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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 05-08-31

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] Commission adopts new Regulation on Lisbon drugs monitoring agency
  • [02] OGM: la Commission autorise l'importation d'un colza génétiquement modifié destiné l'alimentation animale
  • [03] Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner to visit Afghanistan 4-5 September
  • [04] Commission indicator forecasts euro area quarterly GDP growth of 0.2% to 0.6% for the third quarter and 0.4% to 0.8% for the fourth quarter.
  • [05] First estimates for the second quarter of 2005 - Euro-zone and EU25 GDP up by 0.3% - +1.1% and +1.3% respectively compared to the second quarter of 2004
  • [06] Estimation rapide - Août 2005 - L'inflation de la zone euro estimée 2,1%
  • [07] Commission clears acquisition of IHL by 3i
  • [08] Commission clears acquisition of Wavin by CVC
  • [09] Commissioner Borg pays a visit to Germany
  • [10] Lászlo Kovács meets Mr. Creutzig, President of CECRA
  • [11] EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson comments to the European Parliament Trade Committee today
  • [12] Autre matériel diffusé
  • [13] Speech by President Barroso on the 25th anniversary of the setting up of the Solidarnosc trade union in Gdansk
  • [14] Solidarity as a Foundation for European Integration
  • [15] Commissioner Joe Borg visits the Federal Republic of Germany – 31 August to 2 September 2005 Midday Express of 2005-08-31 Reference: MEX/05/0831 Date: 31/08/2005 EXME05 / 31.8

    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

  • [01] Commission adopts new Regulation on Lisbon drugs monitoring agency

    Today, the Commission approved a recast of the original Council Regulation (EEC) N° 302/93 on the establishment of a European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA). This Regulation had been updated a number of times to keep pace with developments within the European Union, such as enlargement and the reform of the EU financial Regulations.

    [02] OGM: la Commission autorise l'importation d'un colza génétiquement modifié destiné l'alimentation animale

    La Commission a autorisé aujourd'hui l'importation et la mise sur le marché du colza génétiquement modifié GT73 des fins de traitement. Cette décision est valable pour dix ans et résulte d'une demande introduite par la société Monsanto. L’utilisation du colza GT73, qui présente une tolérance l'herbicide glyphosate, est déj très répandue en Amérique du Nord, et aucun effet néfaste sur la santé et sur l’environnement n’a été rapporté. L'autorisation qui a été accordée aujourd'hui, et qui s'appuie sur l'état actuel des connaissances scientifiques, est limitée l'utilisation spécifique des importations du colza génétiquement modifié des fins d'alimentation animale ou de traitement industriel. L’autorisation est complétée par une recommandation concernant des mesures que le titulaire de l’autorisation doit prendre pour éviter tout effet néfaste sur la santé ou sur l’environnement en cas de dissémination accidentelle de colza GT73. L'utilisation d'une huile raffinée produite partir de colza GT73 a déj été approuvée pour l'alimentation humaine, en 1997, dans l’UE.

    [03] Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner to visit Afghanistan 4-5 September

    European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, will visit Afghanistan on 4-5 September 2005 to signal the Commission´s support to the country’s ongoing political transition and to the reconstruction process. In Kabul, the Commissioner will meet with President Karzai and other senior representatives of the Afghan government to discuss how Afghanistan and the international community can work together to deepen and consolidate the gains achieved since the fall of the Taliban. The visit takes place ahead of historic parliamentary and provincial elections set for 18 September. The democratisation process will be an important focus of the Commissioner’s visit and she will also travel to North-East Afghanistan to actively look at election preparations and witness the activities of the EU Election Observation Mission.

    [04] Commission indicator forecasts euro area quarterly GDP growth of 0.2% to 0.6% for the third quarter and 0.4% to 0.8% for the fourth quarter.

    The indicator-based model for quarterly GDP growth for the euro area, developed by the European Commission’s Directorate General for Economic and Financial Affairs, forecasts a range of 0.2% to 0.6% for the third quarter of 2005 and a range of 0.4% to 0.8% for growth in the fourth quarter of 2005. These forecasts are unchanged compared to the previous release.

    [05] First estimates for the second quarter of 2005 - Euro-zone and EU25 GDP up by 0.3% - +1.1% and +1.3% respectively compared to the second quarter of 2004

    Both euro-zone and EU25 GDP grew by 0.3% in the second quarter of 2005, compared to the previous quarter, according to first estimates released by Eurostat. In the first quarter of 2005, growth rates were +0.4% in both zones. Compared to the second quarter of 2004, GDP rose by 1.1% in the euro- zone and by 1.3% in the EU25, after +1.3% and +1.5% respectively in the previous quarter.

    [06] Estimation rapide - Août 2005 - L'inflation de la zone euro estimée 2,1%

    Selon une estimation rapide publiée par Eurostat, le taux d'inflation annuel de la zone euro s'établirait 2,1% en août 2005. En juillet, le taux était de 2,2%. L'inflation de la zone euro est mesurée par l'Indice des Prix la Consommation de l'Union Monétaire (IPCUM). Pour élaborer les estimations rapides de l'IPCUM, Eurostat utilise les informations préliminaires sur les prix du mois de référence, diffusées par les Etats membres pour lesquels les données sont disponibles, ainsi que des informations préliminaires sur les prix de l'énergie.

    [07] Commission clears acquisition of IHL by 3i

    The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger Regulation to the acquisition of sole control of Parking International Holdings Limited (PIHL) of the UK by 3i Group plc and funds managed by 3i Investments plc (known together as 3i) of the UK. 3i is an international venture capital company providing management advice and managing investments on behalf of investment funds. PIHL is active in the provision of parking and traffic management services in the UK. It is the parent company of National Car Parks Limited. Its principal activities are the management of public off-street parking spaces and the provision of on- street parking management and parking enforcement services. It also operates two London bus route franchises. The operation was examined under the simplified merger review procedure.

    [08] Commission clears acquisition of Wavin by CVC

    The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger Regulation to the acquisition of sole control of Beheermaatschappij Wavin B.V. (Wavin) of the Netherlands by CVC Capital Partners Group S rl (CVC) of Luxemburg. CVC provides investment advice and manages investments on behalf of investment funds. These investment funds hold controlling investments in a number of companies in various industrial sectors. Wavin is active in the manufacture and sale of pipe systems for various applications, including underground drains and sewers. The operation was examined under the simplified merger review procedure.

    [09] Commissioner Borg pays a visit to Germany

    Joe Borg, Commissioner for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, will start his visit to Germany this afternoon with a meeting with Federal Minister for Consumer Protection, Food and Agriculture, Ms Renate Künast, in Berlin. He will then meet with State Secretary, Mr Georg-Wilhelm Adamowitsch, Federal Ministry for Economics and Labour, before attending a dinner with Mr Manfred Stolpe, Federal Minister for Transport, Building and Housing, this evening. Tomorrow, Commissioner Borg will participate in the opening and tour the InWater Tec 2005 Fair, in Kiel, where he will give a speech on the “Perspectives of a Maritime Policy”. The afternoon will see the Commissioner visit the Kieler Howaldswerke-Deutsche Werft AG shipyards and the GEOMAR Leibniz Institute for Maritime Research before attending a dinner hosted by Mr Peter Harry Carstensen, Prime Minister of the Land of Schleswig-Holstein. On Friday, Commissioner Borg will visit the Institute for Baltic Sea Maritime Research in Warnemünde accompanied by Prime Minister Harald Ringstorff. This will be followed by a visit of the Maritime Simulation Centre (Department of navigation of the Wismar Technical University in Warnemünde). Commissioner Borg will be met by Dr. Till Backhaus, Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, at the Kurhaus- conference centre, in Warnemünde, where a meeting will be held with representatives of the fishing industry within the framework of a “Fish Lunch” given by Prime Minister Ringstorff. Afterwards, the Commissioner will meet with the First Mayor (Prime Minister) of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, Mr Ole von Beust, before attending a Conference at the International Tribunal for the Law of Sea where he will give a speech entitled, “Oceans and the Law of the Sea: Towards New Horizons”.

    Rédiffusion

    [10] Lászlo Kovács meets Mr. Creutzig, President of CECRA

    Lászlo Kovács, European Commissioner for Taxation and Customs Union met Mr. Jürgen Creutzig, President of CECRA, the European Council for Motor Trades and Repairs, on 30 August. They discussed, in particular, the Commission’s proposal on passenger car taxes that aims at the progressive abolition of the car registration taxes are currently applied in some Member States (see IP/05/839 and MEMO/05/236), with Mr. Creutzig confirming the support, on the whole, of CECRA for the proposal. Commissioner Kovács and Mr. Creutzig also discussed the Commission's two proposals for changes to the Value Added Tax (VAT) rules for services provided to traders (see IP/03/1808) and for services provided to private consumers.

    [11] EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson comments to the European Parliament Trade Committee today

    "I am not confident the Shanghai Textile Agreement will be sustainable unless we release the goods currently held at the border. This is a large volume of garments, I realise. But the consequences of not doing so will be severe economic pain for many smaller retailers and medium-sized businesses. It could mean some shortages during the autumn but, even more likely, higher consumer prices for many of our citizens who cannot afford to pay more for clothes. So I appeal to Member States to take the long-term view. The price of rejecting my proposals is harm to the consumer. The gain is keeping the Agreement alive and the overall restrictions in place over the next three years. Decisions are sometimes painful, but the alternative is often worse. Are we going to send all the unlicensed goods back to China? Who will pay for this? Who will compensate importers and retailers for the loss of contracts? In these circumstances the solidarity painstakingly built up on the textiles issue amongst Member States will erode and their fragile unity will fracture. This is not in the interests of European textile producers. It is not in the interests of maintaining the delicate balance we have created on this matter. It is not in the interests of the European economy or European consumers who demand a choice of both European and foreign produced goods. So I appeal to Member States to accept my proposals and to back me in my efforts to secure with China both the Agreement that is so valuable to us and a sensible solution to the problem we have experienced in implementing it."

    Lászlo .

    [12] Autre matériel diffusé

    [13] Speech by President Barroso on the 25th anniversary of the setting up of the Solidarnosc trade union in Gdansk

    [14] Solidarity as a Foundation for European Integration

    [15] Commissioner Joe Borg visits the Federal Republic of Germany – 31 August to 2 September 2005

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

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