candidate countries of
Central and Eastern Europe and world markets based on a number of
assumptions. The first section gives an overview of market trends and
medium-term projections of supply and demand within the EU and covers
cereals, oilseeds, meat, milk and the main dairy products. The likely
prospects for agricultural markets in the ten CEECs is described in the
second section. Finally, a presentation of the medium and long-term
prospects of agricultural world markets is given in the third section.
Based on information available at the beginning of October 2000, the
outlook does not incorporate the latest short-term developments on
agricultural markets, in particular the most recent developments in the
beef sector in the EU. An update, taking into account the most recent
regulatory and market developments in the beef and protein sectors, will be
published as soon as possible. The report can be found at the following
address : http://europa.eu.int/comm/dg06/publi/caprep/prospects2000/index_en.htm
[13] Fusions approuvées selon la procédure simplifiée
Celestica Inc (Canada) / NEC technologies UK (subsidiary of the Japanese
NEC Corporation)
SHFCLP (Holding company for La Poste) / Mayne Nickless Europe Limited
[14] Autre matériel diffusé Discours de Mme Reding : "Quelles priorités
pour l'éducation et la culture en 2001?" à l'assemblée plénière du Comité
des Régions (PE)
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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