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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 03-11-27
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Voyager avec des animaux de compagnie : introduction du passeport pour
animaux domestiques en juillet 2004
[02] Justice and Home Affairs Council reached general agreement on
Framework decision on drugs trafficking, on the basis of a Commission
proposal of May 2001
[03] Commission clears ABN Amro purchase of Swedish garden tools maker GGP
[04] La Commission se félicite de l'accord du Conseil sur ITER
[05] EU needs to boost productivity and employment growth rates, says
Competitiveness Report 2003
[06] Mediterranean fisheries : Ministers agree to step up management,
controls and fight against illegal fishing (Venice)
[07] Franz Fischler devant la conférence de la FAO à Rome : au cœur des
débats, la relance des négociations agricoles avec l'OMC
[08] Commission "Training Day" highlights increase in staff training since
launch of reform
[09] David Byrne, Renate Künast et Miguel Arias Cañete ouvrent la
conférence européenne sur la perception du risque
[10] Third meeting of the EU's Kosovo SAp Tracking Mechanism (26-27/11,
Pristina)
[11] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express 27/11/2003
TXT: FR ENPDF:DOC:Midday Express 27/11/2003
[01] Voyager avec des animaux de compagnie : introduction du passeport pour
animaux domestiques en juillet 2004
La Commission européenne a adopté une décision établissant un modèle de
passeport qui permettra aux animaux domestiques et à leurs propriétaires de
se déplacer plus facilement à l'intérieur de l'Union européenne. La
nouvelle législation communautaire entrera en vigueur en juillet 2004, date
à partir de laquelle tous les chats, chiens et furets devront être munis
d'un passeport pour pouvoir voyager. Le passeport pour animaux domestiques,
qui constitue un document vétérinaire, fournira la preuve que l'animal a
bien été vacciné contre la rage. Grâce à ce seul document, les animaux
domestiques pourront donc être emmenés dans tous les Etats membres, à
l'exception de l'Irlande, de la Suède et du Royaume-Uni. Ce passeport
pourra également contenir des renseignements concernant d'autres
vaccinations, y compris celles qui ne sont pas exigées par la loi, ainsi
que des informations relatives aux antécédents médicaux de l'animal.
[02] Justice and Home Affairs Council reached general agreement on
Framework decision on drugs trafficking, on the basis of a Commission
proposal of May 2001
As illicit drug trafficking often involves several Member States, action by
the European Union adds real value to national policies. This instrument is
part of the EU comprehensive anti-drugs strategy, based on an approach that
balances measures to cut demand and combat supply. The need to adopt a
common and clearly-defined approach to this problem should also be seen in
the context of the enlarged EU. The European Commission believes that
closer cooperation is needed between the various law enforcement
authorities in the Member States to tackle the problem of illicit drugs
trafficking. To be effective, such cooperation must be based on a common
set of principles and aims. By agreeing on a common definition of the
offence of drug trafficking and by foreseeing effective, proportionate and
dissuasive penalties in all Member States, this framework decision
constitutes a major step forward.
[03] Commission clears ABN Amro purchase of Swedish garden tools maker GGP
The European Commission has granted clearance under the Merger Regulation
to the acquisition of full control of the group of companies owned by
Global Garden Products Sweden Förvaltning AB (GGP Group), active in the
development, production and sale of garden tools and equipment, by ABN AMRO
Capital Limited (UK), a subsidiary of the Dutch financial services group
ABN AMRO. (The operation, notified on 28 October 2003, was examined under
the simplified merger review procedure)
[04] La Commission se félicite de l'accord du Conseil sur ITER
Le Commissaire européen chargé de la Recherche, Philippe Busquin, a salué
l'accord unanime obtenu au Conseil des ministres le 26 novembre sur la
candidature de l'Union pour accueillir à Cadarache (France) le projet du
réacteur de fusion thermonucléaire ITER.
[05] EU needs to boost productivity and employment growth rates, says
Competitiveness Report 2003
To improve standards of living, the EU needs to regain its leadership in
productivity growth and raise employment rates, says the Competitiveness
Report 2003, published by the European Commission today. The report
suggests that the decline in hours worked per person in the EU, together
with the virtual stagnation in total hours worked over the past thirty
years and the recent slowdown in productivity growth, are not consistent
with expectations of a rapidly improving standard of living. The cumulative
US-EU difference in productivity growth in 1995-2002 is 9 percentage points
when measured by person employed and 4.5 points when measured by hours
worked. The report finds that firms that achieve high productivity growth
are those that combine organisational improvements with investment in new
technologies, and particularly in information and communication
technologies (ICT). ICT has contributed more to productivity growth in the
US than in the EU, which relies more heavily on investment in traditional
types of capital. The report also identifies factors, such as R&D, that
determine regional productivity growth and competitiveness. Convergence of
productivity levels across EU regions appears to be weak, at about 1.5% per
year. Finally, the report examines the competitiveness of EU accession
countries and discusses the likely impact of enlargement on economic
structures in a wider European Union. It notes that accession countries
that have low productivity and compete essentially on low labour costs
could potentially become “locked in” to labour-intensive or natural
resource-intensive patterns of production. A detailed picture of
productivity, job-creation, and innovation performance are provided by the
annual enterprise and innovation scoreboards, also issued today.
[06] Mediterranean fisheries : Ministers agree to step up management,
controls and fight against illegal fishing (Venice)
The Ministerial Conference on the Sustainable Development of Fisheries in
the Mediterranean came to a close on 26 November. In a joint declaration,
fisheries ministers from the Mediterranean States agreed to bring to life
the regional fisheries organisation for the Med, the General Fisheries
Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM). The Scientific Advisory Committee
of GFCM will draw up concrete proposals on scientific evaluation of shared
stocks in the Mediterranean and present them to GFCM at the latest in
October 2004. It was further concluded to develop conservation and control
mechanisms in GFCM preserving shared stocks to ensure profitable fishing in
the Mediterranean. Ministers consider that the creation of fisheries
protection zones will permit the improvement of conservation and control of
fisheries and thus contributes to better resource management and to
combating illegal fishing. A more detailed examination should be made of
the modalities for the creation of fisheries protection zones taking into
account precedents, with a view to employing a concerted and regional
approach suited to the needs of the fisheries concerned and based on
dialogue and coordination. In order to progress in this direction, the
Mediterranean States shall cooperate at the appropriate regional level.
[07] Franz Fischler devant la conférence de la FAO à Rome : au cœur des
débats, la relance des négociations agricoles avec l'OMC
Les 1er et 2 décembre, Franz Fischler, membre de la Commission européenne
chargé de l'Agriculture, du Développement rural et de la Pêche, participera
à Rome à la 32ème conférence de l'Organisation de l'alimentation et de
l'agriculture (FAO) des Nations Unies. Le Commissaire présentera un exposé
introductif sur l'état des négociations agricoles avec l'OMC, prononcera
une allocution à la séance plénière de la FAO et tiendra un certain nombre
de réunions, en particulier avec des ministres de pays en voie de
développement. Des réunions sont prévues avec les Etats ACP (Afrique,
Caraïbes et Pacifique), la Thaïlande, le Brésil, le Japon, les Philippines,
l'Indonésie, le Maroc, l'Inde, le Bangladesh, les Etats-Unis, le Canada et
la Nouvelle-Zélande.
[08] Commission "Training Day" highlights increase in staff training since
launch of reform
The European Commission is celebrating its first "training day", with a
series of conferences, presentations and workshops to showcase the training
opportunities now available to staff. This event reflects the increased
significance attached by the Commission to training as a means to ensure
that Commission staff are equipped with the necessary skills and
qualifications to ensure optimal achievement of organisational objectives.
The Commission set itself a target of 10 days of training per member of
staff per year by 2005, from a baseline of 2 days in 2000. In 2002, the
number had reached 7. The budget for general, language and informatics
training has risen from €11.7 million in 2000 to €17.5 million in 2003. For
2004, the budget will be €22.5 million.
[09] David Byrne, Renate Künast et Miguel Arias Cañete ouvrent la
conférence européenne sur la perception du risque
Des personnalités des milieux de la politique, de la science et de
l'alimentation vont se rencontrer à Bruxelles, les 4 et 5 décembre, à
l'occasion d'une conférence parrainée par l'UE sur la perception du risque.
Parmi les principaux orateurs figurent le ministre espagnol de
l'agriculture, de la pêche et de l'alimentation, Miguel Arias Cañete, le
ministre allemand de la protection des consommateurs, Renate Künast et le
Commissaire européen chargé de la santé et de la protection des
consommateurs, David Byrne. La conférence étudiera la formation de la
perception des risques au sein de la population et son implication dans une
démocratie complexe comme celle de l'Union européenne. Dans le prolongement
des précédentes conférences de la Commission sur la gestion des risques et
la gouvernance européenne, cette rencontre comportera un forum des parties
intéressées sur la perception des risques en matière de denrées
alimentaires génétiquement modifiées. Plusieurs centaines de délégués de
toute l'Europe sont attendus.
[10] Third meeting of the EU's Kosovo SAp Tracking Mechanism (26-27/11,
Pristina)
The third meeting of the Kosovo SAp (Stabilisation and Association process)
Tracking Mechanism (STM) took place in Pristina on 26-27 November 2003.
European Commission experts discussed trade and customs issues, key
economic legislation and competition questions with experts from UNMIK
(United Nations Mission in Kosovo) and the Provisional Institutions of Self-
Government (PISG). The delegations were headed, for Kosovo, by the Special
Representative of the UN Secretary General, Mr Harri Holkeri and the Prime
Minister, Mr Bajram Rexhepi. They were accompanied by experts from UNMIK
and the PISG. Mr Reinhard Priebe, Director for Western Balkans at the
Commission, led the Commission's delegation.
[11] Autre matériel diffusé
Statement by President Romano Prodi on Council conclusions (25/11) on
Germany and France
Discours de clôture de M. Fischler : "Coopérer pour assurer à l'avenir la
durabilité de la pêche en Méditerranée" à la Conférence ministérielle sur
le développement durable de la pêche en Méditerranée (26/11, Venise)
Speech by Franz Fischler : "The Euro-Mediterranean Partnership: Looking
Beyond our Wider Borders" at Euromed Conference (Venice)
Speech by Erkki Liikanen : "European Group of Owner managed and Family
Enterprises (GEEF)" at GEEF workshop on Family Business in an Enterprise
Economy, European Parliament (26/11)
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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