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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 05-10-27
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] European scientists develop H7N1 avian flu vaccine
[02] European health experts take stock of influenza pandemic preparedness
[03] Conférence sur les méthodes de substitution l'expérimentation
animale
[04] Second quarter of 2005 : EU25 current account deficit €21.2 billion -
€15.3 billion surplus on trade in services
[05] Administration en ligne dans l'UE25 : en 2004, environ la moitié des
particuliers et des entreprises utilisant Internet cherchaient des
informations administratives
[06] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express of 2005-10-27
Reference: MEX/05/1027
Date: 27/10/2005
EXME05 / 27.10
MIDDAY EXPRESS
News from the Press and Communication Directorate General's midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction Générale Presse etb
Communication
27/10/05
[01] European scientists develop H7N1 avian flu vaccine
Supported by the EU Research Framework Programme, influenza experts from
the UK, Italy and Norway, working with vaccine researchers from Sanofi
Pasteur in France, have developed the first human candidate vaccine for the
H7N1 virus. Following this research breakthrough, it is planned that this
new vaccine, called 'RD-3', will go into clinical trials in Spring 2006.
Most vaccine development has centred on H5N1 thus far, which is the highly
pathogenic form of the avian influenza ("bird flu") dominating the news at
present. However, a report from the FLUPAN research project in last week's
Journal of Infectious Disease notes that also the H7 virus can spread from
poultry to humans.
[02] European health experts take stock of influenza pandemic preparedness
At a conference jointly organised by the European Commission and the
Regional Office for Europe of the World Health Organisation (WHO) in
Copenhagen (Denmark) on 24-26 October, experts from across the world
addressed the state of play of preparations for a possible flu pandemic. 46
countries in the WHO's European region now have national preparedness plans,
including all 25 EU Member States. However, additional efforts are needed
as far as funding, testing and implementation of these plans are concerned.
On avian influenza (AI), recommendations focused on improving surveillance
and information sharing, on compensation of farmers, on protection of
poultry sector workers and on detection of AI in humans. On influenza
preparedness, the experts called for strengthening aspects other than
pharmaceutical interventions in national plans, such as civil protection,
transport, communications and health system response, setting up emergency
centres, investing in labs, and encouraging vaccination between pandemics.
On the role of international organisations, recommendations focused on
setting internationally accepted standards and guidelines and sharing
information.
[03] Conférence sur les méthodes de substitution l'expérimentation
animale
En Europe, des expériences et d'autres actes scientifiques sont pratiqués
sur quelque 11 millions d'animaux chaque année. Même si ce nombre est
environ trois fois moins élevé qu'il y a 30 ans, la quantité d'animaux
encore soumis des expériences reste importante. Pour accentuer cette
tendance et remplacer l’expérimentation animale par d'autres méthodes,
Günter Verheugen, vice-président de la Commission européenne, et Janez
Potočnik, commissaire la Science et la Recherche, présenteront
conjointement avec des représentants de haut niveau de l'industrie un
"partenariat européen pour la promotion de méthodes de substitution
l'expérimentation animale" lors d'une conférence qui se tiendra le 7
novembre 2005 Bruxelles
[04] Second quarter of 2005 : EU25 current account deficit €21.2 billion -
€15.3 billion surplus on trade in services
According to the latest revisions, the EU25 external current account
recorded a deficit of €21.2 billion in the second quarter of 2005, as
compared to a deficit of €6.5 billion in the second quarter of 2004 and a
deficit of €18.4 billion in the first quarter of 2005. In the second
quarter of 2005, compared to the second quarter of 2004, a higher surplus
was recorded in the services account (+ €15.3 billion compared to +14.2
billion), while a higher deficit was recorded in both the goods account (-
14.1 billion compared to -3.5 billion) and the income account (-12.1
billion compared to -8.6 billion). The structural deficit in the current
transfers account increased (-10.2 billion compared to -8.7 billion). These
provisional data, issued by Eurostat are subject to revision.
[05] Administration en ligne dans l'UE25 : en 2004, environ la moitié des
particuliers et des entreprises utilisant Internet cherchaient des
informations administratives
Dans l'UE25, 45% des particuliers âgés de 16 74 ans utilisant Internet
ont trouvé des informations sur les sites web des pouvoirs publics au
premier trimestre 2004. Début 2004, 51% des entreprises ayant un accès
Internet ont obtenu des informations sur les sites web des pouvoirs
publics. Ces données sont extraites d'un rapport publié par Eurostat. Ce
rapport contient les résultats d'enquêtes, relatives l'utilisation des
technologies de l'information et de la communication (TIC) pour
l'interaction avec les pouvoirs publics ("administration en ligne"), dans
les États membres de l'UE25, en Bulgarie, en Roumanie, en Turquie, en
Norvège et en Islande. Le rapport comporte en outre une analyse de la
disponibilité des services publics en ligne.
[06] Autre matériel diffusé
Speech by Mariann Fischer Boel : "From quantity to quality: a CAP for the
21st century" at European Policy Centre
Speech by Janez Potočnik : "How Europe can benefit from Increased
Globalisation of R&D" at Royal Technology Forum (Stockholm)
Discours de M. Franco Frattini : "Presentazione del Dossier Statistico
Immigrazione 2005" Caritas e Fondazione Migrantes (Rome)
Speech by Günter Verheugen : "Towards a knowledge-based European economy"
at the European Investment Bank Forum (Helsinki, !embargo 14h!)
Discours de M. Louis Michel : "Ce désastre humain nous oblige réformer
en profondeur nos mécanismes de réaction" la réunion ministérielle
sur l'assistance aux populations touchées par le séisme en Asie du Sud
(26/10, Genève)
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
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