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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 01-11-15
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 15/11/2001
[01] Declaration by European Commission President Romano Prodi on the
launch of a new world trade round (14/11)
"I am extremely pleased at launch of a new "Doha Development Agenda" round
(the DDA). This is the best possible news for efforts to build better
global governance. I am also delighted at the crucial and constructive role
played by the EU, and by the unity and solidarity shown right trough this
process by the Member States, with the Commission as negotiator. The DDA
round is well focused on a balance between trade liberalisation and
regulation. More importantly, it is balanced between EU interests,
developing countries interests and the systemic benefit. This deal has
achieved a genuinely global balance. We now need to negotiate a crisp three-
year outcome to bring real advancement in sustainable development."
[02] Franz Fischler : "New WTO round slap in the face for isolationism"
Marking the launch of the new WTO Trade Round in Doha/Qatar yesterday,
European Agriculture Commissioner Franz Fischler declared : "When we came
to Doha, I made clear that Europe would take a constructive position on
agriculture, that we were in for a deal. Today, we made it happen. We have
the new round Europe has been pushing for so hard. This is good news. It is
good news not only for Europe, but for all the members of the WTO. A new
trade round is a slap in the face for isolationism. The European Union has
delivered. We have shown the necessary flexibility. Today we have kicked
off a party where everyone gets a prize. Agriculture was one, but not the
only key point in the end game. I do not know whether we have written trade
history today. But I do know that history will remember these days in Doha,
when the free world backed multilateralism by opposing isolationism, when
developing and developed countries opted for trade instead of terrorism."
[03] Commission clears "bancassurance" cooperation JV between Generali and
Commerzbank in Germany
The European Commission has given the go-ahead to a joint venture between
German bank Commerzbank and AMB, a German insurer controlled by Generali of
Italy, which will distribute the parent companies' respective insurance and
retail banking products in Germany. The venture will increase the number of
distribution outlets for the products concerned to the benefit of German
consumers.
[04] Euro et PME : forte progression du niveau de préparation -
l'utilisation de l'euro en forte augmentation
D'après la dernière enquête Flash Eurobaromètre sur les PME et l'euro
publiée aujourd'hui par la Commission européenne et réalisée du 27 octobre
au 6 novembre, les PME européennes sont désormais 43% à s'estimer prêtes
pour le passage final à l'euro. Il s'agit d'un bon résultat, puisqu'elles
n'étaient que 23% dans cette situation lors de la précédente enquête
effectuée en juillet/août. La plupart des PME misent à présent sur un
basculement de leurs activités à l'euro au 1er janvier 2002. Si la quasi-
totalité (91% d'entre elles) prévoient de facturer en euro d'ici au 1er
janvier, celles qui pensent qu'elles seront en mesure d'effectuer toutes
leurs opérations en euros à cette date ne représentent toutefois que 78%
des PME. En même temps, les résultats de l'enquête du troisième trimestre
2001 de la Commission sur l'utilisation de l'euro publiés également
aujourd'hui, montrent que celle-ci est globalement en très forte
augmentation dans la plupart des Etats participants. C'est le cas pour les
comptes bancaires, pour les paiements nationaux des entreprises et des
particuliers, pour les déclarations de TVA et droits de douane. En moyenne,
un peu plus de 80% des terminaux de paiement électronique gérés par les
banques sont déjà prêts pour des opérations en euro.
[05] Urban II programme : EU contributes euro 7 million to urban
development in Antwerp
Michel Barnier, member of the European Commission responsible for regional
policy, announced today in Antwerp that the Commission has approved a
programme for urban regeneration. This Urban Community Initiative Programme
will provide euro 7.1 million from the European Union over the period 2001-
2006. The European funding has attracted euro 15.7 million in further
investment from the public sector, creating total resources of euro 22.8
million. Priorities will include training, improvements of the physical
environment and various measures to promote the inclusion of disadvantaged
groups, particularly into the labour market.
[06] Breast implants : Commission proposes better monitoring and
information
The European Commission is to propose tighter controls on the safety of
breast implants, and reinforced mechanisms to check that these rules are
observed. It will also ask for an upgrade of the European standards for
breast implants. These proposals are part of a joint drive by the
Commission and Member States to improve implant quality, information
provision, and post-surgical follow-up. This follows requests from citizens
and petitions to the European Parliament. The proposals' rationale is set
out in a Commission Communication published today, which has one annex on
the essential safety requirements, and another listing issues on which
information should be made available to patients.
[07] End of classical swine fever restrictions in Spain
Today the last remaining restrictions because of classical swine fever
(CSF) in Spain expire. These restrictions were the ban on the export of
live pigs and porcine semen, ova and embryos from the comarcas of Pla
d'Urgell, Urgell and Noguera in the province of Lerida. The measures were
applicable until 15 November. No new restricitions have been introduced and
Spain can thus be considered completely free from the disease. The first
outbreak of CSF was confirmed on 14 june 2001 and the 29th and last
outbreak on 19 September 2001. In total about 122,000 pigs have been
slaughtered to eradicate the disease.
[08] 30 pays, 1.800 universités et 120.000 étudiants participeront au
programme Erasmus cette année
En ce début d'année universitaire, la Commission européenne a annoncé les
chiffres prévus pour les activités qui se dérouleront en Europe en
2001/2002 dans le cadre du programme Erasmus. Ainsi, selon les estimations,
120.000 étudiants effectueront une période d'études reconnue dans un autre
pays européen et plus de 10.000 professeurs d'université enseigneront
pendant une courte période dans un autre établissement. Erasmus est le
volet consacré à l'enseignement supérieur de Socrates, le programme
européen en matière d'éducation, qui est ouvert aux pays associés depuis
1997.
[09] Anna Diamantopoulou welcomes Hungary's agreement to shadow Community
employment strategy in run-up to accession
Visiting Budapest tomorrow, European Employment and Social Affairs
Commissioner Anna Diamantopoulou and Hungarian Minister Iván Stumpf of the
Prime Minister's office will sign a joint assessment by the Commission and
Hungary of the country's progress in preparing its jobs market for EU
membership. The assessment already carried out for five other candidate
countries recognises Hungary's success in moving towards a market economy,
increasing its productivity and cutting joblessness to 6.4% of the
workforce. However, it also points to low overall employment rate of 56.4%
(EU-15: 64.3%) and points to the need for more work incentives in the tax
and benefit systems and a better match between labour demand and supply.
Welcoming the agreement, Mrs Diamantopoulou will say that Hungary is making
clear its commitment to the EU's fundamental goals of competitiveness,
employment and social cohesion.
[10] VIe programme-cadre recherche : Philippe Busquin se félicite du vote
du Parlement européen
Le Parlement européen a voté hier le rapport concernant le programme-cadre
de la recherche (2002-2006). Il s'agit d'un programme de 17.5 milliards
d'euros, le troisième plus important de l'Union européenne. A cette
occasion, le Commissaire européen à la Recherche, Philippe Busquin, a
estimé que ce vote est une étape majeure vers la construction de l'Espace
Européen de la Recherche et a souligné que la Commission peut suivre
largement l'avis de la commission parlementaire (ITRE) chargée du programme-
cadre. Sur un total de 334 amendements, la Commission peut en accepter en
principe 248, soit les trois quarts.
[11] David Byrne calls for a "Constitution for Europe"
David Byrne, European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection,
yesterday addressed the Irish Senate, the Upper Chamber of the Irish
Parliament, in Dublin. He is the first Irish Commissioner to be accorded
this honour. He welcomed the establishment of the National Forum on Europe
in Ireland, chaired by Senator Maurice Hayes, which was set up to discuss
the outcome of the Irish Nice Referendum and to focus on the future of
Europe debate. For his part, Mr Byrne shared with Senators, and through
them the wider Irish public, some of his own ideas on the shape of a new
Europe, or as he put it "a new track for Europe".
[12] Commission allocates a further euro 2 million for humanitarian aid
operations in Peru
The European Commission is providing additional financial support worth
euro 2 million to ensure the continuity of humanitarian operations in
Southern Peru following the earthquake on 23 June. Channelled through the
Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) which comes under the responsibility of
Commissioner Poul Nielson, this decision comes on top of the euro 1.15
million in funding taken in June to meet the immediate needs of the
victims. Operations will be carried out during the next ten months and will
target about 1400 farming families living in the rural departments of
Arequipa, Ayacucho, Moquegua and Tacna. The funds will be mainly used for
the construction of housing modules with earthquake resistant designs in
rural areas, and to support the rehabilitation of the water and sanitation
system. The beneficiaries themselves, with the technical assistance of the
NGOs, will construct the houses. The rehabilitation aid will also
concentrate on the serious damage caused by the earthquake to the
agricultural infrastructure of the affected areas. Operations will include
the repairing of irrigation aqueducts, reservoirs, distribution canals, and
wells. On 23 June 2001, a strong earthquake measuring 6.9 on the Richter
scale struck southern Peru, affecting almost 220,000 people. In its primary
emergency decision taken on 25 June, ECHO allocated euro 1.15 million to
finance five emergency humanitarian operations. These were implemented
between 25 June and 30 September and included the provision of food aid,
medicines, blankets, tents, and shelters to the victims of the earthquake.
ECHO's partners for these humanitarian operations are Cooperazione
Internazionale (COOPI, Italy), Cooperação e Desenvolvimento (OIKOS,
Portugal), Movimiento por la Paz, el Disarme y la Libertad (MPDL, Spain)
and OXFAM (UK).
[13] Autre matériel diffusé
Overall assessment over the results for the EU at the WTO 4th Ministerial
(14/11, Doha)
Closing press conference by Pascal Lamy at the WTO 4th Ministerial (14/11,
Doha)
Speech by Mario Monti : "Antitrust in the US and Europe : a history of
convergence" at the General Counsel Roundtable American Bar Association
(14/11, Washington DC)
Speech by Erkki Liikanen : "Values @ work" at the European Conference on
Prospects for the Social Economy within the Framework of Sustainable
Development (14/11, Ghent)
Speech by David Byrne : "The EU strategy on antimicrobial resistance in
humans" at the European Conference on Antibiotic Use in Europe
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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