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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 02-12-16
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Statement of Romano Prodi following the successful conclusion of
enlargement negotiations
[02] Enlargement and agriculture : Summit adopts fair and tailor-made
package which benefits farmers in accession countries
[03] Commission puts industrial policy at the core of its agenda
[04] Commission clears purchase by Bravida of Obel's electrical,
ventilation and other technical installation units
[05] La Commission renvoie en France, Espagne et Portugal l'examen au
niveau local du rachat de Brico par Leroy Merlin et autorise l'opération
dans le reste de l'UE
[06] Commission clears life insurance joint venture between Aegon and La
Mondiale
[07] Commission clears Knauf's full control of Alcopor Knauf
[08] November 2002 : monthly euro-denominated bond market
[09] Third quarter 2002 compared to third quarter 2001 : Euro-zone and EU15
labour costs up by 3.5%
[10] Results of Flash Eurobarometer survey on awareness of the general
public of Union citizenship and related rights
[11] Performance innovatrice de l'UE : encore des efforts à faire malgré
des signes prometteurs
[12] Commission calls on EU scientific and industrial communities to apply
for €5 billion research funding
[13] Commission to host conference on Non-proliferation and Disarmament
Cooperation Initiative from 16 to 17 December 2002 in Brussels
[14] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express 16/12/2002
TXT: FR ENPDF:DOC:Midday Express 16/12/2002
[01] Statement of Romano Prodi following the successful conclusion of
enlargement negotiations
The President of the European Commission, Romano Prodi, made the following
statement on 13 December : "Enlargement has been from the beginning the
number one priority of my Commission. I have worked for this day long and
hard. Today we have delivered. Accession of ten new Member States will
bring an end to the divisions in Europe. For the first time in history
Europe will become one because unification is the free will of its people.
The European Union has stood by its commitments. The deal that we have
reached here in Copenhagen represents EU at its best : leadership,
solidarity and determination. Each institution, all our Member States and
candidate countries have carried their part of the responsibility. Most of
all, none of this would not have been possible without very close
cooperation between the Danish Presidency and the European Commission.
[02] Enlargement and agriculture : Summit adopts fair and tailor-made
package which benefits farmers in accession countries
Heads of State and Government from the European Union and the ten candidate
countries reached agreement on a formula for enlarging the EU to encompass
ten new Member States as from 2004. Following the decision of the
Copenhagen Summit, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia,
Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia can join the EU
on 1 May 2004. The following was agreed. The new Member States will receive
a rural development package which is specifically adapted to their
requirements and has more favourable conditions than those applied to the
present EU Member States. The amount available for the ten candidate
countries was fixed at €5.1 billion for 2004-2006. Direct aids for the new
member states will be phased in over ten years. They will thus receive 25%
of the full EU rate in 2004, rising to 30% in 2005 and 35% in 2006. This
level can be topped up by 20%, financed by their rural development funds
and national funds, up to 45% in 2004, 50% in 2005 and 55% in 2006. From
2007, the new Member States may continue top-up EU direct payments by up to
20% above the applicable phasing-in level in the relevant year, but
financed entirely by national funds. Special provisions have been agreed
for Cyprus and Slovenia, to take account of their internal support systems
prior to accession. The farmers from the new Member States will have full
and immediate access to Common Agricultural Policy market measures, such as
export refunds, and cereal, skimmed milk powder or butter intervention,
which will contribute to stabilising their prices and incomes.
[03] Commission puts industrial policy at the core of its agenda
The industrial policy challenges that Europe must take up now if it is to
deliver on European citizens' rising environmental, employment, social and
public health expectations are set out in a Communication adopted by the
European Commission. The Commission expects this Communication on
Industrial Policy in an Enlarged Europe to launch a pan-European debate on
how best to enhance industry's vibrancy, dynamism, and world-wide
competitiveness, so as to achieve economically, socially and
environmentally balanced growth. It invites contributions from all
stakeholders to this debate. Romano Prodi, President of the Commission said
: "This Communication demonstrates our commitment to keep industry and its
competitiveness at the core of the Commission's policy. Only competitive
enterprises can create the jobs and wealth we need to realise the strategic
goals we set at the Lisbon and Gothenburg Summits." Erkki Liikanen,
Enterprise Commissioner, said : "The Communication underlines the necessary
vigilance to always strike the right balance between the three pillars -
social, environmental and economic - of sustainable development. If the
economic pillar is not strong enough it will become impossible to achieve
our ambitious goals of sustainable development. Only a competitive European
industry can generate the financial resources necessary to meet the other
objectives."
[04] Commission clears purchase by Bravida of Obel's electrical,
ventilation and other technical installation units
The European Commission has approved the acquisition by Norwegian company
Bravida of the electrical, ventilation and other technical installation
businesses of Danish company Obel A/S. The examination of the case has
shown that the companies' activities overlap only in Denmark and Sweden and
that the position of Bravida post-merger does not lead to any competition
concerns in either country.
[05] La Commission renvoie en France, Espagne et Portugal l'examen au
niveau local du rachat de Brico par Leroy Merlin et autorise l'opération
dans le reste de l'UE
La Commission européenne a décidé de renvoyer aux autorités de la
concurrence en France, en Espagne et au Portugal l'analyse de l'impact sur
leurs marchés de l'acquisition de centres de bricolage Brico par Leroy
Merlin. La Commission a considéré que l'opération ne posait pas de
problèmes de concurrence dans le reste de l'Union européenne et que les
trois autorités nationales étaient mieux placées pour évaluer l'impact sur
la distribution d'articles de bricolage dans leurs pays. C'est la première
fois que la Commission renvoie, à leur demande, une concentration à plus de
deux Etats membres ce qui s'explique par le caractère purement local des
problèmes posés. Ceci ne contredit nullement la proposition de la
Commission, contenue dans la proposition de modification du Règlement
Fusion adoptée cette semaine, de rendre le processus de renvoi de et vers
la Commission plus flexible.
[06] Commission clears life insurance joint venture between Aegon and La
Mondiale
The European Commission has granted clearance under the Merger Regulation
to a group life insurance joint venture between Dutch insurer Aegon
International N.V. and France's La Mondiale group. (The operation, notified
on 11 November 2002, was examined under the simplified merger review
procedure).
[07] Commission clears Knauf's full control of Alcopor Knauf
The European Commission has granted clearance under the Merger Regulation
to the acquisition by France's Knauf La Rhénane of sole control of Swiss
company Alcopor Knauf Holding AG, which is active in the production of
thermal and acoustic insulation products. The company is currently
controlled by Knauf and Alcopor Holding AG of Switzerland. (The operation,
notified on 12 November 2002, was examined under the simplified merger
review procedure).
[08] November 2002 : monthly euro-denominated bond market
With the expectation of an interest-rate cut by the ECB and a relatively
gloomy economic outlook already priced into short-term yields, the euro
yield curve was stable in November. Total bond issuance was €117bn in
November, unchanged relative to October. The composition of issuance in
November still reflects tough conditions for corporate issuers. Their share
of total issuance amounted to only 3% in November, compared to 4% in
October and a 12-month average of 9%. Full document and statistical annex
available on : http://europa.eu.int/comm/economy_finance/publications/bondmarkets_en.htm
[09] Third quarter 2002 compared to third quarter 2001 : Euro-zone and EU15
labour costs up by 3.5%
Total hourly labour costs in the whole economy of the euro-zone grew by
3.5% in nominal terms in the third quarter of 2002 compared to the third
quarter of 2001, Eurostat reports today. In the second quarter of 2002 the
increase was 3.6%. For the EU15 the rise was also 3.5% in the third quarter
of 2002, compared to 3.6%4 in the previous quarter. Among Member States for
which data are available, the smallest annual rise was in Portugal (2.3%)
and the biggest in the Netherlands (5.5%).
[10] Results of Flash Eurobarometer survey on awareness of the general
public of Union citizenship and related rights
DG Justice and Home Affairs has carried out a Flash Eurobarometer survey
concerning awareness of the general public of Union citizenship and related
rights. The survey also included a question on awareness of the Charter of
Fundamental Rights. The results of the survey are somewhat contradictory :
general public was quite familiar with most of the rights of Union citizens,
but the term itself was not well recognised, even if the majority has heard
about it. At Union level, the majority, about 70% of those interviewed, has
heard about term 'Union citizenship'. More specifically, about 1/3 knows
what Union citizenship means, 1/3 has heard about it but is not sure about
the meaning and 1/3 has never heard the term Union citizenship. The Member
States in which Union citizenship is most familiar are Portugal, Finland,
Denmark, Luxembourg and Ireland, where about 80% is familiar with the term.
The Luxembourgers know the exact meaning best with 55%. Union citizenship
is the least known in Belgium, Sweden, Greece and UK, where more than 40%
of people interviewed had never heard about it. In these Member States also
the group who knew the exact meaning was the smallest, about 20%. This
means that in many Member States the term Union citizenship is seen as
vague and abstract concept. The awareness of general public of the Charter
was even lower : only 43% have heard about it and even less, only 8% know
what it is.
[11] Performance innovatrice de l'UE : encore des efforts à faire malgré
des signes prometteurs
Le tableau de bord européen de l'innovation 2002, publié aujourd'hui par la
Commission européenne, révèle que les capacités innovatrices de l'UE par
rapport aux Etats-Unis et au Japon restent faibles malgré une évolution
encourageante dans plusieurs domaines. Les lacunes persistantes dans les
investissements en matière de R&D et de brevets de haute technologie, déjà
diagnostiquées en 2001, renforcent les préoccupations pour l'avenir de
l'innovation technologique dans l'UE. Le tableau de bord présente pour la
première fois non seulement les performances des Etats membres, mais aussi
celles des pays candidats et des régions.
[12] Commission calls on EU scientific and industrial communities to apply
for €5 billion research funding
On December 17, the European Commission will publish the first calls for
proposals for the 6th EU Research Framework Programme (FP6 2002-2006).
Research centres, universities and enterprises are invited to make the most
of the first batch of 49 calls, covering a total of €5 billion. Most of
this first allocation (€3.4 billion) will be dedicated to the seven main
FP6 priorities, ranging from life sciences to aeronautics, from information
society technologies to energy and transport. 70% of this funding will
focus on new funding schemes such as Networks of Excellence and Integrated
Projects, and at least 15% overall will go to small and medium-sized
enterprises (SMEs).
[13] Commission to host conference on Non-proliferation and Disarmament
Cooperation Initiative from 16 to 17 December 2002 in Brussels
The European Commission will host an ad-hoc conference on the Non-
proliferation and Disarmament Cooperation Initiative (NDCI) in Brussels
from 16 to 17 December 2002. The conference will be co-chaired and co-
sponsored by the European Union, USA and Canada. It is meant to take stock
of programmes supporting the Russian Federation and the other NIS in the
field of Non Proliferation and Disarmament of Weapons of Mass Destruction,
have further detailed discussion on successes and difficulties of
implementation at project level, develop ways forward and define further
needs and priorities. In a number of working sessions participants from the
EU, the USA, Canada, EU candidate countries, Norway, Switzerland, Australia,
Russia and other countries out of the New Independent States (NIS) as well
as representatives from International Organisations will discuss issues
such as Nuclear Security Programmes, Chemical Weapons Destruction
Programmes, Cooperation in the Biological Sector, Export Control
Cooperation and Mechanisms to tackle the risk of proliferation of Science,
Technology and Expertise.
[14] Autre matériel diffusé
Questions et réponses concernant le transport des animaux
Discours de M. Busquin : "La carrière du chercheur en Europe" à la
Conférence sur la carrière des chercheurs
Discours de M. Lamy : "La politique commerciale de l'Union européenne : la
mondialisation au bénéfice de tous" au Foment del Treball (13/12,
Barcelone)
Discours de M. Lamy : "La Convention: l'avenir de l'Europe se joue
aujourd'hui" à l'Instituto de Estudios Superiores de Empresa (13/12,
Barcelone)
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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