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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 05-06-16
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Commission Headquarters "wrapped" in White Band for Africa
[02] Commission approves acquisition of Mölnlycke by Apax Partners
[03] Commission approves acquisition of the chemical company Great Lakes by
Crompton
[04] Commission clears acquisition of SAP by CGE, AMGA and SMAT
[05] Commission clears acquisition of Astron by RRD
[06] Marché intérieur : la Commission lance une consultation sur
l’assurance automobile
[07] Internal market : Commission seeks mandate to negotiate UN Convention
on "e-contracting"
[08] May 2005 : Euro-zone and EU25 annual inflation down to 1.9%
[09] Rendre le programme-cadre de recherche de l'UE plus accessible
[10] EU Structural Funds contribute with an investment €13 billion to
research and innovation projects
[11] Regional policy benefits the whole EU, not just poor regions
[12] EU and Ukraine launching project on the destruction of landmines
[13] EU and Sao Tomé extend fisheries protocol by a year
[14] Lászlo Kovács meets Philippe de Buck and Jean-Paul Mingasson, UNICE
[15] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express of 2005-06-16
Reference: MEX/05/0616
Date: 16/06/2005
EXME05 / 16.6
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
16/06/05
[01] Commission Headquarters "wrapped" in White Band for Africa
Today, the European Commission's Headquarters in Brussels - the Berlaymont
Building - are "wrapped" in a white band in support of the campaign for the
"Global Call to Action against Poverty". It is the first of a number of
well known buildings across Europe to be "wrapped" with a white band in the
coming months - the Coliseum in Italy, the Brandenburger Tor in Germany and,
in France, the Trocadero's buildings which sit either side of the Eiffel
Tower will be wrapped with two white bands. The President of the Commission
Jose Manuel Barroso has launched the white band with Development
Commissioner Louis Michel, René Grotenhuis, GCAP Spokesperson, and Axelle
Red, the well known Belgian singer, long time campaigner on poverty issues,
and one of the headline acts for the Live 8 concert in Paris. The aim is to
send a clear message to EU leaders at the Summit to give their full backing
to ambitious development aid targets on the Summit agenda. The GCAP
campaign will present President Barroso with a three metre white band with
the message "Aid, Trade and Debt". A huge campaign banner has been mounted
on the side of the Berlaymont Building overlooking the Council's Justus
Lipsius building.
[02] Commission approves acquisition of Mölnlycke by Apax Partners
The European Commission has cleared under the EU Merger Regulation the
proposed acquisition of Mölnlycke Health Care AB (“Mölnlycke”), a
Swedish supplier of single use surgical and wound care products, by Apax
Partners, a group of investment funds. After examining the transaction, the
Commission concluded that it would not significantly impede effective
competition in the EEA or any substantial part of it.
[03] Commission approves acquisition of the chemical company Great Lakes by
Crompton
The European Commission has cleared under the EU Merger Regulation the
proposed acquisition of Great Lakes Chemical Corporation by Crompton
Corporation. Although there were a few overlaps in the companies'
activities, notably in the area of polymer additives, the Commission has
concluded that the concentration would not significantly impede effective
competition in the EEA or any substantial part of it. This is in particular
due to competition from other US and Asian producers.
[04] Commission clears acquisition of SAP by CGE, AMGA and SMAT
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger
Regulation to the acquisition of joint control of Societ Azionaria per la
Condotta di Acque Potabili S.p.A. (SAP) of Italy by Compagnie Générale
des Eaux (CGE) of France and. SAP's current parent companies, Azienda
Mediterranea Gas e Acqua S.p.A. (AMGA) and Societ Metropolitana Acque
Torino S.p.A. (SMAT). The transaction concerns the water sector in Italy.
CGE is the holding company of the water division of the French group Veolia
Environnement. CGE is active in various regions in Italy in all the stages
of the provision of water. AMGA is the holding company of a group that
operates in the utilities sector in Italy through the management of gas
distribution networks, the provision of water-related services and the
production and sale of electricity. SMAT is a publicly-owned company
exclusively engaged in the provision of water and other water-related
services. The operation was examined under the simplified merger review
procedure.
[05] Commission clears acquisition of Astron by RRD
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger
Regulation to the acquisition of sole control of Astron Group Limited
(Astron) of the UK, by US based undertaking RR Donnelley & Sons Company
(RRD), through an indirectly wholly owned UK subsidiary, RRD Inks Limited.
RRD is an international print provider whose activities include printing
magazines and catalogues, white & yellow pages directories, retail inserts
and conventional and digital photography services, printing books, direct
mail and business communications services. RRD is primarily active in North
America and has a more limited scope of operation in Europe. RRD's printing
operations are located in Poland, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, the UK
and Hungary. Astron is predominantly active in the UK in business process
outsourcing (BPO) solutions. Astron's principal clients are organisations
in sectors which produce and process a large volume of external and
internal communication, such as utilities, financial services and
government bodies. The operation was examined under the simplified merger
review procedure.
[06] Marché intérieur : la Commission lance une consultation sur
l’assurance automobile
La Commission européenne a lancé une consultation publique en ligne sur
deux questions relatives l'assurance automobile : la connaissance qu'a le
grand public des organismes nationaux d'indemnisation et sa perception de
leur efficacité en matière de règlements des sinistres, d'une part, et
les problèmes rencontrés pour faire assurer les remorques, d'autre part.
Les réponses seront prises en compte dans un prochain rapport de la
Commission au Parlement européen et au Conseil. Ouverte jusqu'au 15
juillet 2005, cette consultation est accessible l'adresse suivante :
<a href="http://europa.eu.int/yourvoice/consultations/index_fr.htm">http://europa.eu.int/yourvoice/consultations/index_fr.htm
[07] Internal market : Commission seeks mandate to negotiate UN Convention
on "e-contracting"
The European Commission has asked the Council for authorisation to open
negotiations, on behalf of the EU, on a draft UN Convention aiming to make
it easier to conclude international business to business contracts
electronically. The negotiations will take place within the United Nations
Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL).
[08] May 2005 : Euro-zone and EU25 annual inflation down to 1.9%
Euro-zone annual inflation was 1.9% in May 2005, down from 2.1% in April,
reports Eurostat. A year earlier the rate was 2.5%. Monthly inflation was
0.2% in May. EU25 annual inflation was 1.9% in May 2005, down from 2.1% in
April. A year earlier the rate was 2.4%. Monthly inflation was 0.2% in May.
EICP annual inflation was 1.9% in May 2005. In May 2005, the lowest annual
rates were observed in Sweden (0.2%), Finland (0.6%), the Czech Republic
(0.9%) and the Netherlands (1.1%), and the highest rates were recorded in
Latvia (6.5%), Luxembourg (3.7%), Hungary (3.5%) and Greece (3.2%).
Compared with April 2005, annual inflation rose in three Member States,
fell in nineteen and remained stable in three. The lowest 12-month averages
up to May 2005 were in Finland (0.3%), Sweden (0.9%), Denmark (1.1%) and
the Netherlands (1.3%) ; the highest were in Latvia (7.0%), Hungary (5.3%),
Slovakia (5.0%) and Estonia (4.2%).
[09] Rendre le programme-cadre de recherche de l'UE plus accessible
La Commission européenne organise un atelier de deux jours sur le thème
"Simplifier la participation aux activités de recherche de l'UE – une
plus grande accessibilité pour tous", afin d'évaluer une série de
nouvelles mesures qui visent rendre plus accessible le 7e programme-cadre
de recherche de l'UE pour la période 2007-2013. La réduction des
contraintes bureaucratiques dans le domaine des activités de recherche et
d'innovation devrait faciliter la participation, notamment celle des
petites entités. Les thèmes qui seront traités sont les suivants :
règles juridiques et financières, systèmes de financement communautaires,
droits de propriété intellectuelle, et procédures d’évaluation et de
sélection.
[10] EU Structural Funds contribute with an investment €13 billion to
research and innovation projects
The Structural Funds play a substantial role in promoting research and
innovation in the European Union. Between 2000 and 2006, roughly €13
billion will be spent on research infrastructure and networks, innovative
business start-ups and the modernisation of small and medium-sized
enterprises, financed through the Structural Funds. This amount is expected
to increase from 2007, as the EU's regional policy focuses increasingly on
the Union's goals of greater competitiveness and dynamism.
[11] Regional policy benefits the whole EU, not just poor regions
An ambitious European Union regional policy benefits the whole EU, not only
the poorest regions on which most funding is concentrated. First, a better
geographical balance of economic development means better use of resources
and higher growth potential in the EU as a whole. Second, up to 40% of
Structural Funds invested in the poorest countries returns to other Member
States through contracts and the purchase of equipment and expertise. Third,
under the European Commission's proposals, 18% of the funds would still be
invested in regions that are outside the very poorest, but where there is
scope for strengthening competitiveness and employment, and 4% would go
towards promoting cooperation between regions.
[12] EU and Ukraine launching project on the destruction of landmines
Following the ratification by the Ukrainian Parliament of the Mine Ban
Treaty in May 2005, the European Commission and the Government of Ukraine
have just successfully concluded the negotiation of the terms of reference
of a €6 million project on the destruction of PFM-1 landmines stockpile
in Ukraine. This will allow the project to be launched by the end of this
year. Article 4 of the Treaty commits every State Party to destroy all
stockpiled landmines within a 4-year period after the Treaty enters into
force.
[13] EU and Sao Tomé extend fisheries protocol by a year
The European Commission, on behalf of the European Union, and Sao Tomé e
Principe have agreed to extend the current three-year protocol to their
fisheries agreement by a year (from 1 June 2005 to 31 May 2006). This
extension will allow the 63 EU tuna vessels to continue their fishing
activities in the waters of Sao Tomé e Principe (36 tuna seiners, 25
surface long-liners and 2 pole and line vessels). The financial
compensation for the year will amount to €637,500, of which 40% will be
allocated to measures designed to help develop the local fishing sector and
to promote sustainable fisheries in the waters of Sao Tomé. The Union will
also provide €50,000 for an evaluation study on deep-water crab which,
though planned under the previous protocol, was not carried out. The EU and
Sao Tomé have also agreed to accelerate the equipping of fishing vessels
with the satellite-based vessel monitoring system (VMS). The one-year
extension of the protocol will allow Sao Tomé to implement these measures
and to prepare for the negotiation of a fisheries partnership agreement
with the EU. These negotiations are expected to start towards the end of
2005.
[14] Lászlo Kovács meets Philippe de Buck and Jean-Paul Mingasson, UNICE
This morning European Taxation and Customs Commissioner Lászlo Kovács met
Mr Philippe de Buck, the Secretary General of the European Union of
Industries (UNICE), and Mr Jean-Paul Mingasson, General Adviser at UNICE.
They took the opportunity to discuss how tax policy could contribute to the
attainment of the Lisbon agenda. In this regard they focused in particular
on the Commission's proposals for an EU-wide consolidated company tax base
(see IP/0/1468), for a VAT "one-stop-shop" system whereby a trader could
fulfil all his EU-wide compliance obligations in the Member State in which
he is established (see IP/04/1331 and MEMO/04/249) and for an extension of
the scope of the EU Interest and Royalties Directive (see IP/04/105).
Commissioner Kovács stressed that the implementation of the Lisbon
strategy required continuous political and technical support from all
stakeholders and he invited UNICE to provide active support at adequate
level.
[15] Autre matériel diffusé
Background note - White Band on the European Commission Headquarters in
Brussels
Speech by Peter Mandelson : "Trade and Development: the road ahead" at EPC-
KBF Conference on Trade and Development
Speech by Janez Potočnik : "Simplifying participation in EU Research:
opening up accessibility for all" at Luxembourg Presidency Workshop
'Simplification and accessibility within FP7' (Luxembourg)
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
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