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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 06-03-08
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[I] Résultats de la Commission de ce jour - Outcome
of today's Commission meeting
[01] Assurer notre avenir énergétique : la Commission présente son
projet de stratégie européenne de l'énergie
[02] Combating urban pollution : German aid programme cleared
[03] Feu vert au sauvetage de la compagnie italienne Volare Airlines SpA
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[04] Commission withdraws port services proposal
[05] BSE : UK beef embargo to be lifted
[06] London meeting will bring key WTO negotiators together to prepare for
April deadline
[07] Why are women still excluded from every day politics in Central
Eastern Europe ?
[08] Louis Michel to call for faster progress in the peace talks on Darfur
[09] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express of 2006-03-08
Reference: MEX/06/0308
Date: 08/03/2006
EXME06 / 8.3
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
08/03/06
[I] Résultats de la Commission de ce jour - Outcome
of today's Commission meeting
[01] Assurer notre avenir énergétique : la Commission présente son
projet de stratégie européenne de l'énergie
La Commission européenne a défini les bases d'une politique
européenne de l'énergie dans un important nouveau livre vert, qui ouvre
le débat concernant six domaines prioritaires spécifiques, et qui
contient plus de 20 propositions de nouvelles actions concrètes.
[02] Combating urban pollution : German aid programme cleared
The European Commission has authorised the extension of Saxony's programme
aimed at reducing urban pollution caused by exhaust gases from buses and by
greenhouse gas emissions. This programme, which was launched in 2001,
provides financial support for municipalities and businesses responsible
for public transport services. It is aimed at reducing emissions through
the procurement of new, more environmentally efficient public transport
vehicles and better traffic management.
[03] Feu vert au sauvetage de la compagnie italienne Volare Airlines SpA
La Commission européenne a autorisé une aide au sauvetage la compagnie
aérienne italienne Volare Airlines SpA. Cette aide de courte durée a pour
but de sauver l'entreprise de la faillite et de lui permettre de prendre
les mesures assurant la poursuite de son activité. Elle consiste en une
garantie octroyée par l'Etat italien hauteur de €25 millions dont la
compagnie pourra se servir pour obtenir un crédit du même montant auprès
de banques.
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[04] Commission withdraws port services proposal
The European Commission decided today to withdraw the proposed directive on
market access to port services. The European Parliament voted against this
proposal in its first reading on 17 January 2006. In earlier Council
discussions several Member States had expressed their reluctance on certain
provisions. An EU ports policy can therefore not be limited to the
questions dealt with by the directive which was proposed in October 2004.
The ambition of an EU ports policy should be to assist European ports to
respond effectively to the increase in maritime traffic and the risk of
saturation of port capacity. The Commission will return to this issue in
its mid-term review of the White Paper on transport policy at the end of
April 2006. Vice-President Jacques Barrot will launch a wide debate with
stakeholders, Parliament and Member States on the strategic orientations
which the White Paper will put forward. An important contribution to such a
debate will be the annual conference of the European Seaports Organisation
(ESPO) on 1 and 2 June 2006 in Stockholm, which Vice-President Barrot will
attend.
[05] BSE : UK beef embargo to be lifted
The Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health today adopted
unanimously a favourable opinion on a European Commission proposal to lift
the embargo on UK exports of live cattle, beef and beef products. The
proposal is now expected to be adopted by the Commission in about six weeks
time, as the European Parliament has a one month right of scrutiny. The ban
on the export of UK beef was issued in March 1996 (with certain derogations
introduced in 1999), due to the high incidence of BSE cases in the UK at
the time. The proposal was made on the basis that the UK has fulfilled the
conditions laid down by the Commission in its TSE Road Map (adopted in July
2005) in order for the ban to be lifted. These were to have an incidence of
BSE below a certain level and to demonstrate that the BSE controls laid
down in EU legislation were being fully and properly applied. Once the
proposal is adopted and published in the Official Journal, the UK will be
able to export live cattle born after 1 August 1996, and bovine meat and
products produced after 15 June 2005, under the same terms as other Member
States.
[06] London meeting will bring key WTO negotiators together to prepare for
April deadline
Trade negotiators from the EU, the US, Brazil, India, Japan and Australia
will meet in London this week for three days of talks intended to move
forward the ongoing WTO Doha negotiations. With negotiators committed to
resolving some key issues by the end of April 2006, this meeting will be an
important chance for some of the major players to close the ground between
them. The aim is to put trade at the service of development, create
consensus and give impetus to the wider negotiations in Geneva. The
European Union, which will chair the meeting, will be represented by Trade
Commissioner Peter Mandelson and Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer
Boel.
[07] Why are women still excluded from every day politics in Central
Eastern Europe ?
The 'Enlargement, Gender and Governance' project, supported by the Research
Framework Programme, is organising an international seminar at the European
Parliament to be followed by a press conference in Brussels (9 March) in
order to present its key findings to MEPs, policy makers, NGOs and
journalists. The project asked questions such as : What are the obstacles
and the opportunities that women face in CEECs in terms of political
participation? How similar are they to those of the West? Do any of the
conclusions provide answers to some of the obstacles that women in Western
Europe face too? What is gender mainstreaming? Does it really work? If not,
why not? The study was conducted in the eight Member States of Central
Eastern Europe including Bulgaria and Romania regarding the role and
participation of women in political decision-making. The press conference
with the project leaders will take place at 14.15 in Room ASP 1G3 at the
European Parliament.
[08] Louis Michel to call for faster progress in the peace talks on Darfur
The European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, Louis
Michel, will call all parties for more progress in the peace talks on
Darfur, in a series of high level meetings with the UN, the African Union,
the USA and the Sudanese Government, today in Brussels.
[09] Autre matériel diffusé
Background note on European energy research
BSE : Lifting restrictions on the trade of cattle and beef from the UK -
questions and answers
Speech by Franco Frattini : "Forced Prostitution in the framework of world
sports events" at seminar in the EP
Speech by Janez Potočnik : "Using research to create a dynamic European
rail sector" at the Annual Reception of UNIFE (Association of Railway
Supply Industries) (! embargo 18h30 !)
Speech by Andris Piebalgs : "Secure Energy Supplies for the Future" at
Conference on 'Synthetic Fuels' (07/03)
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
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