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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 06-06-13

Midday Express: News from the EU Commission Spokesman's Briefings Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>


CONTENTS / CONTENU

  • [01] Horn of Africa: Commission earmarks further €10 million to improve drought preparedness
  • [02] Mergers: Commission authorises joint venture between Sonae Indústria and Tarkett
  • [03] Mergers: Commission approves acquisition of Athlon by De Lage Landen
  • [04] La Commission organise une consultation en vue de la révision et de l'extension de la nouvelle approche
  • [05] European Union observes the upcoming polls in Bolivia
  • [06] La Commission autorise l’acquisition de Nextiraone Europe par ABN Amro
  • [07] Euro-Mediterranean Partnership: towards an action plan on gender equality
  • [08] First estimate for the first quarter of 2006 - EU25 current account deficit 34.3 bn euro - 11.2 bn euro surplus on trade in services
  • [09] Rédiffusion
  • [10] Remarks by Olli Rehn, Commissioner for Enlargement, at the signing ceremony of the EU- Albania Stabilisation and Association Agreement and its Interim Agreement.
  • [11] Autre matériel diffusé Midday Express of 2006-06-13 Reference: MEX/06/0613 Date: 13/06/2006 EXME06 / 13.6

    MIDDAY EXPRESS

    News from the Communication Directorate General's midday briefing

    Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction Générale Communicationb

    13/06/06


  • [01] Horn of Africa: Commission earmarks further €10 million to improve drought preparedness

    The European Commission is giving a further €10 million in humanitarian aid to improve drought preparedness in the Greater Horn of Africa. The lives and livelihoods of around 12 million people are at risk in the region because of the drought. The Commission's aim is to reduce their vulnerability through three kinds of measures: preparing communities to deal with droughts, contingency planning, and strengthening existing early warning systems. Nomadic and semi-nomadic pastoralists in seven countries will benefit from the additional assistance (Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda). Today's donation brings the Commission's total response to the drought in the Greater Horn of Africa to €88 million since 2005, including €27 million in humanitarian assistance.

    [02] Mergers: Commission authorises joint venture between Sonae Indústria and Tarkett

    The European Commission has cleared under the EU Merger Regulation the proposed joint venture between Sonae Indústria of Portugal and the German company Tarkett, both active in manufacturing and selling of laminate floorings. The proposed concentration would result in Sonae Indústria and Tarkett combining their respective laminate flooring production and sales operations based in Germany and Luxembourg. The Commission concluded that the deal would not significantly impede effective competition in the European Economic Area (EEA) or any substantial part of it.

    [03] Mergers: Commission approves acquisition of Athlon by De Lage Landen

    The European Commission has cleared under the EU Merger Regulation the proposed acquisition of sole control of Athlon, an international provider of car leasing and car body repair, by De Lage Landen, a wholly owned subsidiary of Rabobank. De Lage Landen will acquire sole control by way of a public bid. The Commission concluded that the transaction would not significantly impede effective competition in the European Economic Area (EEA) or any substantial part of it.

    [04] La Commission organise une consultation en vue de la révision et de l'extension de la nouvelle approche

    La Commission a lancé une consultation publique sollicitant les avis de toutes les parties intéressées sur l'amélioration de la "nouvelle approche", en particulier dans les domaines de l'évaluation de la conformité, de l'accréditation, du marquage CE et de la surveillance du marché. La "nouvelle approche", dont l'initiative a été prise il y a vingt ans, donne d'excellents résultats en permettant aux fabricants de vendre leurs produits partout dans l'UE, pour autant qu'ils répondent aux niveaux de sécurité requis. L'expérience a toutefois montré que son efficacité et sa mise en œuvre peuvent encore être améliorées. Dans le cadre de cette consultation, une enquête est également réalisée sur les travaux actuels de la Commission relatifs à la simplification législative dans le domaine des produits. La Commission envisage de fixer des règles communes tant pour la nouvelle approche que pour la méthode traditionnelle d'harmonisation technique (appelée "ancienne approche", en vertu de laquelle un ensemble complet de spécifications techniques est exigé, comme dans le secteur des tracteurs). La consultation est aujourd'hui complétée par un questionnaire auquel toutes les parties intéressées sont invitées à répondre.

    [05] European Union observes the upcoming polls in Bolivia

    Following an invitation from the Bolivian Foreign Ministry, the European Commission has deployed an EU Election Observation Mission (EOM) to the Constituent Assembly Elections and to the Referendum on Regional Autonomy elections in Bolivia, both scheduled to take place on 2 July. Bolivian voters are being invited to designate their representatives to a Constituent Assembly, which will be charged with drafting a new Constitution for the country; and to express their view on providing for regional autonomy within the new Constitution. The EU EOM will be led by Monica Frassoni, Member of the European Parliament.

    [06] La Commission autorise l’acquisition de Nextiraone Europe par ABN Amro

    La Commission européenne a autorisé, en vertu du règlement Concentrations, le projet d'acquisition par lequel les fonds AAC France 2005 A et AAC France 2005 B, représentés à cet effet par leur société de gestion, ABN Amro Capital France, et la société AAC BO Funds BV du Pays Bas, acquièrent le contrôle du groupe Nextiraone Europe du Pays Bas. ABN Amro Capital France SA est une société de gestion de portefeuilles dans le domaine du capital-investissement. AAC BO Funds BV est principalement actif dans la prise de participations directes ou indirectes dans des entreprises. Nextiraone Europe fournit des solutions de télécommunications pour clients professionnels. Il ressort de l'enquête menée par la Commission européenne que l'opération envisagée n'entravera pas de manière significative la concurrence dans le marché commun. Cette affaire a été examinée dans le cadre de la procédure simplifiée.

    [07] Euro-Mediterranean Partnership: towards an action plan on gender equality

    More than 100 civil society, government, academic and media representatives and parliamentarians from the Euro-Mediterranean region will come together to propose a 5 year action plan for strengthening the role of women in societies across the region. The work will be done during a Conference on Women that will take place in the framework of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership in Rabat, Morocco, from 14-16 June. The participants will specifically address the protection and the promotion of women’s rights as a prerequisite of deepening democracy; women’s participation in economy; and the role of culture and media, specifically, as instruments for changing perceptions of gender. The Rabat conference builds on the women’s conference that took place in Barcelona in November 2005 and will pave the way for the Euro-Mediterranean Ministerial Conference on equality between men and women that will take place in November this year in Istanbul.

    [08] First estimate for the first quarter of 2006 - EU25 current account deficit 34.3 bn euro - 11.2 bn euro surplus on trade in services

    The EU25 external current account recorded a deficit of 34.3 billion euro in the first quarter of 2006, as compared to a deficit of 17.9 billion euro in the first quarter of 2005 and a deficit of 32.0 billion euro in the fourth quarter of 2005. In the first quarter of 2006 the EU25 external balance of trade in services recorded a surplus of 11.2 billion euro as compared to a surplus of 8.8 billion euro in the first quarter of 2005 and a surplus of 14.4 billion euro in the fourth quarter of 2005. These provisional data, issued by Eurostat.

    [09] Rédiffusion

    [10] Remarks by Olli Rehn, Commissioner for Enlargement, at the signing ceremony of the EU- Albania Stabilisation and Association Agreement and its Interim Agreement.

    Prime Minister, on the behalf of the European Commission I warmly congratulate Albania on today’s signature of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement and its Interim Agreement. It marks the start of a new and critical phase on Albania’s EU path. The SAA is the fruit of several years’ negotiation. This is the first stepping stone towards the European Union. The SAA is enormously important for Albania’s future and in particular for its EU perspective. It will foster mutually beneficial economic and political relations between Albania and the EU. We welcome Albania’s continued progress in the reforms including on fighting corruption and organised crime. Nonetheless Albania still faces difficult reform challenges. The Stabilisation and Association Agreement indeed provides a solid framework for Albania to address these challenges and for the EU to support it doing so. A sustained record of successful implementation of the SAA is essential and critical before considering further formal steps towards the EU. Dear Prime Minister, we now look to Albania to show determination in fulfilling the commitments it has made in the context of this Agreement.

    [11] Autre matériel diffusé

    Speech by Günter Verheugen on « Sustainibility and Competitiveness » at the meeting of Vice-President Verheugen with the ENVI Committee in Strasbourg

    Speech by Janez Potocnik on « Why is hydrogen so important for Europe? » at the 16th World Hydrogen Energy Conference in Lyon From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/


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