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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 04-07-23
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Statement of Romano Prodi on the approval of José Barroso as the next
President of the Commission
[02] EU INSPIREs better geographical info
[03] Assurances : la Commission demande au Luxembourg de ne plus imposer un
système obligatoire de franchise automobile
[04] Cinquième anniversaire du prix Descartes : huit équipes de
chercheurs en concurrence pour l'obtention du prix 2004
[05] "EU of 25 brings new opportunities to farm sector", Sandra Kalniete
says
[06] Commission launches new search system for Eurobarometer polls
[07] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express of 2004-07-23
Reference: MEX/04/0723
Date: 23/07/2004
EXME04 / 23.7
MIDDAY EXPRESS
News from the Press and Communication Directorate General's midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction Général Presse etb
Communication
23/07/04
[01] Statement of Romano Prodi on the approval of José Barroso as the next
President of the Commission
The President of the European Commission Romano Prodi congratulated his
successor, President José Manuel Durão Barroso, following the vote at the
European parliament on Thursday 22 July. "My legacy is a Commission that
has delivered on its promises. I am confident that President Barroso will
continue to unify Europe with the force of an institution that is today
able to serve the common interest in the European Union better than ever
before. The wide-ranging support he has gained from the Members of the
Parliament is the best precondition for a close cooperation between the
Commission and the Parliament. I know that President Barroso can bring
Europeans even closer together."
[02] EU INSPIREs better geographical info
To improve mapping in Europe, the European Commission is launching the
INSPIRE (INfrastructure for SPatial InfoRmation in the European Union)
initiative. A database with consistent geographical information, INSPIRE
will support environmental protection policies as well as infrastructure
development, agriculture and maritime navigation. A new Directive proposed
today calls on EU Member States to put geographical information on a
publicly accessible electronic network and to progressively harmonise it.
At present, information on rivers, road networks and other geographical
features is collected in an uncoordinated way and based on different
methods and specifications, resulting in data gaps and lack of
comparability.
[03] Assurances : la Commission demande au Luxembourg de ne plus imposer un
système obligatoire de franchise automobile
La Commission européenne a demandé formellement au Luxembourg de ne plus
imposer un système obligatoire de franchise pour l'assurance
responsabilité civile automobile. Pour la Commission, un système selon
lequel des montants maximaux de franchises sont imposés par la loi à tous
les contrats d'assurance couvrant la responsabilité civile des véhicules
ayant leur stationnement habituel dans un Etat membre doit être
considéré comme contraire à la liberté de commercialisation des produits
d'assurance visée par la troisième directive sur l'assurance non-vie. Un
tel système a pour effet de restreindre la libre concurrence entre les
entreprises d'assurance et de limiter le choix de produits disponibles aux
preneurs d'assurance. La demande formelle est sous forme d'un avis motivé.
Si le Luxembourg ne donne pas de réponse satisfaisante dans un délai de
deux mois après réception de l'avis motivé, la Commission pourrait
décider de saisir la Cour de justice.
[04] Cinquième anniversaire du prix Descartes : huit équipes de
chercheurs en concurrence pour l'obtention du prix 2004
Cette année, le prix Descartes récompensant la recherche transnationale
de premier plan menée en collaboration en est à sa cinquième année
d'existence. Les équipes sélectionnées pour 2004 viennent de vingt pays
différents et travaillent dans les domaines des sciences de la vie, de
l'ingénierie, des technologies de l'information, de la chimie et de la
physique. L'annonce du nom des deux lauréats qui remporteront le prix de
cette année – d'une valeur de 1 million d'€ à répartir à parts
égales entre les deux lauréats – sera faite le 2 décembre à Prague.
Au cours des cinq dernières années, 65 équipes de 19 pays européens et
non européens ont obtenu le prix Descartes pour des projets allant des
sciences fondamentales, de la chimie et des sciences du vivant Ã
l'électronique et la physique.
[05] "EU of 25 brings new opportunities to farm sector", Sandra Kalniete
says
Speaking at the Libramont Agriculture Fair today, European Commissioner
Sandra Kalniete highlighted the opportunities the enlarged European Union
of 25 brings to farmers and rural areas. "Let us not forget that the number
of consumers in that market has risen to 454 million. And that this market
is one without tariff restrictions, export quotas or trade barriers. It is
clear that this offers opportunities for both EU-15 Member States and new
Member States. Trade between the EU-15 and the new Member States has
already significantly increased during the period preceding enlargement,
and will further increase in the years ahead", she stressed. On the
Commission proposal to reform the sugar sector, Ms Kalniete made clear that
the status quo was not tenable.
[06] Commission launches new search system for Eurobarometer polls
The European Commission has today published the full results of the latest
Eurobarometer surveys, the highlights of which were published on 7 May
(IP/04/617). This is the first time the Commission has published a
composite report for all 25 EU Member States. The next report, this autumn,
will be fully integrated to cover the new enlarged EU. This month also
marks the 30th anniversary of the Eurobarometer surveys. To mark this
occasion, the Commission is launching a new interactive search system on
the Eurobarometer website : <a href="http://europa.eu.int/comm/public_opinion/cf/index_en.cfm">http://europa.eu.int/comm/public_opinion/cf/index_en.cfm.
This will allow users to get specific and selected results from the EB
database, to create tables, save data and compare the results of research
on precise topics and specific trends for one or a number of countries.
Likewise, a new mass mail system offers regular updates on Eurobarometer
publications. Just register on : <a href="http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/coreservices/mailing/index.cfm?form=register&serviceid=36775&lang=en">http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/coreservices/mailing/index.cfm?form=register&serviceid=36775&lang=enÂ
to receive the latest information from the website.
[07] Autre matériel diffusé
Spokesperson's statement on an antitrust probe in the financial services
sector
Speech by Chris Patten at the re-opening of the Stari Most Bridge (Mostar,
Bosnia Herzegovina, ! embargo 14h45 !)
The EU Descartes Prize Finalists 2004
Calendrier du 26 au 30 juillet 2004
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
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