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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 06-03-03
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Commission to tackle gender inequality with new roadmap and €50
million gender institute
[02] Lutte contre la criminalité organisée: la Commission propose de
mieux contrôler les armes feu
[03] EU Member States agree to one-year cut in sugar production
[04] Danuta Hübner en France: “Les acteurs régionaux doivent dépasser
leurs divergences pour assurer le succès de l’innovation”
[05] Joe Borg welcomes report on illegal fishing
[06] GMOs: new maize type authorised for marketing as food
[07] BSE confirmed in a cow in Sweden
[08] Commission for External Relations and Neighbourhood Policy Benita
Ferrero-Waldner on event in Belarus
[09] Commissioner Kyprianou pledges EU support for Nigeria’s fight
against avian influenza
[10] Quarterly euro-area GDP growth projections in the range of 0.4% to
0.9% for the first, second and third quarter of 2006.
[11] Premières estimations pour le quatrième trimestre 2005 - Le PIB de
la zone euro et celui de l’UE25 en hausse de 0,3% - +1,7% et +1,8%
respectivement par rapport au quatrième trimestre 2004
[12] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express of 2006-03-03
Reference: MEX/06/0303
Date: 03/03/2006
EXME06 / 03.3
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
03/03/06
[01] Commission to tackle gender inequality with new roadmap and €50
million gender institute
Gender inequality in the EU will be tackled by 21 specific activities over
the next five years, which are outlined in a new gender equality roadmap
published by the European Commission. Proposed Commission activities in the
'Roadmap for equality between men and women 2006-10' include helping set up
a new €50 million European institute for gender equality, reviewing all
existing EU gender equality law, increasing awareness of gender inequality,
ensuring gender equality is considered in all policies and pressing for
better statistics. The roadmap aims to, inter alia, tackle the pay gap
between men and women, support better work/life balance, eliminate violence
and trafficking, support gender budgeting and promote gender equality both
within and outside the EU.
[02] Lutte contre la criminalité organisée: la Commission propose de
mieux contrôler les armes feu
Suite une proposition de la Commission européenne, la législation UE
qui a pour objectif d’empêcher la fabrication et le trafic illicites des
armes feu sera renforcée. La Commission propose, en particulier, de
renforcer l’obligation du marquage la fabrication. Aujourd’hui, cette
obligation n’apparaît que de façon indirecte dans la directive 91/477
relative au contrôle de l’acquisition et de la détention d’armes. En
outre, la Commission souhaite allonger la durée de conservation des
registres et préciser les sanctions dans la directive 91/477/CEE. La
proposition de la Commission vise aligner la directive sur le «protocole
sur les armes feu» des Nations unies contre la criminalité
transnationale organisée. La proposition d’aujourd’hui facilitera le
traçage des armes civiles et renforcera la sécurité des ventes de ce
type d'armes.
[03] EU Member States agree to one-year cut in sugar production
European Union governments today agreed on a Commission proposal for a one-
year cut of 2.5 million tonnes (13.6 percent) in sugar, isoglucose and
inulin syrup production. This one-off reduction is necessary to ensure that
the newly-reformed sugar regime gets underway without heavy surpluses
undermining market balance. The production cut is divided up between the
individual Member States according to a balanced weighting of the reduction
coefficients traditionally used in the sugar sector and the linear cut laid
down in the new Common Market Organisation (CMO) Regulation. The
coefficients reduce production more for those countries which previously
had higher “B” quotas: in other words those which produced more sugar
for export. Under the sugar reform, this distinction between “A” and
“B” quotas will disappear. In calculating the cut in production for
2006/07, special account will also be taken of those countries which
undertake large reductions in quota in the first year of the reform through
the newly-introduced Restructuring Fund.
[04] Danuta Hübner en France: “Les acteurs régionaux doivent dépasser
leurs divergences pour assurer le succès de l’innovation”
« Il est fondamental que l’ensemble des acteurs régionaux, publics et
privés, entreprises, centres de recherche et organismes de formation
unissent leurs efforts dans la définition et la mise en œuvre d’une
stratégie régionale d’innovation», a rappelé la commissaire la
politique régionale Danuta Hübner en clôture du séminaire «
Compétitivité régionale et emploi 2007-2013 : Quelles orientations ? »
Angers (Pays de la Loire – 1-3mars 2006). Le séminaire s’est penché
sur la contribution de la politique régionale aux impératifs de la
croissance, de l’emploi et du développement durable. Celui-ci est
organisé par la Commission européenne et la Délégation interministérielle
l’aménagement et la compétitivité des territoires
(DIACT), en collaboration avec les ministères français de l'emploi, de la
cohésion sociale et du logement, de l'agriculture et de la pêche, la
préfecture de région et le Conseil régional des Pays de la Loire.
[05] Joe Borg welcomes report on illegal fishing
European Commissioner for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Joe Borg is in
Paris today to attend the launch of the Report prepared by the High Seas
Task Force (HSTF) on Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported (IUU) fishing. He
will also have bilateral meetings with a number of the EU’s international
partners, including Fisheries Ministers from Australia and Canada and the
United States fisheries chief, to discuss possible approaches to the follow
up on the work of the Task Force, as well as matters of bilateral interest.
[06] GMOs: new maize type authorised for marketing as food
The European Commission today authorised the placing on the market of
genetically modified maize line 1507 for use as food and food ingredients.
The authorisation means that this maize type will now be allowed to be
marketed in the EU as food, food ingredients or derived products, such as
oil and starch. In line with EU labelling and traceability rules, any
product containing it will have to clearly indicate its genetically
modified nature. The Commission’s decision follows the inability of
Council on 20 December 2005 to either approve or reject the application for
the authorisation of this GMO on the basis of the favourable opinion
delivered by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) on 3 March 2005. <a
href="http://www.efsa.eu.int/science/gmo/gm_ff_applications/more_info/503_en.html">http://www.efsa.eu.int/science/gmo/gm_ff_applications/more_info/503_en.html
Genetically modified maize (Zea mays L.) line 1507 has been designed to
resist to the European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis, a beetle which can
cause severe damage to maize crops) and certain other pests (“lepidopteran”
pests), and with tolerance to the herbicide glufosinate-ammonium, thus
improving weedmanagement and crop production. This is the first
authorisation given under Regulation 1829/2003 on GM Food and Feed. This
new legislation introduces key new elements such as improved labelling
rules, a method of detection and unique identifier codes for the authorised
GMOs. Further info: <a href="http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/food/biotechnology/index_en.htm">http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/food/biotechnology/index_en.htm
and the Questions and Answers on the regulation of GMOs in the EU <a
href="http://europa.eu.int/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/04/102&format=HTML&aged=1&language=FR&guiLanguage=fr">MEMO/04/102
[07] BSE confirmed in a cow in Sweden
The first ever case of BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy) in Sweden has
been confirmed today, following tests carried out by the Community
Reference Laboratory (CRL) in Weybridge (UK) on samples from a Swedish cow.
The infected animal was a 12-year old cow, which was culled for destruction
due to a history of milking fever. In line with EU legislation requiring
all fallen stock (i.e. animals that died or were culled due to disease) to
be checked for BSE, the cow was tested in the rendering plant. When this
first test showed up positive for BSE, the Swedish authorities referred the
case to the CRL for further examination, which confirmed the finding today.
As a result of this BSE case, the Commission will now reconsider the
grounds for the special derogation for Sweden from the requirement to test
all bovine animals intended for human consumption, laid down in the TSE
Regulation, which applies in all other Member States. As the only Member
State with Geographical BSE-Risk level 2 (i.e. considered to be at low risk
of BSE), Sweden had special dispensation from the EU rule requiring every
bovine animal slaughtered for the food chain to be tested. Instead, around
10 000 healthy slaughtered bovine animals have been randomly tested every
year in Sweden up to this point. For fallen stock and suspicious deaths,
there was no derogation and Sweden has always applied the same testing
rules as other Member States (i.e. 100% testing). Investigation into the
possible source of contamination of the infected cow is ongoing. All the
offspring and cohort of the infected cow are being traced and culled, and
no meat or products from animals linked to the cow will enter the food or
feed chain. Sweden applies all of the mandatory EU animal health measures
against BSE, including the removal of specified risk material from all
animals entering the food chain, which are designed to ensure maximum
protection of public health. For more information on BSE, see: <a
href="http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/food/biosafety/bse/index_en.htm">http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/food/biosafety/bse/index_en.htm
[08] Commission for External Relations and Neighbourhood Policy Benita
Ferrero-Waldner on event in Belarus
"The Commission is deeply worried by press reports of serious violations of
the campaigning rights of the election candidates in Belarus in the run up
to the 19 March presidential election. In particular we are concerned by
reports of the detention today of Aleksander Kozulin, one of the four
registered candidates in the presidential race, less than three weeks
before the election date. If confirmed, this would be a serious
development. I expect that the situation be rapidly clarified and appeal to
the government to release him immediately. The Commission has consistently
encouraged the Belarusian authorities to abide by international standards
and by their commitments in the OSCE and the UN frameworks to ensure equal
campaigning rights to all candidates. The interim report of the OSCE /
ODIHR monitoring mission of 1st of March points to a number of serious
short comings such as “detention of campaign activists, searches of
campaign offices, confiscation of campaign materials and interruption of
campaign meetings”. We will continue to watch the elections extremely
closely. As stated in the Council Conclusions of January 2006, the EU is
ready to take further appropriate restrictive measures against the
responsible individuals if the elections are not conducted in a democratic
manner."
[09] Commissioner Kyprianou pledges EU support for Nigeria’s fight
against avian influenza
EU Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner Markos Kyprianou has pledged
the European Union’s full support for Nigeria’s fight against avian
influenza. Speaking at the conclusion of his visit to the country,
Commissioner Kyprianou said: “On behalf of the European Commission I
conveyed to President Obasanjo our full support for Nigeria’s efforts to
tackle avian influenza. I am encouraged by the President’s determination
and the interministerial approach which Nigeria is taking to tackling this
threat, in particular the emphasis on getting key health messages across to
the population. I explained that the European Union is preparing for the
possibility that migratory birds may carry the H5N1 virus from Africa to
Europe this Spring by confining poultry indoors in risk areas. The Nigerian
authorities have emphasised that strengthening their laboratory capacity is
a priority, and this will be clearly set out in the national plan they are
finalising. I urged the Nigerian authorities to set out their plans to
combat avian flu at the Regional Seminar with the EC taking place in
Ougadougou next week, at which my colleague Commissioner Louis Michel will
discuss with the authorities of the West African countries the programming
of the 10th European Development Fund for 2008-13. The Commission hopes
that the € 30 million we pledged for the ACP countries at the Beijing
Conference to combat avian influenza will be agreed by the ACP countries in
April.”
[10] Quarterly euro-area GDP growth projections in the range of 0.4% to
0.9% for the first, second and third quarter of 2006.
The dynamic factor model for quarterly GDP growth in the euro area,
developed by the European Commission’s Directorate General for Economic
and Financial Affairs, projects a range of 0.4% to 0.9% for GDP growth in
the first quarter of 2006, slightly revised upwards compared to the
previous release (13 January). The projected range for GDP growth in the
second and third quarter of 2006 is also 0.4% to 0.9%. The projection for
the second quarter is unchanged compared to the previous release.
[11] Premières estimations pour le quatrième trimestre 2005 - Le PIB de
la zone euro et celui de l’UE25 en hausse de 0,3% - +1,7% et +1,8%
respectivement par rapport au quatrième trimestre 2004
Au cours du quatrième trimestre 2005, le PIB de la zone euro et celui de
l’UE25 ont augmenté de 0,3% par rapport au trimestre précédent, selon
les premières estimations publiées par Eurostat . Au cours du troisième
trimestre 2005, les taux avaient été de +0,7% dans les deux zones. En
comparaison avec le quatrième trimestre 2004, le PIB de la zone euro a
enregistré une croissance de 1,7% et celui de l’UE25 de 1,8%, contre
respectivement +1,6% et +1,8% au trimestre précédent.
[12] Autre matériel diffusé
Compétitivité régionale et Emploi 2007-2013: quelles orientations?
Environnment Council of 9 March 2006
Calendrier de la semaine du 6 au 12 mars
Top News from the European Commission 6th February – 26 March 2006
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
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