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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 03-01-29
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Commission reform : 87 of 98 measures have been approved and
implementation shows first benefits of Reform
[02] Loyola de Palacio en faveur d'une grande offensive internationale dans
le domaine de la sécurité maritime
[03] Romano Prodi launches two independent studies on the development of
the European model
[04] Maritime safety : Loyola de Palacio welcomes the appointment of the
Executive Director of the new European Maritime Safety Agency
[05] Newcastle disease in the USA : export restrictions limited to three
States
[06] Loyola de Palacio et Philippe Busquin visitent un laboratoire
souterrain de recherche sur le stockage des déchets radioactifs
[07] Commission establishes Delegation in Singapore
[08] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express 29/01/2003
TXT: FR ENPDF:DOC:Midday Express 29/01/2003
[01] Commission reform : 87 of 98 measures have been approved and
implementation shows first benefits of Reform
The European Commission has adopted a report showing that almost all of the
changes necessary to fulfil the commitments made in the March 2000 Reform
Strategy White Paper have been achieved in less than three years. Major
modernising action has been undertaken in financial management and control,
in resource planning and programming, and in many aspects of staff policy.
The reform focus this year and to the end of this Commission will therefore
be on finalising the negotiations in Council and Parliament on the
modernisation of the Staff Regulations ; on ensuring full and effective
implementation of all changes in systems, structures, management and work
practices ; and on adapting to new challenges, particularly those stemming
from enlargement of the Union.
[02] Loyola de Palacio en faveur d'une grande offensive internationale dans
le domaine de la sécurité maritime
Loyola de Palacio, vice-présidente de la Commission européenne chargée des
Transports et de l'Energie, a annoncé aujourd'hui qu'elle appelait tous les
partenaires internationaux de l'UE à approfondir leur coopération et à
prendre des engagements plus forts dans le domaine crucial de la sécurité
maritime. Dans une lettre qu'elle a fait parvenir à tous les pays voisins
de l'UE, ainsi qu'à d'autres partenaires, de même qu'aux enceintes
internationales telles que les Nations Unies, Loyola de Palacio a demandé
une action plus ferme afin d'améliorer le régime juridique international
des pollutions provoquées par les navires. Elle a mis l'accent sur la
nécessité de modifier de manière radicale la manière dont le droit maritime
international représente l'équilibre des intérêts, et a demandé le soutien
aux efforts de la Commission et des Etats membres pour promouvoir
activement au sein des Nations Unies, de l'OMI et des autres instances
compétentes, l'adaptation des dispositions du droit de la mer aux nouvelles
exigences de la sécurité maritime au 21ème siècle.
[03] Romano Prodi launches two independent studies on the development of
the European model
The President of the Commission, Romano Prodi, opened on Wednesday the
first meetings of two independent working groups that will discuss the long-
term future of the European model. These initiatives stem from the logic
trying to identify and re-think the fundamental principles and rules that
form the basis for common living between European citizens, immigrants
settled on the EU territory and neighbouring populations.
[04] Maritime safety : Loyola de Palacio welcomes the appointment of the
Executive Director of the new European Maritime Safety Agency
Following its inaugural meeting held on 4 December 2002, the Administrative
Board of the European Maritime Safety Agency met again today in Brussels
and nominated Willem de Ruiter the Executive Director of the Agency.
Following the "Prestige" accident, the Commission has committed itself to
speed up the establishment of this Agency, which will play an essential
role in the EU maritime safety and pollution prevention framework. "I am
particularly pleased with the progress made today", said Loyola de Palacio,
who was present at meeting. She added : "The European Maritime Safety
Agency has already solid foundations in the person of its new Director. I
congratulate him and ensure him of my entire support in his task. The
European citizens have placed a lot of hopes on this new Agency. We should
not disappoint them".
[05] Newcastle disease in the USA : export restrictions limited to three
States
The Council adopted yesterday a Decision to limit the import restrictions
of live poultry including hatching eggs, fresh poultry meat and poultry
products to the States of California, Nevada and Arizona in the United
States of America. Since October 2002 several outbreaks of Newcastle
disease, a contagious disease in poultry that causes major losses in the
sector if spread, have been confirmed in the state of California and in
Nevada in January 2003. As a result of the outbreaks and in accordance with
the Directive introducing EU measures for the control of Newcastle disease
and the veterinary agreement between the EU and the USA, the USA
authorities had suspended the exports of those products from the entire
territory of the USA. The main export of the USA to the EU affected by
these restrictions is the trade in hatching eggs and day old chicks. The
veterinary authorities of the USA have taken measures to ensure that the
disease does not spread. It is therefore possible, in accordance with the
veterinary agreement, to apply the regionalisation policy and to limit the
export restrictions to the three mentioned States. The Decision will apply
until 1 June 2002 and will be reviewed in the light of the evolution of the
disease situation in the USA.
[06] Loyola de Palacio et Philippe Busquin visitent un laboratoire
souterrain de recherche sur le stockage des déchets radioactifs
Dans quelques années, tous les déchets fortement radioactifs existant en
Europe devront être enterrés à grande profondeur. Désireux de vérifier les
progrès réalisés vers une gestion durable à long terme des déchets
radioactifs, Mme Loyola de Palacio, vice-présidente de la Commission
européenne chargée de l'Energie et des Transports et M. Philippe Busquin,
membre de la Commission chargé de la Recherche, visiteront l'infrastructure
de recherche souterraine pour le stockage des déchets radioactifs dans un
milieu argileux EURIDICE (pour "European Underground Research
Infrastructure for Disposal of nuclear waste In Clay Environment") à Mol,
en Belgique. Actuellement, les combustibles irradiés et les déchets
fortement radioactifs sont entreposés avec toutes les garanties de sûreté
dans des installations proches des centrales nucléaires ou dans des centres
de stockage nationaux.
[07] Commission establishes Delegation in Singapore
The European Commission has opened a new Delegation office in Singapore.
The move, which will strengthen relations between the EU and Singapore,
follows the signature, in April 2002, of the Establishment Agreement by
Commissioner for External Relations, Chris Patten, and Minister of Foreign
Affairs of the Republic of Singapore, Mr S. Jayakumar. Commenting on the
event, Mr Chris Patten said : "The opening of the Delegation confirms the
steady development of relations between the European Union and the Republic
of Singapore. The volume of our bilateral trade and investment flows, makes
Singapore an important partner for the EU, and our relationship is based on
a shared vision of the opportunities and challenges of globalisation."
[08] Autre matériel diffusé
Speech by Romano Prodi : 'Brussels Alumni Chapter' of the European
University Institute (28/01)
Speech by António Vitorino : "Models of cooperation within an enlarged
European Union" at the Royal Institute for International Affairs / National
Bank of Belgium
Note sur les résultats du Conseil Pêche
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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