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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 06-03-31
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Asylum, immigration and external borders : 21 new projects for
cooperation between national authorities financed by ARGO
[02] Intégrer les ressortissants de pays tiers : la Commission finance 15Â
nouveaux projets dans le cadre du programme INTI 2003-2006
[03] L'industrie suisse du film adhère au programme communautaire MEDIA
[04] Commission clears acquisition of Zapf by LNC, GS and LS V
[05] Commission clears acquisition of TUJA Group by Barclays
[06] Commission approves joint venture between Mellon and WestLB
[07] Commission clears joint venture between Bosch and Mann + Hummel
[08] La Commission autorise Wendel Investissement à racheter Materis
[09] Commission approves acquisition of Volkswagen Bordnetze by Sumitomo
Electrical Industries
[10] March 2006 : Business Climate Indicator for the euro area improves
further
[11] March 2006 : further strengthening of economic sentiment in both the
EU and the euro area
[12] Flash estimate - March 2006 : Euro-zone inflation estimated at 2.2%
[13] Commission provides additional €118 million to help rebuild
Indonesia's Aceh province
[14] La Commission consacre une étude à l'édition scientifique en Europe
[15] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express of 2006-03-31
Reference: MEX/06/0331
Date: 31/03/2006
EXME06 / 31.3
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
31/03/06
[01] Asylum, immigration and external borders : 21 new projects for
cooperation between national authorities financed by ARGO
The European Commission has announced that grants were awarded to 21Â
projects in 2005 under its ARGO programme (2002-2006). ARGO, an action
programme for administrative cooperation in the fields of external borders,
visas, asylum and immigration, supports projects for cooperation between
national administrations, to encourage and promote collaboration on
specific matters and the improvement of practices and legislation. Since
2002, ARGO grants have totalled €20.75 million, going to the authorities
in 23 Member States (Ireland and Denmark are not taking part in the
programme). In 2005 grants were awarded to 21 projects (including two
projects that are part of a mini-programme to address the problems caused
by illegal sea-borne immigration in the Mediterranean) for around €5.15
million. In addition to the EU Member States, other countries such as
Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Ukraine, Albania, Tunisia, Libya, Norway and
Switzerland have taken part in some of the projects.
[02] Intégrer les ressortissants de pays tiers : la Commission finance 15Â
nouveaux projets dans le cadre du programme INTI 2003-2006
La Commission européenne a approuvé le cofinancement de 15 nouveaux
projets dans le cadre de l'appel à propositions du programme INTI 2005 pour
un budget total d'environ €4,3 millions. INTI est un programme de l'UE
créé en 2003 et destiné à financer des actions préparatoires visant Ã
promouvoir l'intégration des ressortissants de pays tiers. En vue
d'assurer une véritable dimension transnationale, des partenaires d'au
moins cinq Etats membres doivent être impliqués dans les projets INTI. Le
programme encourage surtout la coopération entre Etats membres à travers
l'échange d'information et de bonnes pratiques. Le programme a soutenu la
création de partenariats et de réseaux transnationaux.
[03] L'industrie suisse du film adhère au programme communautaire MEDIA
A partir de demain, les professionnels suisses de l'industrie du film
seront autorisés à participer au programme MEDIA de l'Union européenne.
Les producteurs, distributeurs, agents de vente, centres de formation aux
techniques cinématographiques et festivals suisses pourront faire appel
aux financements MEDIA dans les mêmes conditions que les 29 autres pays
participants. Le programme MEDIA vise à renforcer la compétitivité de
l'industrie audiovisuelle européenne grâce à des aides au développement,
à la distribution, à la promotion et à la formation. Le programme MEDIA
actuellement en vigueur, doté d'un budget de €513 millions, s'applique
jusqu'à la fin de cette année. La Suisse versera une contribution annuelle
au programme MEDIA. La Commission européenne a proposé d'augmenter
considérablement le budget du programme MEDIA en lui allouant €1,055
milliard entre 2007 et 2013. Le Parlement européen et les Etats membres
négocient actuellement le budget définitif de MEDIA.
[04] Commission clears acquisition of Zapf by LNC, GS and LS V
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger
Regulation to the acquisition of joint control of Zapf GmbH (Zapf) of
Germany by Les Nouveaux Constructeurs S.A. (LNC) of France, The Goldman
Sachs Group, Inc. (GS) of the US, Deutsche Bank AG London (DB) of the UK,
and Lone Star Fund V LP of the US and Lone Star fund V LP of Bermuda,
collectively referred to as LS V. LNC is active in real estate development.
GS is active in investment banking and securities. DB is a universal bank.
LS V is active in private equity investment. Zapf is involved in the
development of real estate, pre-assembled garages, construction materials
and water storage and sewage systems. The operation was examined under the
simplified merger review procedure.
[05] Commission clears acquisition of TUJA Group by Barclays
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger
Regulation to the acquisition of sole control of TUJA Holding GmbH,
Ingolstadt, and its subsidiaries (TUJA Group) of Germany by Barclays
Private Equity Ltd, controlled by Barclays Bank plc (Barclays) of the UK.
Barclays Private Equity Ltd advises funds in various branches of activity,
including two undertakings engaged in the temporary employment services
business in the UK. The TUJA Group is active in the temporary employment
services business in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The operation was
examined under the simplified merger review procedure.
[06] Commission approves joint venture between Mellon and WestLB
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger
Regulation to the joint venture between Mellon Financial Corporation
(Mellon) of the US and WestLB AG of Germany. Mellon is a US based global
financial services company which provides a broad range of financial
products and services for corporations and individuals. WestLB is a
universal bank and offers its products and services in the fields of
corporate banking, investment banking, asset management and, increasingly,
private banking. The joint venture will be active in asset management. The
operation was examined under the simplified merger review procedure.
[07] Commission clears joint venture between Bosch and Mann + Hummel
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger
Regulation to the acquisition of joint control of the PPNA filtration
products business in North America of ArvinMeritor, Inc. of the US by
Robert Bosch GmbH (Bosch) and Mann + Hummel GmbH (Mann + Hummel), both of
Germany. Bosch develops, manufactures and sells car technologies,
industrial technology, consumer goods and building technology. Mann +
Hummel is active in the development, production and sales of filter and air
intake systems for the car industry. The joint venture will manufacture and
sell oil, air and fuel filters for the car industry and industrial
applications. The operation was examined under the simplified merger review
procedure.
[08] La Commission autorise Wendel Investissement à racheter Materis
La Commission européenne a autorisé, en vertu du règlement CE sur les
concentrations, le projet d’acquisition de Materis, un fabricant
luxembourgeois de matériaux de construction, par Wendel Investissement, un
fonds de placement français. Après examen, la Commission est parvenue Ã
la conclusion que l'opération n'entraverait pas de manière significative
une concurrence effective dans l'Espace Economique Européen ou une partie
substantielle de celui-ci.
[09] Commission approves acquisition of Volkswagen Bordnetze by Sumitomo
Electrical Industries
The European Commission has cleared, under the EU Merger Regulation, the
proposed acquisition by the Japanese company Sumitomo Electrical Industries
Ltd of Volkswagen Bordnetze GmbH, a German manufacturer of wire harnesses
for the automotive industry. The Commission concluded that the transaction
would not significantly impede effective competition in the European
Economic Area or any substantial part of it since there are only limited
overlaps between the merging parties, who will continue to face strong
competition from other automotive component manufacturers.
[10] March 2006 : Business Climate Indicator for the euro area improves
further
The Business Climate Indicator (BCI) for the euro area rose further in
March. The improvements of the indicator in February and March suggest that
the pick-up in industrial production growth has been sustained throughout
the first quarter of this year. The increase of the BCI was largely due to
improved assessments by industry managers of total order books and export
order books. Managers' assessments of production trend observed in recent
months were also more optimistic, while their production expectations for
the months ahead improved only marginally. The assessment of stocks of
finished products worsened slightly.
[11] March 2006 : further strengthening of economic sentiment in both the
EU and the euro area
The Economic Sentiment Indicator (ESI) strengthened further in March with
an increase of 0.8 of a point in both the EU and the euro area. The
indicator has been on an upward trend since the summer of 2005. In both
areas, the indicator is now at its highest level since mid-2001.
[12] Flash estimate - March 2006 : Euro-zone inflation estimated at 2.2%
Euro-zone annual inflation is expected to be 2.2% in March 2006 according
to a flash estimate issued by Eurostat. It was 2.3% in February. Euro-zone
inflation is measured by the Monetary Union Index of Consumer Prices
(MUICP). To compute the MUICP flash estimates, Eurostat uses early price
information relating to the reference month from Member States for which
data are available as well as early information about energy prices. The
flash estimation procedure for the MUICP combines historical information
with partial information on price developments in the most recent months to
give a total index for the euro-zone. No detailed breakdown is available.
Experience has shown the procedure to be reliable (13 times exactly
anticipating the inflation rate, 10 times differing by 0.1Â and once
differing by 0.2, in January 2005, over the last two years). Further
information can be found in Eurostat News Release 113/2001 of 5 November
2001.
[13] Commission provides additional €118 million to help rebuild
Indonesia's Aceh province
The European Commission has approved a further contribution of €118
million to support rehabilitation and long-term reconstruction in
Indonesia's Aceh province following the Tsunami. This will bring the
Commission's total post-Tsunami aid package for Aceh to €207 million. The
aid supports projects that are rebuilding houses and restoring community
infrastructure. The funds are channelled through a multi-donor trust fund
for reconstruction led by the World Bank with the European Commission as
the largest contributor and co-chair. The Fund was set up in order to
rationalise the plethora of projects and donors working in the country in
the immediate aftermath of the Tsunami.
[14] La Commission consacre une étude à l'édition scientifique en Europe
La Commission européenne publie aujourd'hui une étude consacrée Ã
l'édition scientifique en Europe. Les publications scientifiques
permettent de diffuser les résultats de la recherche, ce qui est
indispensable pour poursuivre les travaux de recherche et transformer les
connaissances en produits et services innovants. Les publications
scientifiques constituent en outre un des principaux moyens de certifier la
qualité du travail accompli. Etant donné les faibles sommes investies
chaque année par les pouvoirs publics pour favoriser l'accès aux
publications scientifiques, l'Europe a tout intérêt à disposer d'un
système d'édition scientifique efficace, qui diffuse rapidement les
résultats de la recherche à un large public. Cette étude, réalisée pour
la Commission par un groupe d'experts, contient une série de
recommandations pour l'avenir, notamment pour améliorer l'accès à la
recherche financée par les pouvoirs publics. Toutes les parties
intéressées sont invitées à communiquer à la Commission leur avis sur
les conclusions de l'étude, afin d'alimenter la conférence sur l'édition
scientifique qui se tiendra à l'automne 2006.
[15] Autre matériel diffusé
Asile, immigration et frontières : 21 nouveaux projets de coopération
entre autorités nationales financés par ARGO
Integrating-third country nationals: some examples of INTI 2005 projects
Speech by President José Manuel Barroso : "Uniting in peace: the role of
Law in the European Union" at Jean Monnet lecture (Florence)
Discours du Président José Manuel Barroso pour le trentième anniversaire
du PPE (30/03, Rome)
Speech by Danuta Hübner : "Where do we stand? Preparing the mainstreaming
of URBAN into EU Cohesion Policy" at European Congress of URBAN Networks
and Cities 'Acquis URBAN: From Vision to Action' (Maribor, Slovenia)
Calendrier du 3 au 7 avril 2006
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
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