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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 06-10-24
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Positive verdict on the EU accounts; disagreement about the
effectiveness of control systems
[02] La Commission donne son feu vert Ă la construction d'une nouvelle
installation nucléaire en France
[03] Lorenzo Natali Prize for Journalists Launched
[04] Nepal: Commission allocates €2.8 million for victims of drought
[05] Migration et développement : Louis Michel entame une tournée en
Afrique de l’Ouest
[06] Août 2006 comparé à juillet 2006 - Les entrées de commandes dans
l’industrie en hausse de 3,7% dans la zone euro - Hausse de 2,6% dans
l’UE25
[07] Commission clears acquisition of IBFF by PHL
[08] RĂ©diffusion
[09] Environment: Commission welcomes Council agreements on air quality
directive, hazardous waste
[10] GM rice: Standing Committee backs Commission Decision on strict
counter testing of US rice imports
[11] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express of 2006-10-24
Reference: MEX/06/1024
Date: 24/10/2006
EXME06 / 24.10
MIDDAY EXPRESS
News from the Communication Directorate General's midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction Générale Communicationb
24/10/06
[01] Positive verdict on the EU accounts; disagreement about the
effectiveness of control systems
The European Commission has welcomed the Court of Auditors’ positive
statement of assurance on the EU 2005 accounts, drawn for the first time
under a new accounting system, but questioned some of the Court’s
criticism related to the effectiveness of control systems.
[02] La Commission donne son feu vert Ă la construction d'une nouvelle
installation nucléaire en France
La Commission européenne vient de communiquer aux autorités françaises
son point de vue favorable au projet d'investissement pour la construction
d’une installation nucléaire EPR – réacteur du type à eau
ordinaire sous pression d'une puissance électrique de 1630 MW – sur le
site de Flamanville.
[03] Lorenzo Natali Prize for Journalists Launched
The European Commission launches today the 15th edition of the Lorenzo
Natali prize for journalists writing on topics of human rights and
democracy in the developing world. A total of 50.000 EUR prize money is
awarded to outstanding pieces of print and online journalism in Africa,
Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Latin America/Caribbean. Submissions are
welcome at www.nataliprize.eu until 31 January 2007.
[04] Nepal: Commission allocates €2.8 million for victims of drought
The European Commission has allocated €2.8 million to assist victims of
drought that has affected many regions especially in western Nepal. Food
security and nutritional support will be provided to rural populations in
the mountainous districts. Funds are channelled through the European
Commission Humanitarian Aid department, ECHO, under the responsibility of
Commissioner Louis Michel.
[05] Migration et développement : Louis Michel entame une tournée en
Afrique de l’Ouest
Louis Michel, commissaire européen au Développement et à l’Aide
humanitaire, se rend au Sénégal, en Guinée Conakry et en Mauritanie du
25 au 27 octobre pour une mission placée sous le signe de la coopération
au développement et des questions de migrations. Le lien entre migration
et aide au développement sera au centre des entretiens avec les chefs
d’Etat et de Gouvernement de ces pays.
[06] Août 2006 comparé à juillet 2006 - Les entrées de commandes dans
l’industrie en hausse de 3,7% dans la zone euro - Hausse de 2,6% dans
l’UE25
Dans la zone euro, l’indice des entrées de commandes dans l'industrie a
augmenté de 3,7% en août 2006 comparé à juillet 2006. L’indice avait
crû de 1,9% en juillet et baissé de 2,0% en juin. Dans l’UE25, les
entrées de commandes ont progressé de 2,6% en août 2006, après une
hausse de 1,1% en juillet et une baisse de 0,3% en juin. En excluant la
construction navale ainsi que l’équipement ferroviaire et aérospatial,
les entrées de commandes dans l’industrie ont augmenté en août
2006 de 2,7% dans la zone euro et de 1,5% dans l’UE25. En août 2006 par
rapport à août 2005, les entrées de commandes dans l’industrie ont crû
de 14,3% dans la zone euro et de 12,4% dans l’UE25. En excluant la
construction navale ainsi que l’équipement ferroviaire et aérospatial,
les entrées de commandes dans l’industrie ont progressé de 12,6% dans
la zone euro et de 10,3% dans l’UE25. Ces estimations sont publiées par
Eurostat.
[07] Commission clears acquisition of IBFF by PHL
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger
Regulation to the acquisition of sole control of the European frozen food
business of the Unilever Group (IBFF) of the UK by Liberator Bidco Ltd
(Liberator) of the UK, part of Permira Holdings (PHL). Liberator is active
in private equity investment. IBFF produces and markets branded frozen
food. The operation was examined under the simplified merger review
procedure.
[08] RĂ©diffusion
[09] Environment: Commission welcomes Council agreements on air quality
directive, hazardous waste
Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas welcomed today's political agreement
by the Environment Council today on the comprehensive new EU directive on
air quality as well as its conclusions on hazardous waste movements. The
air quality directive will for the first time regulate airborne levels of
harmful fine dust particles, while also giving Member States some
flexibility if they face difficulties in complying with some existing air
pollution standards.
[10] GM rice: Standing Committee backs Commission Decision on strict
counter testing of US rice imports
A draft Commission Decision imposing mandatory counter testing for
unauthorised GMOs in all imports of US long grain rice was endorsed today
by Member State experts in the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and
Animal Health. The decision follows the lack of agreement by the US
authorities to a common sampling and testing protocol which would ensure a
high level of consistency and accuracy in the tests for the unauthorised GM
rice LLRICE601 in consignments to the EU. The measures are being taken in
response to findings four weeks ago of LLRICE601 in shipments of US long
grain rice, which had been certified as free from this unauthorised GMO. On
4 October, the European Commission gave Commissioner Kyprianou the mandate
to introduce this counter testing, but first allowed 15 days to seek US
agreement on a common approach to sampling and testing. Despite extensive
discussions between both sides, the US were unable to agree on the proposed
protocol. US long grain rice imports will continue to be subject to the
certification requirements imposed when LL601 was first reported to be
present in US rice in August (see IP/06/1120). Under the draft Decision
agreed by the Standing Committee today, in addition to this certification
requirement, all consignments of US long-grain rice will also be sampled
and tested at the point of entry to the EU by Member State authorities
according to the EU testing protocol attached to the proposed decision.
Responsibility for the cost of this additional testing will lie with the
operators. The counter tests will also take into account the French
authorities’ recent finding of another unauthorised GMO, LLRICE62, in US
rice; the tests to be applied will also detect this GM event.
[11] Autre matériel diffusé
Speech by Sim Kallas on the “Commission’s preliminary reply to the
European Court of Auditors’ Annual Report 2005” at the COCOBU in
Strasbourg
Speech by Stavros Dimas on « Climate Change and Air Quality: Press
Statement at the Environment Council” in Luxembourg
Memo “Rétablissons les faits”
Memo “Commission’s Replies”
Memo “Ce que disent les experts....”
Memo « Glossaire »
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
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