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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 05-09-07Midday Express: News from the EU Commission Spokesman's Briefings Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>CONTENTS / CONTENU
MIDDAY EXPRESSNews from the Press and Communication Directorate General's midday briefingNouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction Général Presse etbCommunication07/09/05[01] Commission organises meeting on aviation safety in Brussels todayFollowing the series of tragic aviation accidents this Summer, and in the context of European legislation on aviation safety (see <a href="http://europa.eu.int/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/05/281&format=HTML&aged=0&language=FR&guiLanguage=fr">MEMO/05/281), the European Commission is organising today a meeting of representatives of the aviation authorities from the EU Member States as well as from Bulgaria, Rumania, Switzerland, Norway and Iceland. Purpose of the meeting is to review the present situation and to discuss EU measures to improve aviation safety. This meeting will not take any formal decision, but the Commission expects it to be an important contribution to future aviation safety actions at EU level as presented by Vice-President Barrot to the Commission on 1 September. An important point herein is the adoption of common EU criteria for the establishment of a European black list and a Europe-wide ban for unsafe airlines (full information note can be obtained from the secretariat of Stefaan de Rynck; 0032-2-2999279). The meeting takes place in Brussels from 10 until 5 pm. The Commission will publish a statement on the outcome of the meeting.[02] The Galileo family is further expanding : EU and India seal their agreementAfter intensive exchanges held since January 2004, negotiations on India's participation in Europe's satellite radio navigation programme finally reached approval. The agreement, initialled today in New Delhi at the occasion of the EU-India Summit in the presence of UK Prime Minister Tony Blair as EU Presidency, European Commission President José Manuel Barroso and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, will ensure the availability of highest quality Galileo services in India as well as cooperation to establish regional augmentation systems based on EGNOS and Galileo. Welcoming the outcome of the negotiations, Commission Vice-President Jacques Barrot said : "This is another important step for the development of Galileo as an international programme, but also a major milestone in the EU/India partnership".[03] La Commission encourage le développement des aéroports régionaux et de la mobilité en EuropeAprès une large consultation publique, la Commission européenne a adopté des nouvelles règles qui encourageront le développement des aéroports régionaux. Ces règles précisent les conditions dans lesquelles des aides au démarrage puissent être accordées à des compagnies aériennes qui ouvrent de nouvelles lignes au départ d'aéroports régionaux. L'ouverture de liaisons aériennes régionales favorisera la mobilité en Europe et le développement régional. Les règles claires adoptées garantissent l'égalité de traitement entre les aéroports publics et privés et évitent que les compagnies bénéficiaires ne soient indûment favorisées par rapport aux autres compagnies. Ces lignes directrices donnent également aux aéroports et aux Etats membres des indications sur le financement public des aéroports.[04] Commission discusses five-point plan to react to the surge in oil pricesThe European Commission has discussed a five-point plan presented by Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs to bring an even greater focus on dealing with current very high oil prices. The present very high oil prices are without doubt of concern to the European Union, not only in terms of their impact on the welfare of EU citizens but also regarding their effect on economic growth and thus the attainment of its EU's Lisbon objectives. Mr Piebalgs said : "The Commission's energy policy has for some time now focused on a series of measures to react to the high oil prices. Europe leads the world in providing an intelligent, coherent and environmentally sound response to this challenge. However, given current prices and the negative effect that this is having on EU citizens, we need to redouble our efforts."[05] Ouverture de la distillation de crise en ItalieLe Comité de gestion des Vins s'est prononcé en faveur d'une proposition de règlement de la Commission européenne ouvrant la distillation de crise en Italie. Suite à une production abondante, des excédents importants ont été constatés sur le marché du vin en Italie qui se reflète par une baisse de prix et une augmentation inquiétante des stocks. La proposition prévoit une distillation de crise de maximum 2 millions d'hl de vins de table et le prix d'achat du vin est de €1,914 par % vol et par hl. L'alcool issu de cette distillation ne pourra pas être utilisé pour produire de l'alcool de bouche mais devra plutôt être utilisé pour des besoins industriels ou comme biocarburant. Le règlement doit encore être approuvé par la Commission et sera applicable à partir du 25 septembre 2005. Cette année, des distillations de crise ont déjà été ouvertes en France (1,5 millions d'hl de vin de qualité), en Espagne (4 millions d'hl de vins de table) et en Grèce (340.000 hl de vins de table et 40.000 hl de vins de qualité).[06] Commission clears acquisition of HCAG by SpohnThe European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger Regulation to the acquisition of sole control of HeidelbergCement AG (HCAG) of Germany by Spohn Cement GmbH (Spohn), also of Germany. Spohn manages and sells securities and administers its own assets. HCAG is active worldwide in the production and distribution of a wide range of building materials including cement, ready-mixed concrete, concrete products, aggregates, dry mortar, lime, sand-lime bricks and building chemicals. The operation was examined under the simplified merger review procedure.[07] Commission clears acquisition of Versatel by Apax GroupThe European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger Regulation to the acquisition of sole control of Versatel Deutschland Holding GmbH (Versatel) of Germany by Apax Europe VI (Apax VI) of Guernsey, the Channel Islands, controlled by the Hirzell Trust, also of Guernsey, and belonging to the Apax Group. Versatel is a telecommunications network operator in Germany, active in fixed line telephony, Internet access, leased lines, call termination services and other carrier-to-carrier services. It has business activities in Baden-Württemberg, North Rhine- Westphalia and Schleswig Holstein, as well as in Berlin, Hamburg, Munich and Nuremberg. The Apax Group comprises several pan-European investment funds making investments in a range of industry sectors. The operation was examined under the simplified merger review procedure.[08] La Commission ouvre une enquête sur des allègements fiscaux en SicileLa Commission européenne a décidé d'ouvrir une enquête approfondie relative à deux incitations fiscales adoptées par la Sicile dans le cadre d'une loi régionale (n° 21, du 29/12/2003). Le régime en question prévoit une exonération de l'impôt régional italien sur les activités de production ("IRAP") d'une durée de 5 ans, en faveur des sociétés de certains secteurs ayant leur siège social et le site de leurs activités de gestion et de production effectives en Sicile. Cette loi institue également un Centre financier euro méditerranéen à partir duquel des filiales de sociétés de financement et d'assurance pourraient effectuer des transactions avec d'autres pays méditerranéens souscrivant à la déclaration de Barcelone de novembre 1995. Ces sociétés bénéficient, notamment, d'une réduction de l'IRAP de 50% et d'une exonération de l'impôt sur les sociétés. L'enquête de la Commission vise à déterminer si ces avantages fiscaux, qui ne sont pas disponibles pour d'autres sociétés similaires, sont susceptibles de fausser la concurrence.[09] La Commission interdit des allègements fiscaux en faveur de certaines structures d'investissement en ItalieLa Commission européenne a décidé que le régime italien applicable à certaines structures d'investissement violait les règles du traité CE relatives aux aides d'Etat (article 87). Ce régime réduit le taux d'imposition nominal des revenus perçus par certaines structures d'investissement collectif spécialisées dans la détention de participations dans des petites et moyennes entreprises cotées en bourse sur un marché réglementé de l'Union européenne ("small caps"). Cette décision a été prise à l'issue d'une procédure d'examen approfondie, ouverte en mai 2004. Le régime fausse la concurrence parce qu'il procure des liquidités supplémentaires à des "small caps" cotées en augmentant la valeur de marché de leurs actions et en favorisant certaines entreprises gérant ces structures d'investissement spécialisées. L'aide a été mise à exécution sans l'autorisation préalable de la Commission et doit être récupérée auprès des intermédiaires ayant appliqué ces allègements fiscaux.[10] Commission endorses €1.2 billion capital increases for German Landesbanken HSH Nordbank and Bayern LB and transfer of public fund as silent participation in Landesbank Hessen-ThüringenThe European Commission has authorised, in accordance with the EC Treaty's rules on state aid, capital increases worth a total of some €1.2 billion from their public shareholders for the German Landesbanken HSH Nordbank AG (HSH – €556 million) and Bayern LB (€640 million). The capital increases are aimed at strengthening the core capital of the two Landesbanken. The Commission has also authorised the transfer of a special fund of the Land Hessen as silent participation to Landesbank Hessen- Thüringen (Helaba). The Commission has concluded that the transactions are in line with the market investor principle and therefore do not constitute state aid within the meaning of Article 87 of the EC Treaty).[11] EU experts outline guidelines for improved avian influenza surveillanceEuropean Commission and EU veterinary, virology and ornithology experts met on 6 September to discuss how Member States' avian influenza surveillance programmes can be strengthened and improved, in light of the potential risk of the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus spreading westwards from the currently infected areas in Asia. In the meeting, the experts set out clear guidelines for surveillance of wild birds, focusing in particular on the sampling and testing of wild birds along the major migratory flyways. The meeting provided the opportunity for the Commission to make an initial assessment of the national surveillance programmes set up by Member States, which are eligible for EU co-funding and for which €1.2 million has already been made available from the EU budget. The Commission intends to submit a proposal for the individual approval of each Member State's surveillance programme for 2005/06 at a meeting of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health on September 14th.For more information on avian Influenza, see <a href="http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/animal/diseases/controlmeasures/avian/index_en.htm">http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/animal/diseases/controlmeasures/avian/index_en.htm [12] Joe Borg in Iceland : the benefits of working togetherJoe Borg, European Commissioner for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, started a two-day visit to Iceland, this morning. Commissioner Borg wants to emphasise the close relationship between the European Union and Iceland in fisheries as well as in other matters on the basis of the Trade Agreement, concluded in 1972, and the membership of Iceland in the European Economic Area (EEA) which allows Iceland to benefit from the same competition conditions as EU Member States. In fisheries, there is also good cooperation through a bilateral fisheries agreement, concluded in 1993, and within regional fisheries organisations such as the north-west Atlantic fisheries organisation (NAFO) or the north-east Atlantic fisheries commission (NEAFC). Iceland is also a major EU partner in terms of supply of fish and fisheries products to the EU market, providing 8% of the EU demand, to the tune of €1 billion.[13] Autre matériel diffuséQuestions and answers on the EU's Civil Protection MechanismDeclaration by Franco Frattini on terrorism at EP plenary session (Strasbourg) Speech by Viviane Reding : "Software and services: powering the European digital economy" at official launch of the Technology Platform NESSI (Networked European Software and Services Initiative) Speech by Viviane Reding : "i2010 : a new start for Lisbon and for European Information Society and Media policies" at the i2010 Conference (06/09, London) Questions et réponses : lignes directrices sur les aides d'Etat au démarrage pour les compagnies aériennes au départ d'aéroports régionaux Five-point plan to react to the surge in oil prices The High Oil Price - background information Commissioner Borg visits Iceland – 7 to 8 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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