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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 03-05-07

Midday Express: News from the EU Commission Spokesman's Briefings Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>


CONTENTS / CONTENU

  • [01] La nouvelle approche : des règles pour des produits plus sûrs, meilleur marché et plus compétitifs
  • [02] Commission proposes Regulation to simplify use of State aid for SME research and development
  • [03] Commission authorises Germany to grant €3.3 billion aid to its coal industry
  • [II] Other news - Autres nouvelles

  • [04] Foreign Sales Corporations : following WTO authorisation to apply countermeasures of up to $4 billion, EU expects US to ensure compliance with WTO rules before the beginning of next year
  • [05] Update on avian influenza in the Netherlands and Belgium
  • [06] La Commission donne son accord à la création, par Compass et Cremonini, d'une coentreprise de restauration autoroutière
  • [07] Renforcement du partenariat entre l'OMS et la Commission dans le domaine de la santé
  • [08] Financial reporting : Commission welcomes adoption of Directive to modernise and update accounting rules
  • [09] Greek consumers get connected : David Byrne opens a European Consumer Centre in Athens
  • [10] La nouvelle Agence européenne pour la sécurité aérienne recherche un directeur exécutif
  • [11] Media invitation grassroots email campaign in support of UN spreads to Europe Midday Express 07/05/2003 TXT: FR ENPDF:DOC:Midday Express 07/05/2003[I] Résultats de la Commission de ce jour - Outcome of today's Commission meeting

  • [01] La nouvelle approche : des règles pour des produits plus sûrs, meilleur marché et plus compétitifs

    La Commission européenne a adopté une communication visant à imprimer un nouvel élan à la dynamique en faveur de produits européens plus sûrs, meilleur marché et plus compétitifs, intitulée "Améliorer la mise en œuvre des directives nouvelle approche". La nouvelle approche est une technique législative consistant à définir des exigences de produits essentielles obligatoires pour assurer un niveau élevé de protection du public, tout en laissant le choix de la solution technique aux parties intéressées (utilisateurs, fabricants, etc.). En raison de sa flexibilité, la nouvelle approche s'est avérée être une technique extrêmement efficace de promotion de la compétitivité industrielle, de l'innovation de produits et de libre circulation des marchandises dans l'UE. Il s'agit d'un exemple précoce d'une approche "co-réglementaire" appliquant toutes les parties prenantes dans le mouvement vers une meilleure qualité de la réglementation. Les directives "nouvelle approche" couvrent à présent plus de 20 secteurs industriels et des milliers de produits industriels, allant des matériaux de construction aux jouets en passant par les équipements médicaux, les appareils de chauffage au gaz, les embarcations de loisir, les machines- outils et les équipements de radio/télécommunication. S'appuyant sur près de 20 années d'expérience de la nouvelle approche, la communication présente des propositions sur les modalités de renforcement du système.

    [02] Commission proposes Regulation to simplify use of State aid for SME research and development

    The European Commission has proposed a Regulation on research and development (R&D) aid in favour of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), aimed at simplifying and facilitating Member States' research and development initiatives. Under this Regulation Member States may grant aid for research and development for SMEs without having to notify them beforehand, or seek the Commission's prior clearance. The proposal foresees that Member States may cover up to 100% of expenses for fundamental (basic, non market-oriented) research, 60% for industrial (market-oriented) research and 35% for pre-competitive development (market-oriented research, but focusing on the pre-commercial stage). The new Regulation does not prejudge other types of research and development aid, but these aid measures will need to be notified and examined by the Commission on a case by case basis.

    [03] Commission authorises Germany to grant €3.3 billion aid to its coal industry

    The European Commission has decided not to raise any objections to the €3.3 billion aid package which Germany is proposing to grant to its coal industry for the year 2003. The Commission has also approved a restructuring plan for the German coal industry covering the period 2003 to 2007. Both aids are compatible with the proper functioning of the common market.

    [II] Other news - Autres nouvelles

    [04] Foreign Sales Corporations : following WTO authorisation to apply countermeasures of up to $4 billion, EU expects US to ensure compliance with WTO rules before the beginning of next year

    (! embargo 3.30 pm !) Today, the WTO Dispute Settlement Body authorised the EU to increase customs duties up to the level of 100%, for a total of $4 billion of US Trade. This move clears the way for the EU to impose countermeasures to be applied on a detailed list of products notified to the DSB. European Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy said : "I am encouraged by the determination of the US Administration and Congressional leaders to ensure repeal of FSC/ETI during the course of the current fiscal year. I also trust that any solution found by the US will be fully compatible with WTO rules. The Commission will review the situation in the autumn, and if there is no sign that compliance is on the way at that time, it would then start the legislative procedure for the adoption of countermeasures by 1 January 2004."

    [05] Update on avian influenza in the Netherlands and Belgium

    The Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health yesterday discussed again the avian influenza situation in the Netherlands and Belgium. Since the beginning of the outbreak in the Netherlands on 28 February, 250 infected holdings have been confirmed and another 10 are seriously suspected to be contaminated. In total, approximately 25 million birds have been culled in the Netherlands. On 16 April the disease also spread to Belgium where to date 8 outbreaks have been confirmed. In total, about 2,3 million birds have been culled. The last outbreak in Belgium dates from 24 April. The Committee voted in favour of a European Commission proposal to extend until 16 May the existing measures to prevent the spreading of the disease and to eradicate it. No live poultry, hatching eggs and fresh, unprocessed poultry manure or litter may be exported to other Member States or third countries and, with some derogations, no live poultry and hatching eggs may be transported within the Netherlands or Belgium. The situation will be reviewed at the next meeting of the Committee on Thursday 15 May.

    [06] La Commission donne son accord à la création, par Compass et Cremonini, d'une coentreprise de restauration autoroutière

    La Commission européenne a donné son accord à la création d'une coentreprise par la société britannique de restauration Compass Group PLC et la société agro-alimentaire italienne Cremonini SpA, également active dans la restauration concédée. Cette coentreprise, qui prendra le contrôle de deux sociétés exploitant des restaurants sur les autoroutes italiennes et, dans une moindre mesure, sur les autoroutes autrichiennes, ne pose pas de problèmes de concurrence.

    [07] Renforcement du partenariat entre l'OMS et la Commission dans le domaine de la santé

    L'Organisation mondiale de la santé (OMS) et la Commission européenne ont tenu aujourd'hui une série de consultations de haut niveau à Bruxelles en vue de renforcer et d'étendre leur collaboration dans le domaine de la santé publique. Les commissaires David Byrne (Santé), Pascal Lamy (Commerce), Philippe Busquin (Recherche), Margot Wallström (Environnement) et le chef de cabinet du commissaire Nielson (Développement) se sont entretenus avec le directeur général de l'OMS, le Dr Gro Harlem Brundtland, ainsi qu'avec le directeur régional de l'OMS pour l'Europe, le Dr Marc Danzon. Ils ont débattu des stratégies communes à adopter pour faire face à toute une série de questions de santé, telles que la lutte contre les maladies transmissibles et notamment le syndrome respiratoire aigu sévère (SRAS) , la convention-cadre pour la lutte antitabac, une stratégie concernant les régimes alimentaires, l'activité physique et la santé, la recherche sur la santé à l'échelle mondiale, l'environnement et la santé, ainsi que le partenariat stratégique entre l'UE et l'OMS dans le domaine du développement. La diversité des thèmes abordés lors des réunions reflète la coopération de plus en plus étroite entre l'OMS et la Commission.

    [08] Financial reporting : Commission welcomes adoption of Directive to modernise and update accounting rules

    The European Commission has welcomed the definitive adoption of a Directive amending the European Union Accounting Directives, following its approval by the EU's Council of Ministers on 6 May. The changes, approved by the European Parliament in January 2003 (see IP/03/47), bring existing EU rules into line with current best practice. They complement the International Accounting Standards (IAS) Regulation, adopted in June 2002, that requires all EU companies listed on a regulated market to use IAS from 2005 onwards and allows Member States to extend this requirement to all companies (see IP/02/417 and IP/02/799). The amendments allow Member States which do not apply IAS to all companies to move towards similar, high quality financial reporting, and could therefore affect up to five million companies. They provide for appropriate accounting for special purpose vehicles, improve the disclosure of risks and uncertainties and increase the consistency of audit reports across the EU.

    [09] Greek consumers get connected : David Byrne opens a European Consumer Centre in Athens

    (! embargo 6 pm !) European Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner David Byrne will today in Athens open a centre advising Greek consumers on their rights and helping them with any problems they encounter in the EU's Internal Market. He will be joined by Akis Tsohatzopoulos, the Greek Minister of Development. The new centre will link Greece to the Europe-wide "Euroguichet" network of consumer advice centres. Though consumer protection has been a priority of Europe for many years, citizens are often unsure of their rights when shopping across borders.

    [10] La nouvelle Agence européenne pour la sécurité aérienne recherche un directeur exécutif

    La Commission européenne a lancé aujourd'hui une nouvelle procédure pour le recrutement du directeur exécutif de l'Agence européenne pour la sécurité aérienne (EASA). Cette publication fait suite à la demande du Conseil d'administration de l'agence de republier le poste qui avait initialement été annoncé le 27/09/2002. Cette nouvelle agence permettra à la Commission et aux Etats membres de disposer de l'aide technique et scientifique nécessaire à l'établissement des normes les plus élevées possibles en matière de sécurité aérienne, de veiller à leur application uniforme en Europe et de promouvoir leur diffusion dans le monde entier.

    [11] Media invitation grassroots email campaign in support of UN spreads to Europe

    Today at 19h00 the Belgian TV presenter Goedele Liekens and American actress and film star Linda Gray will launch a media campaign on behalf of "34 Million Friends of UNFPA" to raise funds from civil society in Europe to help the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) make pregnancy and childbirth safer for women in over 140 developing countries. Members of the European Parliament and EU officials will attend, together with several UNFPA Goodwill Ambassadors. European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, Poul Nielson, currently in Iraq, will be represented by Jacobus Richelle, Director-General of DG Development. The European Union has provided over €50 million to UNFPA over the past few years. The grassroots email campaign was launched last year in the US by two American women following the US Administration withdrawal of $34 million in funding to UNFPA in July 2002 following a report from an anti-choice group about UNFPA's work in China. The fund-raising campaign aims at replacing the $34 million through private donations. It is estimated that the $34 million withdrawn would prevent 2 million unwanted pregnancies per year, nearly 800, 000 abortions and 4,700 maternal deaths. Over 100,000 Americans have already contributed over $1 million. The launching will take place at the Résidence Palace Theatre at the International Press Center, Rue de la Loi 155/Wetstraat, 155, 1040 Brussels.

    From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
    © ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996


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