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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 01-10-04
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
Midday Express 04/10/2001
[01] Sabena : la Commission demande la notification urgente des mesures
prises
La Commission européenne a pris connaissance de la décision des autorités
belges d'accorder un crédit-pont à la compagnie Sabena afin de lui
permettre de poursuivre ses activités. Cette décision faisait suite à
l'annonce par la Sabena qu'elle sollicitait le concordat judiciaire. La
Commission a demandé aux autorités belges de bien vouloir notifier les
mesures qu'elles entendent prendre, ainsi que les plans de restructuration
de la Sabena, afin de les analyser dans les plus brefs délais, dans le
cadre des aides au sauvetage.
[02] EU to accelerate preparatory work on Russia's accession to WTO
following EU-Russia Summit
At the EU-Russia summit held yesterday in Brussels, the European Commission
agreed to accelerate preparatory work on Russia's accession to the World
Trade Organisation (WTO). The Commission has agreed to present a
comprehensive list of its requests to Russia covering all areas to be
negotiated before the end of this year in order that the WTO's working
party can reconvene its work in Geneva in early 2002. Following the summit,
Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy said : "As Russia's main trading partner,
the EU strongly supports Russia's goal of joining the WTO. Consequently, we
have decided to give fresh impetus to this process by committing ourselves
to preparing an across-the-board list of our requests to give to Russia at
the latest by the end of this year. We have been assured by the US that
they will do likewise. As a result, work on Russia's WTO accession in
Geneva will be receive fresh impetus early next year."
[03] Commission promotes synergies between research and regional policy
At the initiative of Commissioners Philippe Busquin, responsible for
research, and Michel Barnier, responsible for regional policy and
institutional reform, the European Commission has just adopted a strategy
paper on the regional dimension of the European Research Area. The paper is
designed to incite local and regional authorities, especially those from
the least developed regions, to benefit from the new possibilities offered
by the European Research Area, and to provide new perspectives to the EU's
research and regional policies alike. The ever faster pace of globalisation
and technological progress have given rise to a number of questions such as
how to use the dynamics of regional initiatives for the advancement of
science and innovation, how to use the potential of research and innovation
to integrate regions in the emerging knowledge-based economy and how can
Europe's regions best contribute to the creation of the European Research
Area ? The proposed strategy addresses those issues and aims at a better
integration of research and regional policies.
[04] Marchés publics : la Commission ouvre des procédures d'infraction
contre l'Italie et la Grèce
La Commission européenne a décidé d'adresser des demandes officielles à
l'Italie et à la Grèce pour qu'elles se conforment à la législation
communautaire concernant la passation de marchés publics sur appels
d'offres publics et sur concours. Ces deux pays n'ont pas veillé à la bonne
application de la directive portant coordination des procédures de
passation des marchés publics de services (92/50/CEE). Le marché passé en
Italie concerne un système de comptabilité informatisée dans le secteur de
la santé publique à Frosinone, et celui qui a été passé en Grèce un
programme d'urbanisme de la municipalité de Sérres. Dans les deux affaires,
les pouvoirs adjudicateurs n'ont pas publié d'appel d'offres au Journal
officiel des Communautés européennes. Les demandes officielles prennent la
forme d'avis motivés (deuxième étape de la procédure d'infraction au titre
de l'article 226 du traité CE). Faute de réaction satisfaisante de la part
des Etats membres dans un délai de deux mois à compter de la réception de
l'avis motivé, la Commission a la possibilité de saisir la Cour de Justice
de ces affaires.
[05] Libre circulation des marchandises : procédure d'infraction contre la
France sur les métaux précieux
La Commission européenne a décidé d'envoyer une demande formelle à la
France de modifier sa réglementation sur les métaux précieux et plus
particulièrement la dénomination "or" qui crée des discriminations contre
les autres Etats Membres. La Commission estime que cette réglementation est
contraire aux règles du Traité qui interdisent les entraves à la libre
circulation des marchandises dans le marché intérieur (article 28). La
demande formelle sera transmise sous forme d'avis motivé, la deuxième étape
de la procédure d'infraction prévue à l'article 226 du traité CE. Si la
France ne se conformait pas à cette demande dans un délai de deux mois
après réception de l'avis motivé, la Commission pourrait décider de saisir
la Cour de justice.
[06] Second quarter 2001 - Euro-zone labour costs up by 2.7% ; EU15 up by
3.1%
(! embargo 12 am !) Total hourly labour costs in the whole economy of the
euro-zone grew by 2.7% in nominal terms in the second quarter of 2001
compared to the same period the previous year, Eurostat reports today. In
the first quarter of 2001 the increase was a revised 3.1%. For the EU15 the
rise was 3.1%, compared to a revised 3.6% in the previous quarter. Among
countries for which data are available, only Italy registered an annual
decrease (-1.4%). The biggest rise was in the Netherlands (5.2%) and Spain
(5.1%). In industry, hourly labour costs in the euro-zone rose by 2.8%
whilst for the EU15 the increase was 3.1%. From the data available, the
smallest annual rise in costs was in Italy (1.6%), while the biggest
increase was registered in Ireland (7.9%).
[07] EU support for building confidence in FYROM
The European Commission has adopted on 3 October 2001 a decision to finance
a Confidence Building Programme for the former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia under its Rapid Reaction Mechanism. The main objective of this
programme, for which the budget is euro 10.3 million, is to provide rapid
support for the implementation of the Ohrid Framework Agreement of August
13, 2001 signed by the main political leaders of the Government coalition.
It is very important to assist now in implementing the Agreement in order
to reduce inter-ethnic tensions and to avoid escalation of the conflict or
even spill-over to neighbouring countries. This package will be conditional
upon full ratification of all constitutional amendments and a new law on
local government.
[08] Letter of European External Relations Commissioner Chris Patten on
03/10 to Mr Jaswant Singh, Indian Minister for External Affairs
"It is with shock and horror that I have learnt the tragic news of the act
of terrorism that has struck your nation in Kashmir. Our hearts go out to
the families and loved ones that the victims leave behind. I share their
grief and your hope that they may find the strength to deal with an
irreplaceable loss. I assure you, also on behalf of my colleagues, that we
share not only your sorrow but also your resolve to confront and defeat the
terrorist evil that continues to threaten humanity around the globe."
[09] Réunion informelle des ministres de l'Audiovisuel (Mons, 05-06/10)
Les ministres en charge de l'Audiovisuel se réuniront demain et samedi à
Mons sous la présidence de M. Hervé Hasquin, ministre-président du
gouvernement de la Communauté française de Belgique. Mme Viviane Reding
représentera la Commission européenne. Le principal point à l'agenda est la
présentation par la Commission de la communication sur le cinéma adoptée la
semaine dernière (Cf. IP/01/1326 du 27 septembre 2001).
[10] Autre matériel diffusé
Speech by Pedro Solbes at the European Parliament : "Council and Commission
statement on Stability and Growth Pact and on Ecofin informal meeting in
Liège" (03/10, Strasbourg)
Speech by David Byrne : "Consumer protection past and future" at the
Belgian Presidency Conference "The consumer's involvement in the Single
Market" (! embargo 1.45 pm !)
Note sur la préparation du Conseil Emploi / Affaires sociales (08/10)
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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