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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 06-08-08
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] The Commission puts forward a 5 year action plan and sets up an expert
group to remedy the lack of EU statistics on crime and criminal justice.
[02] Message of Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner on the occasion of the
International Day of the World’s Indigenous People - 9 August 2006
[03] Rédiffusion
[04] Statement of the European Commission on the killing of 15 aid workers
in Sri Lanka
[05] Autre materiel diffusé
Midday Express of 2006-08-08
Reference: MEX/06/0808
Date: 08/08/2006
EXME06 / 08.8
MIDDAY EXPRESS
News from the Communication Directorate General's midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction Générale Communicationb
08/08/06
[01] The Commission puts forward a 5 year action plan and sets up an expert
group to remedy the lack of EU statistics on crime and criminal justice.
Today the European Commission has adopted a Communication on "Developing a
comprehensive and coherent EU strategy to measure crime and criminal
justice". The Communication contains an EU action Plan for the development
of EU statistics on crime and criminal justice over the period 2006 –
2010. The action plan outlines the stepwise approach, in coordination with
Member States and other concerned entities, towards the objective of
accessible high quality quantitative information to be used for
prioritising action to fight crime, benchmarking performance and evaluating
implemented measures. The Commission has also decided to set up a group of
experts to support the implementation of the action plan, specifically on
the Justice, Freedom and Security policy needs for data on crime and
criminal justice.
[02] Message of Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner on the occasion of the
International Day of the World’s Indigenous People - 9 August 2006
“Today, 9 August, the European Commission joins others around the world
in celebrating the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People. It
is a day when we honour indigenous peoples across the globe. We pay tribute
to their traditions and knowledge, and to the enormous contribution they
have made to the world’s cultures and to conserving the planet. We also
reflect on what has been achieved to protect their rights and guarantee
them equal treatment. And on how much more we need to do. Perhaps the most
important achievement since last year was the UN Declaration on the Rights
of Indigenous Peoples, adopted by the United Nations’ new Human Rights
Council. This was the culmination of almost two decades of tireless
advocacy by indigenous peoples’ representatives. Without their skill and
determination we would not have achieved it. They kept their communities
back home informed about the UN’s discussions, gathered different points
of view and agreed a united front, giving them more weight in the
negotiations. They also helped UN member states better understand the lives
and aspirations of indigenous peoples and the importance of reflecting that
in a UN Declaration. The Declaration’s message is equality for all –
and we in the European Commission will not rest until indigenous peoples
have that equality, wherever they live in the world. We must meet the high
expectations people have of the second International Decade of the
World’s Indigenous People (2005 – 2015). We must commit ourselves to
ensuring all indigenous peoples everywhere see a positive difference to
their lives. And we must help their representatives who worked so hard for
the Declaration by fighting with them for a more just and inclusive society,
for the benefit of indigenous peoples and all of humanity. “
For more information:
<a href="http://ec.europa.eu/comm/external_relations/human_rights/ip/index.htm">http://ec.europa.eu/comm/external_relations/human_rights/ip/index.htm
[03] Rédiffusion
[04] Statement of the European Commission on the killing of 15 aid workers
in Sri Lanka
Benita Ferrero-Waldner, Commissioner for External Relations and European
Neighbourhood Policy and Co-Chair of the Tokyo Donor Conference for Sri
Lanka, and Louis Michel, Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid,
issued today the following statement on behalf of the European Commission:
"We are deeply shocked by the spate of violent attacks on civilians and
humanitarian aid personnel in Sri Lanka culminating in the execution-style
killing of 15 aid workers from the NGO Action Contre La Faim in Mutthur
this week-end. Our sincere condolences go to the family and colleagues of
the 15 victims. There are more than 325,000 highly vulnerable, uprooted
people in north eastern Sri Lanka, including 30,000 displaced in the last
few days by the continuing conflict. Humanitarian access to these people
will be seriously hampered if the attacks continue, leading to even greater
suffering. This would affect the extensive relief operations financed by
the European Commission in the crisis zone. The Commission urges the
authorities in Sri Lanka to investigate these killings immediately and
thoroughly and to give assurances that they will do everything possible to
ensure a safe humanitarian space in the country. Violent means is not the
way for resolving the problems in Sri Lanka. The Commission reiterates once
more the call to the parties to put an end to violence and to return to the
negotiation table so as to relieve the Sri Lankan people from the ordeal of
twenty years of persistent conflict. That is the only way to ensure a
lasting solution acceptable to all. The EU remains fully committed to
support the peace process in Sri Lanka and the valuable work of the
Norwegian facilitator."
[05] Autre materiel diffusé
EU response to the conflict in Lebanon
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
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