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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 00-12-18
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
18/12/2000
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] "Simply farming" - Commission proposes to cut red tape for 500,000
small farmers
[02] Un nouveau pas décisif vers le ciel unique européen : le rapport du
Groupe de Haut Niveau sur la réforme du trafic aérien
[03] La Commission autorise la création d'une entreprise commune entre
Georg Fischer et WestLB et leur reprise de Krupp Werner & Pfleiderer
[04] Commission clears Metsä-Serla acquisition of Zanders
[05] Comptabilité : la Commission lance une consultation sur l'indépendance
des personnes chargées du contrôle légal des comptes
[06] Commission approves euro 2.7 billion aid for Northern Ireland
[07] Progress in farm pre-accession programmes
[08] Romano Prodi welcomes the report of the EU-US Biotechnology
Consultative Forum
[09] Scientific opinion reviews Austrian reserve on GMO-maize
[10] Margot Wallström welcomes the agreement on new rules for GMOs
[11] Autre matériel diffusé
[01] "Simply farming" - Commission proposes to cut red tape for 500,000
small farmers
The European Commission has adopted a proposal that will greatly simplify
the system of applying for and paying aids to small farmers. Over 20% of EU
farmers could benefit from less paperwork. This proposal forms part of the
Commission's drive to simplify the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). It
offers the option for farmers who receive small amounts of direct aid
(maximum of euro 1,000) to benefit from a simplified scheme. The scheme
would be introduced over a trial period to run from 2002-2005. The scheme
should also minimise administration for national authorities responsible
for paying and controlling aids. While simplifying the conditions for
receiving aid, there should be no weakening of the efficiency of control
systems to protect taxpayer's money. Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural
Development and Fisheries Franz Fischler stressed this point, saying :
"Form-filling will be a one-off event for small farmers, instead of yearly
claims for every type of premium. We want to allow farmers to get on with
the business of farming. If this pilot-project proves successful, we will
of course think about extending the scope of the scheme. But we can in no
way dilute the stringent control we apply to spending taxpayer's money."
The fact that the aid is in no way linked to production means that it will
fall under the green box requirements of the WTO Agreement on Agriculture.
The proposal will now submitted to the Council for decision.
[02] Un nouveau pas décisif vers le ciel unique européen : le rapport du
Groupe de Haut Niveau sur la réforme du trafic aérien
La Commission européenne présente aujourd'hui les conclusions du rapport du
Groupe de Haut Niveau sur la réforme du trafic aérien, qui vise à améliorer
les performances du transport aérien et réduire les retards considérables
actuels. Sous présidence de Loyola de Palacio, vice-présidente en charge
des Transports et de l'Energie, ce groupe a réuni les autorités civiles et
militaires en charge du contrôle aérien, tout en associant étroitement les
partenaires sociaux et le secteur industriel concernés. Son rapport
confirme l'impératif de la création d'un ciel unique européen et prône pour
2005 la mise en place des structures nécessaires à sa création. Il propose
six axes principaux d'action : la gestion commune de l'espace aérien,
l'instauration d'un régulateur communautaire fort, l'intégration
progressive d'une gestion civile et militaire, la définition d'une synergie
institutionnelle entre l'Union européenne et Eurocontrol, la mise en place
d'une technique adaptée et rénovée et une meilleure coordination de la
politique de ressources humaines dans le secteur du contrôle aérien.
[03] La Commission autorise la création d'une entreprise commune entre
Georg Fischer et WestLB et leur reprise de Krupp Werner & Pfleiderer
La Commission européenne a autorisé le projet de la société suisse Georg
Fischer AG et de la société allemande Westdeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale
(WestLB) par lequel elles entendent acquérir le groupe allemand Krupp
Werner & Pfleiderer (KWP), appartenant à Thyssen Krupp, et l'intégrer dans
une nouvelle holding avec les deux groupes de Georg Fischer, Waeschle et
Buss. Georg Fischer et WestLB contrôleront conjointement cette holding.
Cette opération de concentration donnera naissance à l'un des premiers
fournisseurs mondiaux de systèmes et de composants destinés au traitement
du plastique mais ne pose pas de problèmes de concurrence.
[04] Commission clears Metsä-Serla acquisition of Zanders
The European Commission has approved an operation by which Finnish based
company Metsä-Serla Corp will acquire sole control over German paper
producer Zanders Feinpapier. The Commission examined the companies'
combined share of the fine paper market and Metsä-Serla's presence in pulp
production upstream and paper merchanting downstream, but concluded to the
absence of competition concerns.
[05] Comptabilité : la Commission lance une consultation sur l'indépendance
des personnes chargées du contrôle légal des comptes
La Commission européenne a publié un document de consultation concernant
l'indépendance du contrôleur légal des comptes dans l'Union européenne, qui
invite les parties intéressées à présenter d'ici mars 2000 leurs
observations sur un jeu de principes auxquels les contrôleurs légaux
devraient se conformer dans l'exécution de leur mission. En vertu des
directives comptables, les états financiers de quelque trois millions de
sociétés de capitaux de l'UE doivent faire l'objet d'un contrôle légal. La
Commission tiendra compte des observations reçues lors de l'élaboration de
sa recommandation sur l'indépendance du contrôleur légal, dont l'adoption
est prévue pour la mi-2001. Le document de consultation propose une
approche articulée autour de grands principes, qui n'impose pas
d'obligations détaillées mais plutôt un cadre général abordant les
principaux aspects de l'indépendance du contrôleur légal des comptes. Ce
cadre est complété par une série de règles plus détaillées. La future
recommandation devrait renforcer la fiabilité et la comparabilité de
l'information financière fournie par les sociétés, qualités essentielles au
bon fonctionnement des marchés financiers. Elle s'inscrit dans le cadre du
plan d'action pour les services financiers, qui vise à achever d'ici 2005
la construction d'un marché intégré des services financiers et des capitaux
(voir IP/00/1269). Le document de la Commission peut être consulté sur le
site Europa à l'adresse suivante : http://europa.eu.int/comm/internal_market
[06] Commission approves euro 2.7 billion aid for Northern Ireland
The European Commission, in agreement with the new Northern Ireland
Administration, has approved a euro 2.7 billion programme of assistance for
economic and social development in Northern Ireland over the period 2000-
2006. This "Community Support Framework" (CSF) has two distinct component
parts : the "Objective 1" transition programme and the second European
Union Programme for Peace and Reconciliation. The transition programme
applies because the region no longer features among Europe's poorest - its
income (GDP) per head is above the threshold figure of 75% of the EU
average - and European aid is accordingly being reduced on a gradual basis.
The Programme for Peace and Reconciliation reflects the EU's support for
the consolidation of the peace process in Northern Ireland. In total, the
Union will contribute euro 1.315 billion out of a total of almost euro
2.745 billion, for both parts of the CSF. Some euro 0.588 billion will come
from the Northern Ireland public sector with euro 0.842 billion expected
from private investors.
[07] Progress in farm pre-accession programmes
The European Commission today authorised Commissioner for Agriculture,
Rural Development and Fisheries Franz Fischler to sign the Multi-annual and
Annual Financing Agreements with the candidate countries. This is an
important step in the process of providing the euro 520 million worth pre-
accession aid for agriculture and rural development (Sapard). The Multi-
annual Financing Agreements lay down the detailed provisions for delegating
the management of the rural development programmes to the candidate
countries, covering the necessary financial control rules. This is the
first time in the history of the EU that external aid will be managed on a
fully decentralised basis, requiring an enormous legislative and
administrative effort on both sides. Commenting on the decision,
Commissioner Fischler said : "The ground that has been covered over the
past year is remarkable", he said. Rejecting criticism of delays, Mr
Fischler insisted that implementing such a radical, innovative and
unprecedented initiative inevitably takes more time than might have been
expected. "The Commission is going as fast as possible. Setting up a fraud-
proof structures may appear cumbersome, but the time invested now will bear
fruit over the coming years. Sapard is an important catalyst for change.
Today we have taken a further step towards committing the EU-funds
earmarked for the candidate countries", he concluded.
[08] Romano Prodi welcomes the report of the EU-US Biotechnology
Consultative Forum
(! embargo 7.30 pm !) The EU-US Biotechnology Consultative Forum an
independent group of experts, established at the initiative of Presidents
Romano Prodi and Bill Clinton, and chaired by Ruud Lubbers, Professor of
Globalisation at Tilburg University and former Prime Minister of The
Netherlands, with his US counterpart Cutberto Garza, Chair of Cornell
University, has today presented its report to the Summit leaders. The
report of the EU-US Consultative Forum will be made available on :
http://europa.eu.int/comm/dgs/external_relations/index_en.htm
[09] Scientific opinion reviews Austrian reserve on GMO-maize
The Scientific Committee on Plants has today published an opinion
concerning the invocation by Austria of the safeguard clause of Council
Directive 90/220 with respect to the authorisation of a specific
genetically modified maize line (maize line T25). The Committee examined
the information submitted by the Austrian authorities to substantiate its
action, and found that it does not provide new scientific data to change
the original risk assessment carried out in 1998. On the basis of this risk
assessment marketing approval for cultivation was given the same year. The
Committee states in particular that there is no evidence that this
transgenic maize will pose a problem to the ecology of the Alpine grassland
and meadow systems as suggested in the Austrian documentation submitted.
The full text of the opinion is available at : http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/sc/scp/out85_gmo_en.html
[10] Margot Wallström welcomes the agreement on new rules for GMOs
European Environment Commissioner Margot Wallström welcomes the fact that
the delegation of the European Parliament and the representatives of the
Council of Ministers to the Conciliation Committee last Friday approved a
joint text on a revised Directive on the deliberate release into the
environment of GMOs (90/220). It is expected that the Presidency and the
European Parliament will finally sign the agreed text of the Conciliation
Committee on 20 December 2000. This enables the Parliament and the Council
to finally adopt the revised Directive 90/220 by mid-February. The revised
Directive strengthens the existing regulation, particular with respect to
mandatory consultation of the public, mandatory labelling and traceability
at all stages of the placing on the market and also monitoring of long term
effects. The Commission considers the revised Directive will provide for a
coherent, transparent and efficient regulatory framework. Commissioner
Wallström said : "GMO legislation must provide a high level of protection
for human health and the environment, and at the same time allow society to
profit from the benefits of these new technologies. The Commission regards
this agreement as a very important and big step towards restoration of
public and market confidence in the authorisation procedure for GMOs and
products derived from GMOs. It will allow for greater participation of the
public in the authorisation process and allow for consumers to choose
themselves whether they want products containing GMOs or not.
[11] Autre matériel diffusé
Note sur les résultats du Conseil Pêche
Note sur la préparation du Conseil Agriculture
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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