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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 06-03-29
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] Commission imposes €24 million fine on Tomra group for abuse of
dominant position
[02] Commission clears Cargill's takeover of DFI
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[03] Grippe aviaire : la Commission ouvre la possibilité d'attribuer des
aides communautaires au secteur des Å“ufs et volailles
[04] "HELP - For a life without tobacco" : Commissioners breath tested for
carbon monoxide
[05] La Commission autorise l'acquisition de BNL par BNP Paribas
[06] Statement of Commissioner for External Relations and European
Neighbourhood Policy Benita Ferrero-Waldner on the results of the Israeli
elections
[07] Zambia : Commission provides €2.2 million in humanitarian aid
[08] Measuring migration in Europe - the importance of a sound statistical
base
[09] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express of 2006-03-29
Reference: MEX/06/0329
Date: 29/03/2006
EXME06 / 29.3
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
29/03/06
[I] Résultats de la Commission de ce jour - Outcome
of today's Commission meeting
[01] Commission imposes €24 million fine on Tomra group for abuse of
dominant position
The European Commission has imposed a fine of €24 million on Norwegian
group Tomra for violating EC Treaty competition rules on the abuse of a
dominant position (Article 82). The Commission has found that Tomra abused
its dominant position on the market for the supply of machines, usually
installed in retail outlets, for the collection of used drink containers in
return for a deposit, in Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and
Sweden. The Commission concluded that Tomra's practices, consisting of a
system of exclusivity agreements, quantity commitments and loyalty-inducing
discounts, restricted or at least delayed the market entry of other
manufacturers. This constitutes a serious abuse of its dominant position. A
lack of competition on a market can give rise to customers paying higher
prices for the products concerned and to customers being offered less
innovative products.
[02] Commission clears Cargill's takeover of DFI
The European Commission has cleared under the EU Merger Regulation the
proposed acquisition of the food ingredients business of Germany's Degussa
AG by the US-based Cargill group. The Commission was initially concerned
about horizontal overlaps of the parties' activities on the markets for
lecithin and therefore opened a detailed inquiry (see IP/05/1602). However,
the in-depth investigation has shown that the new entity would continue to
face sufficient competition. Thus, the Commission has now concluded that
the transaction would not significantly impede effective competition in the
European Economic Area or a significant part of it.
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[03] Grippe aviaire : la Commission ouvre la possibilité d'attribuer des
aides communautaires au secteur des Å“ufs et volailles
La Commission européenne a présenté une proposition visant à permettre
une participation du budget de l'UE au coût des mesures de soutien du
marché dans le secteur des œufs et volailles. Depuis le début de la
récente crise de la grippe aviaire, la consommation de volailles et
d'œufs a diminué de manière spectaculaire dans un certain nombre d'Etats
membres entraînant une forte baisse des prix. La réglementation qui
régit actuellement le marché des Å“ufs et volailles autorise l'UE Ã
cofinancer des mesures de compensation uniquement en cas d'apparition de la
grippe aviaire dans une exploitation ou de restriction du transport des
animaux imposée à l'éleveur par instruction vétérinaire. Il n'existe
donc aucune possibilité d'octroi d'une aide communautaire afin de
répondre aux problèmes du marché résultant d'une diminution des ventes
due à une perte de confiance des consommateurs. En raison de la gravité de
la crise actuelle du marché, la Commission propose maintenant le
cofinancement à hauteur de 50% du coût des mesures de soutien du marché
en réponse à la baisse de la consommation et des prix des œufs et
volailles. La proposition qui sera transmise au Parlement européen et au
Conseil devrait être adoptée d'ici la fin avril. Après l'adoption de la
base juridique, les Etats membres devront soumettre leurs propositions de
mesures à l'approbation de la Commission.
[04] "HELP - For a life without tobacco" : Commissioners breath tested for
carbon monoxide
European Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner Markos Kyprianou and
several other Commissioners today had their breath tested for carbon
monoxide (CO), a toxic gas produced by tobacco smoke, to launch the next
phase of the EU anti-smoking campaign "HELP - For a life without tobacco".
The Commissioners had their breath tested for carbon monoxide in one of the
25 "HELP" tents decorated in the colours of each Member State set up in
front of the Commission's Berlaymont headquarters. They each received a
certificate with the results of the tests, along with some advice on the
risks of passive smoking. Carbon monoxide is a highly toxic polluting gas
linked to combustion, which is one of the most dangerous components of
cigarette smoke. High levels of carbon monoxide are associated with reduced
cardiac efficiency, an increased risk of blood clots and disruption of the
development of the foetus in pregnant women. From March to November 2006,
the HELP campaign will be on tour across Europe at more than 100 national
events. "HELP" tents will be on display during these events, welcoming
European citizens to get their breath tested and advising them on tobacco
prevention, passive smoking and how to quit. More than 50,000 carbon
monoxide tests will be carried out.
[05] La Commission autorise l'acquisition de BNL par BNP Paribas
La Commission européenne a autorisé, en application du règlement sur
les concentrations de l'UE, le projet d'acquisition du groupe bancaire
italien Banca Nazionale del Lavoro (BNL) par BNP Paribas (BNPP). La
Commission a conclu que l'opération n'aurait pas pour conséquence
d'entraver de manière significative une concurrence effective dans
l'Espace Economique Européen ou une partie substantielle de celui-ci.
[06] Statement of Commissioner for External Relations and European
Neighbourhood Policy Benita Ferrero-Waldner on the results of the Israeli
elections
"These Israeli elections are important for Israel, for the Middle East and
for Europe. The EU looks forward to working with the government that
emerges from the new Knesset. Israel and Europe share many goals and
values. I am confident that we shall continue building the partnership we
have with Israel, together with the new administration. Taken together with
the recent Palestinian elections, the vote in Israel will have a shaping
influence on the prospects for moving towards a peaceful resolution to the
Israeli Palestinian conflict. The EU as a member of the Quartet stands
ready to work with the new Israeli Government to promote security and peace
for Israelis and Palestinians alike. We remain profoundly saddened by the
illness of Prime Minister Sharon. Our thoughts and prayers go to him and
his family."
[07] Zambia : Commission provides €2.2 million in humanitarian aid
The European Commission has allocated €2.2 million to reduce the
cumulative effects of drought and HIV/AIDS on vulnerable people in Zambia.
Up to two million people face food shortages in the country’s drought-
affected southern and western regions. Commission-funded humanitarian
operations in Zambia specifically aim to prevent the situation of
vulnerable groups, like households headed by children or grandparents,
deteriorating further. This will be achieved through financing concrete
measures such as the provision of lightweight water pumps that have been
specially adapted to help households with planting and harvesting.
[08] Measuring migration in Europe - the importance of a sound statistical
base
The proposal for a Regulation on Community Statistics on Migration and
International Protection is currently going through the legislative process,
with negotiations well advanced. For the purposes of this Regulation it is
important to have a clear idea of the situation with regard to migration
statistics in each Member State. This was the reason for the creation of
the THESIM project "Towards Harmonised European Statistics on International
Migration", supported by the Research Framework Programme, with the co-
operation of Eurostat and the Justice, Freedom and Security Directorate-
General of the European Commission. The THESIM project looked at the
accuracy and comparability of data on migration across Europe. It found
that data currently available in the field of international migration and
asylum are not reliable enough for policy -making. However, THESIM suggests
that solutions can be found for each member state to improve the quality
and accuracy of the data collected in view of the forthcoming Regulation.
The results of the project will be presented at a press conference on 30
March at 10h30 in Residence Palace, rue de la Loi 155. During the press
conference some of the last figures on the size of the foreign populations,
the migration flows and asylum statistics in the 25 Member States will be
presented. The THESIM project has already held 25 national meetings and
produced 25Â country reports on issues such as international migration,
asylum, residence permits and naturalisation of citizens. All meetings were
organised with help of the National Statistics Offices of the member states
and the National Contact Points of the European Migration Network.
[09] Autre matériel diffusé
Questions et réponses concernant la campagne "HELP – Pour une vie sans
tabac" sur le monoxyde de carbone
Classical swine fever : movement restrictions on pigs in North-Rhine
Westphalia
Discours de M. JoaquÃn Almunia : "Le Marché et la Patrie" à Sciences-Po
(28/03, Paris)
Speech by Stavros Dimas : "The role of the EU in protecting our own and the
world's biodiversity" at Convention on Biological Diversity (28/03,
Curitiba, Brazil)
Discours de M. Franco M. Frattini : "Strategia dell'Europa per contrastare
le nuove minacce alla sicurezza" au Parlement européen (28/03)
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
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