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