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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 06-07-11
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] President Barroso calls on G8 to lay the foundations for a stable
energy future and makes new aid proposal for Africa
[02] Fuel for Palestinian hospitals : first Commission action through the
Temporary International Mechanism
[03] La coopération totale avec la Mauritanie reprend avec un projet de
€66 millions concernant le réseau routier
[04] Direct taxation : Commission decides to take Portugal to Court over
discriminatory taxation of foreign banks
[05] Fiscalité : Italie – remboursement des taxes indûment acquittées
[06] La Commission autorise l'acquisition de Energaz par BP France et
Vitogaz
[07] Welcoming Slovenia into the euro area
[08] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express of 2006-07-11
Reference: MEX/06/0711
Date: 11/07/2006
EXME06 / 11.7
MIDDAY EXPRESS
News from the Communication Directorate General's midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction Générale Communicationb
11/07/06
[01] President Barroso calls on G8 to lay the foundations for a stable
energy future and makes new aid proposal for Africa
Speaking at a press conference in Brussels today, European Commission
President José Manuel Barroso called on G8 leaders to go the extra mile to
agree a common set of energy security principles to lay the foundations for
a stable energy future. One of the key tests for G8 leaders in St.
Petersburg will be to agree on a common set of energy security principles,
covering all actors in the energy chain from producing to consuming and
transit countries. For the Commission, the other main priority is for G8
leaders to step up the pace in delivering on the landmark pledges on Africa
at Gleneagles last year. The EU is determined to keep Africa at the centre
of the political stage. In a letter to President Putin, President Barroso
has today announced that, not only is the EU is on track to deliver its
Gleneagles pledge to double aid by 2010, it is already planning to go
further with an ambitious proposal to set up a €3 billion fund to promote
good governance, a critical element in effective aid spending.
[02] Fuel for Palestinian hospitals : first Commission action through the
Temporary International Mechanism
The European Commission is taking its first action through the Temporary
International Mechanism (TIM), in response to an urgent appeal from the
Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas. From today, the TIM is providing fuel
for hospitals in Gaza. Following the destruction by the Israeli Defence
Force of the six transformers of the Gaza Power Plant, 45% of the
population of Gaza is without electricity. The power shortage affects all
essential aspects of Palestinian life, in particular hospitals, which have
now to rely on emergency generators. The fuel reserves of most hospitals
are about to run out and President Abbas has asked the Commission to
provide Gaza hospitals with the necessary supplies. This will allow
hospitals to continue functioning, albeit under difficult circumstances.
Providing the Gaza hospitals with fuel will cost an estimated €600,000 a
month.
[03] La coopération totale avec la Mauritanie reprend avec un projet de
€66 millions concernant le réseau routier
La Commission européenne a accordé une aide de plus de €66 millions en
faveur du projet Kaedi-M'Bout-Selibaby-Gouraye en Mauritanie, visant Ã
améliorer les conditions de vie des populations dans le sud du pays.
L'approbation de cette proposition de financement fait suite à la décision
du 29 mai 2006 de reprendre entièrement l'aide de l'UE en réponse aux
progrès accomplis par les autorités mauritaniennes dans la mise en œuvre
de leurs engagements en matière de démocratie et d'Etat de droit. Ce
montant s'ajoute aux €13,6 millions déjà alloués à la Mauritanie Ã
l'appui des réformes politiques entreprises par les nouvelles autorités Ã
la suite du coup d'Etat du 3 août 2005.
[04] Direct taxation : Commission decides to take Portugal to Court over
discriminatory taxation of foreign banks
The European Commission has decided to refer Portugal to the European Court
of Justice under Article 226 (2) of the EC Treaty, because Portugal has not
amended its tax legislation concerning outbound interest payments. A
withholding tax of 20% is levied on the gross interest paid by Portuguese
resident borrowers to non-resident lenders. Interest paid to resident
financial institutions, on the other hand, is not subject to a withholding
tax, although it is subject to the Portuguese corporate income tax. The
result is that interest payments to foreign banks may sometimes be taxed
more heavily than interest payments to Portuguese banks. The Commission
considers that the higher taxation of foreign banks restricts the freedom
to provide services and the free movement of capital. Portugal has not
responded satisfactorily to the Commission's Reasoned Opinion of December
2005 requesting Portugal to change its law (see IP/06/42).
[05] Fiscalité : Italie – remboursement des taxes indûment acquittées
La Commission européenne a adressé un avis motivé à l'Italie pour ne pas
avoir adopté les mesures nécessaires à l'exécution de l'arrêt rendu par
la Cour de justice dans l'affaire C 129/00, établissant que certains
aspects de la législation italienne relatifs au remboursement de taxes
indûment acquittées étaient incompatibles avec le droit communautaire.
Cet avis motivé a été émis dans le cadre de la procédure
d'infraction prévue à l'article 228 du traité CE.
[06] La Commission autorise l'acquisition de Energaz par BP France et
Vitogaz
La Commission européenne a autorisé, en vertu du règlement
Concentrations, le projet d'acquisition de l'entreprise française Energaz
par BP France S.A., appartenant au groupe BP plc (BP) du Royaume-Uni, et
Vitogaz S.A. (Vitogaz) de la France, appartenant au groupe français Rubis.
BP est principalement actif dans l'exploration, la production et la
commercialisation de pétrole brut et du gaz naturel. Vitogaz distribue du
butane, du propane et du GPL. Energaz effectue de la vente au détail de
GPL en bouteilles en France. Il ressort de l'enquête menée par la
Commission que l'opération envisagée n'entravera pas de manière
significative la concurrence dans le marché commun. Cette affaire a été
traitée selon la procédure simplifiée.
[07] Welcoming Slovenia into the euro area
To mark the decision by the ECOFIN Council formally accepting Slovenia in
the euro area and setting the conversion rate of the tolar into the euro on
1 January 2007, today there will be a celebration at Rond-Point Schuman.
Slovenian singer Neisha will perform from 14:30, children will release
balloons, a welcome banner displayed on the Berlaymont building and a large
cake will be cut and served to the audience. Commissioner JoaquÃn Almunia,
Eurogroup President Jean Claude Juncker, Finnish Finance Minister and EU
President Eero Heinaluoma, ECB Executive Board member Jürgen Stark,
Slovenian Finance Minister Andrej Bajuk and Mitja Gaspari, Governor of the
Slovenian Central Bank, will notably attend the celebrations. Journalists
are welcome (although we can't guarantee the cake will be big enough for
everybody...)
[08] Autre matériel diffusé
Discours de Franco Frattini : "Rabat : une occasion extraordinaire qui
s'offre à l'Afrique et à l'Europe pour une gouvernance commune des flux
migratoires" à la Conférence ministérielle euro-africaine sur la
migration et le développement (Rabat)
Speech by Charlie McCreevy : "Clearing and settlement: The way forward" at
Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee of the European Parliament
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
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