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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 03-04-21
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Commission's competition services settle Marathon case with Gasunie
[02] La Commission propose de prolonger jusqu'à 2006 les programmes
"Culture 2000" et MEDIA
[03] March issuance of euro-denominated bonds in line with March last year
[04] March 2003 : Euro-zone annual inflation stable at 2.4% ; EU15 stable
at 2.3%
[05] February 2003 : industrial production up by 0.2% in euro-zone ; up by
0.3% in EU15
[06] EU survey results : Europe goes on-line for health information, but
still prefers more traditional sources
[07] Une ultime réunion à nouveau chargée pour le comité scientifique
directeur
[08] La Commission présente les objectifs de l'UE pour la Conférence
mondiale des radiocommunications de 2003
[09] Giovannini Group report calls for an integrated EU clearing and
settlement within three years
[10] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express 16/04/2003
TXT: FR ENPDF:DOC:Midday Express 16/04/2003
[01] Commission's competition services settle Marathon case with Gasunie
The European Commission's competition department has decided to close its
probe into the suspected refusal by Dutch gas company Gasunie to grant
access to its pipeline network to the Norwegian subsidiary of US oil and
gas producer Marathon in the nineties. Network access is a key plank of EU
legislation to create a European single market for gas and any unjustified
refusal to grant access is a violation of European competition rules.
Marathon experienced difficulties in a number of European countries, but
Gasunie, like Thyssengas in the past, has taken measures to improve
transparency of its access regime and to better handle access requests. The
investigation continues regarding the behaviour of three other incumbent
gas companies in Europe, which had rejected Marathon's access request.
[02] La Commission propose de prolonger jusqu'à 2006 les programmes
"Culture 2000" et MEDIA
La Commission européenne propose au Conseil et au Parlement européen de
prolonger à l'identique les programmes culturels communautaires existants
dans les domaines de la culture et de l'audiovisuel jusqu'à la fin de 2006,
afin d'assurer la continuité de l'action communautaire dans ces domaines
jusqu'à l'entrée en vigueur des nouvelles perspectives financières de
l'Union en 2007. Le programme "Culture 2000", qui soutient la coopération
entre acteurs culturels pour mettre en évidence la diversité culturelle
européenne et favoriser la création d'un espace culturel commun, se termine
en effet à la fin de 2004. Les programmes MEDIA Plus et MEDIA Formation, de
soutien à la création et à l'industrie audiovisuelles européennes, se
terminent à la fin de 2005. Avant la fin de 2003, Viviane Reding,
commissaire à l'Education et à la Culture, fera au Collège des propositions
pour les programmes devant commencer début 2007.
[03] March issuance of euro-denominated bonds in line with March last year
The war against Iraq was the main driving force behind financial market
developments in March. Government bonds continued to benefit from a safe-
haven status at the beginning of the month, but expectations of a short war
in Iraq led to a sharp equity market rally from 11 to 21 March and a sharp
price correction in government bond markets. The euro yield curve shifted
slightly upwards over the month as a whole, while the slope of the curve
was unchanged with the two-year/ten-year spread steady at about 165 basis
points. Total issuance of euro denominated bonds in March amounted to €157
billion. This is €20 billion less than in February and is broadly
comparable to issuance volumes in March 2002 and March 2001. With respect
to composition of issuance, the main characteristic was a decline in
corporate issuance to only €6.2 billion or 4% of total issuance. Full
report on: http://europa.eu.int/comm/economy_finance/publications/bondmarkets_en.htm
[04] March 2003 : Euro-zone annual inflation stable at 2.4% ; EU15 stable
at 2.3%
Euro-zone annual inflation was 2.4% in March 2003, the same as in February,
Eurostat the Statistical Office of the European Communities in Luxembourg
reports today. A year earlier the rate was 2.5%. EU15 annual inflation was
2.3% in March 2003, the same as in February. A year earlier the rate was
2.3%. EEA annual inflation was 2.3% in March 2003. In March, the highest
annual rates were recorded in Ireland (4.9%), Greece (3.9%) and Portugal
(3.8%) ; the lowest rates were observed in Germany (1.2%), United Kingdom
(1.6%) and Belgium (1.7%).
[05] February 2003 : industrial production up by 0.2% in euro-zone ; up by
0.3% in EU15
Seasonally adjusted industrial production increased by 0.2% in the euro-
zone in February 2003 compared to January 2003, Eurostat, the Statistical
Office of the European Communities in Luxembourg, estimates today.
Production increased by 1.3% in January 2003 after a fall of 1.4% in
December 2002. Output in the EU15 increased by 0.3% in February 2003, after
a rise of 1.0% in January and a fall of 1.2% in December 2002. In February
2003 compared to February 2002, industrial production increased by 1.8% in
the euro-zone and by 1.3% in the EU15.
[06] EU survey results : Europe goes on-line for health information, but
still prefers more traditional sources
Where do Europeans turn when they want reliable information on health? A
Eurobarometer survey published today by the European Commission shows that,
across the EU, nearly one in four Europeans (23%) use the internet to get
health information. The picture varies considerably, though, between
countries : in Denmark and the Netherlands around 40% of people use the
internet for health information, while in Greece, Spain, Portugal and
France usage is at 15% or less. Health professionals, such as doctors and
pharmacists, are still by far the most important source of health
information for Europeans and the traditional media - television, newpapers,
magazines - still outperform the internet. Other key findings of the survey
are that medical and health organisations achieve the highest trust rating
on health issues (84%), while businesses and political parties receive the
lowest (16% and 11% respectively).
[07] Une ultime réunion à nouveau chargée pour le comité scientifique
directeur
Six ans après sa création, le comité scientifique directeur (CSD) s'est
réuni pour la toute dernière fois les 10 et 11 avril 2003. Lors de cette
réunion, le CSD a rendu des avis sur 19 questions en suspens liées à l'ESB
ainsi que sur l'harmonisation des méthodes d'évaluation des risques. C'est
désormais l'Autorité européenne de sécurité des aliments qui fournira les
avis scientifiques à la base de la politique de la Commission en matière de
sécurité alimentaire à l'échelon européen.
[08] La Commission présente les objectifs de l'UE pour la Conférence
mondiale des radiocommunications de 2003
La Commission européenne a adopté une communication qui définit les
priorités et les objectifs que l'Union européenne défendra lors de la
conférence mondiale des radiocommunications de 2003 (CMR-03). Cette
conférence qui est organisée à intervalles réguliers par l'Union
internationale des télécommunications se tiendra à Genève du 9 juin au 4
juillet 2003 ; elle vise à actualiser les décisions d'attribution de
fréquences et les autres conditions d'utilisation du spectre
radioélectrique au niveau mondial. Parce qu'elles déterminent les
conditions d'accès au spectre radioélectrique, les négociations de la CMR-
03 sont potentiellement cruciales pour la réalisation de certaines
politiques et initiatives communautaires clés comme la société de
l'information (communications mobiles 3G, réseaux locaux sans fil) et la
politique des transports (système Galiléo de radionavigation par
satellite). Par cette communication, la Commission invite le Parlement
européen et le Conseil à appeler les Etats membres à soutenir activement
les propositions européennes élaborées en vue de la CMR-03 par la
Conférence européenne des administrations des postes et des télécommunications
(CEPT) en considération des objectifs des politiques communautaires.
[09] Giovannini Group report calls for an integrated EU clearing and
settlement within three years
The second report by a group of financial market experts chaired by Alberto
Giovannini on clearing and settlement has been published today. The Group's
report responds to a mandate from Economic and Monetary Affairs
Commissioner Pedro Solbes and Internal Market and Taxation Commissioner
Frits Bolkestein. They both welcomed the report. The Group's report
suggests a strategy for removing within three years the fifteen barriers to
integration identified in its first report (of November 2001 - see
IP/01/1654). The Group suggests a sequence of actions to remove the
barriers, allocating responsibility for each action between the private
sector and national governments. The Group identifies a set of issues of
concern to national authorities. These issues cost effectiveness, fair
competition and systemic risk are then examined in the context of three
possible models of consolidation. Commenting on the second report,
Commissioner Solbes highlighted the importance of integrated clearing and
settlement arrangements as part of a broader process of economic reform
within the EU. "An integrated clearing and settlement system is essential
for the efficient functioning of the EU financial system", said Mr Solbes.
"And, it is difficult to see how the EU can achieve its objective in terms
of boosting economic performance without a financial system that functions
to maximum efficiency." Commissioner Bolkestein added : "Removing the
barriers to cross-border clearing and settlement is an important condition
for ensuring properly functioning financial markets. We will build upon the
valuable work of the Giovannini Group in a forthcoming Communication
outlining how the Commission intends to ensure efficient and cost-effective
cross-border clearing and settlement in the EU." The full report is
available on The DG ECFIN web page: http://europa.eu.int/comm/economy_finance/publications/giovannini/clearing_settlement_arrangements140403.pdf
or on the DG MARKT web-page : http://europa.eu.int/comm/internal_market/en/finances/mobil/clearing/index.htm
[10] Autre matériel diffusé
Eléments d'intervention de M. Prodi sur la Convention à la Conférence
européenne (Athènes)
Calendrier du 22 au 26 avril 2003
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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