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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 02-10-28
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Lack of action depletes fish stocks : scientific advice recommends
moratorium on cod fisheries
[02] "Seize opportunity to build strong CAP before it is too late", Franz
Fischler urges after Brussels Summit
[03] La Commission autorise la mise en place d'une plate-forme commerciale
de fret aérien, dénommée GF-X, entre plusieurs compagnies aériennes
européennes
[04] Commission clears acquisition of Interlanden by Deutsche Post
[05] Second quarter of 2002 : EU15 current account surplus €7.0 billion ;
€5.0 billion surplus on trade in services
[06] Libre circulation de marchandises : la Belgique devant la Cour pour
entraves aux importations de fauteuils roulants
[07] Commission decides to refer Austria to Court over killing of birds of
prey in Lower Austria
[08] Tobacco control : progress at WHO negotiations
[09] Anna Diamantopoulou welcomes agreement on new EU directive limiting
noise at work
[10] Anna Diamantopoulou welcomes Romania's agreement to shadow EU
employment strategy in run-up to accession
[11] Anna Diamantopoulou welcomes Bulgaria's agreement to shadow EU
employment strategy in run-up to accession
[12] Enlargement becomes an early reality as candidate countries sign 6th
EU Research Framework Programme
[13] Commission approves €29 million in support of Palestinian reform
efforts and in response to the deteriorating situation on the ground
[14] L'UE va envoyer des observateurs à Madagascar pour les élections
législatives du 15 décembre 2002
[15] Internal Market : Brussels event aims to build on Solvit's early
success in helping citizens and businesses assert their rights
[16] Des associations de consommateurs européennes et américaines se
réunissent pour discuter, entre autres, de la sécurité des aliments, des
OGM et de l'accès aux médicaments
[17] Commission welcomes inaugural meeting of European Regulators' Group in
Telecoms
[18] Fifth meeting of the Contact Group for European Financial Control
Organisations in Malta (28-29/10)
[19] Anna Diamantopoulou : "Information society, yes. Information elite,
no"
[20] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express 28/10/2002
TXT: FR ENPDF:DOC:Midday Express 28/10/2002
[01] Lack of action depletes fish stocks : scientific advice recommends
moratorium on cod fisheries
A number of cod fisheries should be closed in EU waters, according to the
latest scientific advice from the independent International Council for the
Exploration of the Sea (ICES) published on Friday 25 October. Scientists
have for several years been warning about the growing depletion of a number
of fish stocks, in particular cod. Franz Fischler, European Commissioner
responsible for Agriculture, Rural development and Fisheries commenting on
the alarming new advice said : "I don't want to say 'I told you so'. But it
is galling, after repeatedly warning of the dire consequences of inaction,
to see our worst fears realised and to be now faced with recommendations
for a moratorium on some cod fisheries. It is clear that in the absence of
effective conservation and control measures these stocks are being
persistently overfished. Previous data were distorted by misreporting of
catches and illegal landings. We now have to recognise that the state of
these stocks has never been worse."
[02] "Seize opportunity to build strong CAP before it is too late", Franz
Fischler urges after Brussels Summit
Speaking at the Agra Europe Conference in Brussels today, Franz Fischler,
European Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries,
stressed that last week's Brussels Summit was a success. "The deal on
financing opens the way for EU enlargement. This is good news for Europe.
For European agriculture, the decisions mean the following. We now have a
clear idea of the farm budget available in the future. For me, this means a
clear mandate to try and guarantee a long-term planning security for our
agriculture. We now also know that the milk reform and all other upcoming
reforms, as well as a part of the direct payments for the new Member States,
will have to be financed out of this fixed budget. On the other hand, the
means for rural development have not been restricted. The contrary, the
Heads of States have even reminded us of the importance of support for less
favoured areas. Concerning the timing of the implementation of the Mid-Term
Review (MTR), the Commission will fully respect the wishes of the Heads of
States. But the fundamental issues and the aims that were addressed in the
MTR remain unchanged. We now must put these aims into the perspective of
the new financial framework. I am convinced that if we do not act quickly,
the gap between our ambitious policy objectives and what the CAP delivers
to consumers, citizens and farmers would grow further. And sooner or later
it would become unsustainable. We must therefore seize the opportunity to
build a strong and sustainable Common Agricultural Policy before it is too
late", Mr Fischler said.
[03] La Commission autorise la mise en place d'une plate-forme commerciale
de fret aérien, dénommée GF-X, entre plusieurs compagnies aériennes
européennes
La Commission européenne a donné son feu vert au projet de création, par
Lufthansa, Air France, British Airways et Global Freight Exchange Limited,
d'une entreprise commune dénommée GF-X Operations Limited. GF-X fournira
une plate-forme commerciale électronique d'entreprise à entreprise ("B2B")
qui facilitera la vente des capacités de fret aérien entre les transitaires
(les acheteurs) et les transporteurs (les vendeurs) de fret aérien. L'étude
de marché réalisée par la Commission a confirmé que GF-X constituerait un
mode de distribution supplémentaire pour ce qui est de la capacité de fret
aérien et qu'il n'y avait aucune crainte à avoir quant à la création ou au
renforcement éventuels d'une position dominante du fait de l'opération
envisagée. De plus, l'entreprise commune est constituée de façon à prévenir
toute coordination des comportements concurrentiels des sociétés mères sur
le marché du transport de fret aérien.
[04] Commission clears acquisition of Interlanden by Deutsche Post
The European Commission has granted clearance under the Merger Regulation
to the acquisition of Dutch door-to-door mailings distributor Interlanden
B.V. by Deutsche Post AG. Through the notified deal, Deutsche Post and
Interlanden's previous parent Wegener N.V. will also create a mail joint
venture. (The operation, notified on 27 September 2002, was examined under
the simplified merger review procedure).
[05] Second quarter of 2002 : EU15 current account surplus €7.0 billion ;
€5.0 billion surplus on trade in services
According to the latest revisions issued today by Eurostat, the EU15
external current account recorded a surplus of €7.0 billion in the second
quarter of 2002, as compared with a deficit of €11.2 billion in the second
quarter of 2001 and a surplus of €0.2 billion in the first quarter of 2002.
In the second quarter of 2002 the EU15 external balance of trade in
services recorded a surplus of €5.0 billion as compared with a surplus of
€6.5 billion in the second quarter of 2001 and a deficit of €0.4 billion in
the first quarter of 2002.
[06] Libre circulation de marchandises : la Belgique devant la Cour pour
entraves aux importations de fauteuils roulants
La Commission européenne a décidé de saisir la Cour de justice à l'encontre
de la Belgique concernant sa législation qui revient à entraver la
commercialisation de fauteuils roulants fabriqués dans d'autres Etats
membres, en imposant des conditions trop restrictives pour leur
remboursement dans le cadre du régime de sécurité sociale nationale. La
décision de la Commission vise à faire appliquer les dispositions du Traité
CE garantissant la libre circulation des marchandises (article 28), que
tous les Etats membres se sont engagés à respecter. Lesdits obstacles ont
d'ailleurs pour effet de limiter le choix de fauteuils roulants disponibles
pour les utilisateurs sur le territoire belge.
[07] Commission decides to refer Austria to Court over killing of birds of
prey in Lower Austria
The European Commission has decided to refer Austria to the Court of
Justice for allowing the killing of birds of prey in the state of Lower
Austria. The Commission considers this practice to be in breach of the Wild
Birds Directive, which prohibits the killing of wild birds. While certain
exceptions can be granted to the prohibition, strict conditions must be
fulfilled. The Commission considers that, in this case, the state of Lower
Austria grants derogations for the shooting of birds of prey in far too
high a number, and without respecting the strict conditions laid down in
the Directive. This practice undermines the conservation of vulnerable wild
bird species.
[08] Tobacco control : progress at WHO negotiations
Commenting on the progress made at the latest round of discussions on a
Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) initiated by the World
Health Organisation (WHO), European Health and Consumer Protection
Commissioner David Byrne said : "I am pleased that further progress could
be achieved in several areas such as packaging and labelling and illicit
trade of tobacco products. On advertising, more and more governments speak
out in favour of a total ban and I am pleased to see that a large majority
of countries and policymakers withstand tobacco lobbyists' influence, as
the link between tobacco advertising and consumption is well established. I
am thankful that the World Medical Association, representing ten million
doctors from around the world, joined forces and calls on governments to
act now and to end all tobacco advertising. I believe we need to show a
strong commitment and the EU is working hard to making this Convention a
real tool in our fight against tobacco consumption. The negotiations at the
WHO present a unique opportunity to create a legal instrument that will be
binding worldwide." The negotiations have become an integral part of the
EU's tobacco control strategy and a large number of accession countries
have already chosen to associate with the EU's position. In a bilateral
meeting between the Commission and the WHO, progress was made on the
organisation of a high-level round table to address requests from
developing countries to create a new global tobacco fund. The fifth round
of the FCTC negotiations ended in Geneva last weekend and the last round
will take place in February 2003. The FCTC will become a mixed Convention,
requiring ratification by Member States and the EU and is planned to be
adopted in May 2003. Full details of the FCTC negotiations at:
http://www.who.int/home-page
[09] Anna Diamantopoulou welcomes agreement on new EU directive limiting
noise at work
European Commissioner for Employment and Social Affairs Anna Diamantopoulou
has welcomed the agreement of the European Parliament and the Council on
minimum health and safety standards for noise exposure at the workplace.
The political agreement, which the Commission hopes will be adopted
formally by the two institutions before the end of the year, brings in new,
stricter limits on noise at work but ensures that this implies no
unnecessary new burdens on business. The directive provides for a limit on
exposure to noise at work of an average of 87 dB calculated over a period
of one week and will come into force three years after formal adoption,
with an additional two years (thus, five in total) for the music and
entertainment sector. The existing directive of 1986 sets a limit of 90 dB.
[10] Anna Diamantopoulou welcomes Romania's agreement to shadow EU
employment strategy in run-up to accession
At a ceremony in Bucharest today, European Employment and Social Affairs
Commissioner Anna Diamantopoulou meets Romanian Labour Minister, Marian
Sârbu, to sign an agreed joint assessment by the Commission and Romania of
the country's progress in preparing its labour market for EU membership.
The assessment already carried out for nine candidate countries welcomes
the steps the country has taken to implement new measures on labour
disputes, workplace insurance and the fight against social exclusion. It
also acknowledges that, at 6.5%, the headline unemployment rate in what is
still a largely agricultural economy is currently low but that longterm and
youth unemployment are already problematic, especially in the cities. The
assessment stresses that the major economic restructuring ahead will raise
considerable challenges for employment and that labour market reform must
pave the way for, and support, structural change. Boosting job creation in
the formal economy and in services, and encouraging people to take jobs in
services and other new sectors is a high priority. A crucial challenge is
to review the tax and benefit system. In her address, Ms Diamantopoulou
points out that Romania urgently needs to raise and adapt the skill and
education levels of its present and future labour force. She also says that
the country needs to ensure that wage rises do not fuel inflation and
budgetary excess but work in favour of economic and labour market reforms.
On equal opportunities, she welcomes the recent law on gender parity.
Nevertheless, as the joint assessment paper shows, she says that the
employment rate for women still lags behind that of men by over ten
percentage points. She will stress that the country needs to progress
further towards full integration of the Roma community.
[11] Anna Diamantopoulou welcomes Bulgaria's agreement to shadow EU
employment strategy in run-up to accession
At a ceremony in Sofia tomorrow 29 October, European Employment and Social
Affairs Commissioner, Anna Diamantopoulou, will meet Bulgarian Deputy Prime
Minister and Labour Minister, Lydia Shouleva, to sign the joint assessment
paper setting out employment policy priorities for Bulgaria. The assessment
charts Bulgaria's progress in preparing its labour market for EU
membership. The assessment already carried out for ten candidate countries,
including Romania today congratulates the country on the structural reforms
it has undertaken to encourage macroeconomic stability and sustained
growth. The Commission recognises that Bulgaria now possesses the essential
features of a functioning market economy. It acknowledges, though, that the
path has been tough and that, after falling in the mid-nineties,
unemployment has risen again - to 21.4% last year. The employment rate, at
47.7%, is now some sixteen percentage points below the EU figure as
restructuring away from declining public employers and labour intensive
sectors has continued. One of the main messages from the paper is that
Bulgaria now needs to strengthen its ability to generate employment,
especially in private sector and service jobs and in those branches of
manufacturing which are expanding. To this end, it calls upon Bulgaria to
invest heavily in education, matching it to modern labour market needs in
the emerging, formal sector. On fiscal and pay matters, the assessment says
pay-setting mechanisms should be reviewed to encourage skills acquisition
while the tax-benefit system should provide more incentive for job creation
and work take-up in the new expanding sectors. The joint assessment paper
calls for equal opportunities for the minority Roma and Turkish populations,
whose education levels are lower than for the general population and who
are in a disadvantaged position in the labour market. It also insists on
more effort to allow women into the labour market since the employment rate
for women trails that of men by six percentage points.
[12] Enlargement becomes an early reality as candidate countries sign 6th
EU Research Framework Programme
On 29 October 2002 in Brussels, the European Commission and Candidate
Countries (CCs) will sign association agreements on the €17.5 billion 6th
EU Research Framework Programme (FP6 2003-2006). Commission President
Romano Prodi, Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin and Enlargement
Commissioner Günther Verheugen will welcome Research Ministers from
Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania,
Malta, Poland, Romania, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia and Turkey, to sign
Memoranda of Understanding. Participants will also discuss the role and
opportunities for Candidate Countries in FP6. Candidate countries will have
the same rights and obligations as EU Member States within FP6. Research
will therefore be the first area in which EU enlargement becomes a reality.
[13] Commission approves €29 million in support of Palestinian reform
efforts and in response to the deteriorating situation on the ground
The European Commission is providing a further €7 million for humanitarian
aid operations in the Palestinian Territories, another €7 million towards
reform of the Palestinian judiciary, €5 million in emergency support for
the private sector, and €10 million in support of the health sector. This
aid will be channelled through the EU Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) and
the EuropeAid Co-operation Office. The Commission is anxious to ensure full
access for the delivery of its assistance. Since mid-2001 there have been
over 20 incidents involving European NGOs, other contractors working for
the Commission and EC officials who have been prevented from carrying out
their tasks properly. External Relations Commissioner Chris Patten said :
"The projects sponsored by the European Commission are concrete initiatives
in response to the worsening crisis and in support of the ongoing
Palestinian reform process. Israel must make it easier for humanitarian
workers to do their job in the Palestinian territories." Commissioner for
Development and Humanitarian Aid Poul Nielson commented : "The humanitarian
crisis facing the Palestinian people is deepening and I am concerned at the
increasingly difficult situation on the ground for humanitarian missions in
the region. I urge Israel to allow full, safe, and unfettered access to
those in desperate need who depend on international assistance."
[14] L'UE va envoyer des observateurs à Madagascar pour les élections
législatives du 15 décembre 2002
La Commission européenne a adopté le 24 octobre 2002 une décision de
financement pour une mission d'observation de l'Union européenne en vue des
élections législatives à Madagascar du 15 décembre 2002. Les élections
législatives devraient constituer une étape importante sur la voie de la
stabilisation politique du pays.
[15] Internal Market : Brussels event aims to build on Solvit's early
success in helping citizens and businesses assert their rights
The European Commission is organising a half-day conference on the morning
of the 30th October at the EU's Economic and Social Committee in Brussels.
The aim is to increase awareness of the Solvit problem-solving network and
of the benefits it can bring to citizens and businesses who use it. The
network of Solvit Centres, one in each Member State, has been operational
since 22nd July 2002 and has already resolved some practical problems.
Solvit aims to help users to assert and enforce their Internal Market
rights - for example to work, set up businesses or provide goods and
services anywhere in the EU - in cases where public administrations are not
correctly applying EU law. The Solvit network, with the support of an
online data management system, aims to find a solution within ten weeks.
Journalists accredited with the Commission are welcome to attend the
conference.
[16] Des associations de consommateurs européennes et américaines se
réunissent pour discuter, entre autres, de la sécurité des aliments, des
OGM et de l'accès aux médicaments
David Byrne, commissaire européen chargé de la santé et de la protection
des consommateurs, a adressé un message de soutien au Dialogue
transatlantique des consommateurs (TACD) à la veille de sa cinquième
réunion annuelle. Le TACD est un forum d'associations de consommateurs
américaines et européennes qui élabore et adopte des recommandations
concernant la politique à mener à l'intention de la Commission et du
gouvernement des Etats-Unis d'Amérique et qui défend les intérêts des
consommateurs tout au long du processus d'élaboration des politiques aux
niveaux européen et américain. Le TACD se réunit à Washington DC ces 29 et
30 octobre en présence de représentants de l'Union européenne et du
gouvernement des Etats-Unis.
[17] Commission welcomes inaugural meeting of European Regulators' Group in
Telecoms
The inaugural meeting of the European Regulators' Group for electronic
communications networks and services was held on 25 October in Brussels. In
his opening address Erkki Liikanen, European Commissioner for Enterprise
and the Information Society said : "Today is an important day as we embark
towards the implementation of the new regulatory framework. This inaugural
meeting formally marks the establishment of the European Regulators' Group.
It brings into being one of the key components of the EU policy on
electronic communications, networks and services". He also said : "The
European Commission and National Regulatory Authorities need to look
together at what specific actions can be undertaken, ensuring that the
European markets develop in an efficient and sustainable way. Any actions
must take into account two factors : first the need to ensure that the new
regulatory framework is fully implemented on time and that it remains
stable; second, that the integrity of the European Internal Market and the
principles of competition policy are respected."
[18] Fifth meeting of the Contact Group for European Financial Control
Organisations in Malta (28-29/10)
Representatives from EU Candidate Countries and EU Member States will meet
in Valletta on 28/29 October in Malta. The Contact Group for European
Financial Control Organisations is open for the 13 EU applicant countries
and the 15 EU Member States, supported by the services of the DG Budget of
the European Commission. The seminar will be opened by Ms Michaele Schreyer,
Commissioner for Budget and the Secretary to the Cabinet of the Maltese
Prime Minister, Mr Fiorini Lowell. The objectives of the Contact Group
meetings are to provide for a platform to clarify concepts and share
experience in public internal financial control and audit, exchange
information on financial control and audit methodology and give an impetus
to research and studies related to financial control. The first day of this
year's meeting is devoted to the criteria for management and control of EU
financial aid in the transition from EU-aid prior to accession to EU
financial assistance after accession. The second day of the meeting will be
devoted to the improvement of the effectiveness of the Member States' and
the Commission's control responsibilities by developing "joint audits of
the Traditional Own Resources".
[19] Anna Diamantopoulou : "Information society, yes. Information elite,
no"
Addressing the 'Social and Human Capital in the Information Society'
conference today in Brussels, Anna Diamantopoulou, European Commissioner
for Employment and Social Affairs says : "Human capital the knowledge,
skills and attributes that a person holds - is perhaps the most important
input into the knowledge-based economy. Vital for productivity.
Competitiveness. For quality jobs. If we are to maximise the potential of
the new economy, our workforce must be skilled and trained. To meet new
labour market needs. To meet the demands of new and rapidly changing
technologies. Over the past five years, over 60% of all new jobs created
have been in the high-skilled sectors. Yet, we see that : 150 million EU
citizens lack even a basic level of secondary education ; school drop-out
rates have reached up to 25% in some countries ; less than 10% of adults
take part in further education and training. The messages are clear :
skills, training and education are vital for Europe's future economic
growth, productivity, well-being and sustainability and our fundamental
challenge is to ensure that the knowledge society is open and accessible to
all people -we must not create a new class division of 'digital haves' and
'digital have nots'. Whether between countries, regions, groups or
individuals."
[20] Autre matériel diffusé
Congratulations message from President Prodi to President Lula da Silva
Speech by Erkki Liikanen : "Better regulation in Europe" at the Orgalime
meeting (25/10)
Speech by Erkki Liikanen : "EU Environment and Industry policy in the
context of Sustainable Development" at the Orgalime meeting (25/10) Speech
by Philippe Busquin : "Research in Europe" at a Lecture at the Royal
Society of Edinburgh
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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