|
|
European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 05-07-18
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] L'UE en bonne voie dans la mise en œuvre du marché intérieur
[02] Patents : Commission adopts a second report on biotechnological
inventions, covering gene patents and stem cells
[03] La Commission lance une campagne de sensibilisation de quatre ans en
faveur de l'énergie durable
[04] EU grants €86 million to boost innovation in vocational training
[05] Eurobaromètre Standard 63 : vague de printemps 2005
[06] International calls in Finland competitive : no new rules needed,
confirms Commission
[07] Euro area economy : sluggish second quarter but signs point to a pick-
up in second half of 2005
[08] June 2005 : Euro-zone annual inflation up to 2.1% ; EU25 stable at
2.0%
[09] Commission approves acquisition of Gillette by Procter & Gamble
subject to conditions
[10] Mise en place du Conseil scientifique du Conseil européen de la
recherche
[11] Commission welcomes Council's decision to sign agreement on the
transfer of air passenger data to Canada
[12] EU-Iraq : Commission support for new Constitution
[13] Consultation on a fourth working document on the markets in financial
instruments, Directive (MiFID) and on a working document on investment
research
[14] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express of 2005-07-18
Reference: MEX/05/0718
Date: 18/07/2005
EXME05/ 18.7
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
18/07/05
[01] L'UE en bonne voie dans la mise en œuvre du marché intérieur
Les Etats membres ont accompli des progrès remarquables dans la
transposition des directives "Marché intérieur" et atteint ainsi l'un des
meilleurs résultats jamais enregistré. Malheureusement, il arrive encore
trop souvent que les règles régissant le marché intérieur ne soient pas
appliquées correctement: seuls quatre Etats membres sont parvenus Ã
réduire le nombre de procédures d'infraction à leur encontre.
[02] Patents : Commission adopts a second report on biotechnological
inventions, covering gene patents and stem cells
The European Commission has adopted a second report (COM(2005)312) to the
Council and European Parliament covering developments and implications of
patent law in the field of biotechnology and genetic engineering. It
focuses on issues in the area of patents relating to gene sequences and the
patentability of inventions relating to stem cells. It also reports on the
implementation of the Directive.
[03] La Commission lance une campagne de sensibilisation de quatre ans en
faveur de l'énergie durable
"Les modes de production et de consommation d'énergie intelligents vont
transformer définitivement le paysage énergétique européen." Tel est le
message essentiel de la campagne européenne pour l'énergie durable que la
Commission européenne a lancée aujourd'hui, et qui se prolongera
jusqu’en 2008. Cette action doit contribuer à la réalisation des buts de
la politique énergétique de l'UE : il s'agit d'accroître la part des
sources d’énergie renouvelables pour atteindre 12% d'ici à 2010, tout en
réalisant des économies substantielles en matière de consommation
d'énergie ; selon le récent Livre vert sur l'efficacité énergétique,
celles-ci devraient se monter à 20% d'ici à 2020.
[04] EU grants €86 million to boost innovation in vocational training
The European Commission has selected 295 projects from 31 countries to
receive grants under the Leonardo da Vinci programme. The programme
promotes trans-national cooperation to foster innovation in and improve the
quality of European vocational education and training. A total of €86
million has been awarded to co-finance the selected projects.
[05] Eurobaromètre Standard 63 : vague de printemps 2005
Cette vague Eurobaromètre Standard de printemps s'inscrit dans une
dynamique marquée par la situation économique et de l'emploi dans de
nombreux Etats membres de l'UE, les problèmes rencontrés dans le
processus de ratification de la Constitution européenne et un désaccord
sur les nouvelles perspectives financières.
[06] International calls in Finland competitive : no new rules needed,
confirms Commission
The European Commission has today published a decision under Article 7 of
the EU framework on electronic communications supporting the findings of
the Finnish national regulatory authority (Ficora) that the international
calls markets in Finland are effectively competitive. International calls
markets include all fixed telephone calls made from home by residential
users and from the office by business users, to both fixed and mobile
telephones outside the country. As a result of today's Commission decision,
Ficora will not have to impose any regulation on these markets in Finland.
[07] Euro area economy : sluggish second quarter but signs point to a pick-
up in second half of 2005
After a rebound in the first quarter of the year, economic growth is likely
to have been disappointing in the months of April to June as surging oil
prices and the lost of momentum of global manufacturing have both taken
their toll on confidence, according to the European Commission's latest
quarterly report on the Euro Area. But signs of renewed growth in the
global economy, a more competitive exchange rate and continuing supportive
financial and monetary conditions all point to an acceleration of growth in
the second half of 2005. The last quarterly report also focuses on growth
differences in the euro area to conclude that although they are not
unusually high historically or by comparison with the United States they
require urgent action by some Member States to tackle entrenched structural
weaknesses and problems.
[08] June 2005 : Euro-zone annual inflation up to 2.1% ; EU25 stable at
2.0%
Euro-zone annual inflation was 2.1% in June 2005, up from 2.0% in May,
reports Eurostat. A year earlier the rate was 2.4%. Monthly inflation was
0.1% in June. EU25 annual inflation was 2.0% in June 2005, the same as in
May. A year earlier the rate was 2.4%. Monthly inflation was 0.1% in June.
EICP annual inflation was 2.0% in June 2005.
[09] Commission approves acquisition of Gillette by Procter & Gamble
subject to conditions
The European Commission has cleared under the EC Merger Regulation the
proposed acquisition of Gillette by Procter & Gamble, both based in the US.
The approval is conditional on the divestiture of Procter & Gamble's
battery toothbrush business. Since the merger will combine two leading
global producers of branded consumer goods, the Commission's market
investigation focussed on potential anti-competitive effects arising from
the parties' large combined product portfolio. The market investigation has,
however, shown that even after the transaction the parties would not be in
a position to impose conditions on retailers to the detriment of the
consumer. The only remaining competition concern, in the sector of battery
toothbrushes, could be solved by the parties' commitment to sell off
Procter & Gamble's battery toothbrush business. In the light of this
commitment, the Commission has concluded that the operation will not
significantly impede effective competition in the European Economic Area or
any substantial part of it.
[10] Mise en place du Conseil scientifique du Conseil européen de la
recherche
(! embargo 13h30 !) La Commission européenne a dévoilé aujourd'hui le
nom des 22 personnalités éminentes qui seront les membres fondateurs du
Conseil scientifique du Conseil européen de la recherche chargé du
financement des travaux de recherche exploratoire proposés par la
Commission dans le cadre du septième programme-cadre de recherche (2007-
2013). Le Conseil scientifique sera un organe indépendant dont le rôle
consistera à définir la stratégie scientifique du Conseil européen de la
recherche et à veiller à ce que ses actions soient menées conformément
aux exigences de l’excellence scientifique. Les 22 personnalités
scientifiques ont été choisies par un comité de scientifiques de haut
niveau présidé par Lord Patten of Barnes, Chancellor of Oxford and
Newcastle-upon-Tyne Universities.
[11] Commission welcomes Council's decision to sign agreement on the
transfer of air passenger data to Canada
The European Commission welcomes the decision at today's meeting of the
General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) to sign with Canada
an agreement on airline passenger data. Under the agreement, airlines
flying from the EU to Canada will transfer selected passenger data to the
Canadian authorities to help identify passengers who could be a security,
and in particular a terrorist threat. The agreement strikes a good balance
between security requirements and the data protection standards required
under EU law, thus making an important contribution to the fight against
terrorism.
[12] EU-Iraq : Commission support for new Constitution
Just four weeks before the new Iraqi Constitution is due to be completed,
international donors are meeting in Jordan 18th and 19th July to discuss
Iraqi reconstruction priorities, project implementation and new funding.
The European Commission will attend the meeting to outline its continuing
support for the political and economic reconstruction of the country, in
particular a €20 million package to support the preparation of the new
Constitution. The Commission's €200 million allocation for 2005 also
covers support for basic services in the areas of basic education, health
services and employment generation, technical assistance to the Ministries
of Energy and Transport and further assistance in the fields of democracy
and human rights. To date, the Commission's total contribution to the Iraqi
reconstruction process amounts to more than half a billion euro.
[13] Consultation on a fourth working document on the markets in financial
instruments, Directive (MiFID) and on a working document on investment
research
The European Commission is inviting comments on its fourth working document
on implementing legislation for MiFID. While the first working document
focused on transaction reporting plus exchange of information between
competent authorities, the second on organisational requirements for
investment firms and the third working document on issues of market
transparency and admission to trading, this document deals mainly with the
definitions of investment advice and commodity derivatives, conduct of
business rules, best execution, order handling rules and eligible
counterparties. The working document has been drawn up following technical
advice given to the Commission by the Committee of European Securities
Regulators (CESR). Publication of the document is part of the open and
transparent regulatory process the Commission follows for drawing up
technical implementing measures in line with the procedures agreed to
implement the March 2001 Stockholm European Council Resolution to improve
decision-making concerning securities markets (see IP/02/195). The working
document is not a formal Commission proposal. The documents are available
at :
<a href="http://europa.eu.int/comm/internal_market/securities/isd/index_en.htm">http://europa.eu.int/comm/internal_market/securities/isd/index_en.htm
<a href="http://europa.eu.int/comm/internal_market/securities/isd/index_fr.htm">http://europa.eu.int/comm/internal_market/securities/isd/index_fr.htm
<a href="http://europa.eu.int/comm/internal_market/securities/isd/index_de.htm">http://europa.eu.int/comm/internal_market/securities/isd/index_de.htm
Comments should be sent to the Commission to the following e-mail address
by 15 September 2005. Markt-ESC@cec.eu.int. Comments will posted on the
website unless authors specifically request the contrary. The Commission
will draw up its formal proposal at a later stage.
[14] Autre matériel diffusé
Biographies of members of the Scientific Council (! embargo 13h30 !)
Speech by Charlie McCreevy : "The Commission's Financial Services Policy
2005-2010" (! embargo 13h00 !)
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
|