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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 06-11-10Midday Express: News from the EU Commission Spokesman's Briefings Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>CONTENTS / CONTENU
MIDDAY EXPRESSNews from the Communication Directorate General's midday briefingNouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction Générale Communicationb10/11/06[01] Douanes : la Commission publie les statistiques douanières pour 2005 relatives aux saisies de marchandises de contrefaçonLa Commission européenne a publié les dernières statistiques douanières mettant en évidence l'aggravation de la menace que les contrefaçons et le piratage font peser sur l'Europe. En 2005, les administrations des douanes de l'UE ont saisi plus de 75 millions d'articles contrefaits et piratés. Le phénomène des falsifications dangereuses prend de l'extension. Ces falsifications continuent de concerner de grandes quantités de denrées alimentaires, médicaments et autres produits, et elles sont susceptibles de nuire gravement à la santé des consommateurs. La modification des itinéraires qu'empruntent les produits d'imitation, l'élargissement de la gamme des produits imités et le recours à Internet pour vendre les marchandises de contrefaçon, tout cela accroît la complexité du travail des autorités douanières. La réaction de la Commission passe par la mise en œuvre du plan d'action des douanes dans le domaine de la contrefaçon.[02] EU research helps fight fraud, security concerns and counterfeiting of goodsThe European Commission, through its in-house research service, the Joint Research Centre, has developed "ConTraffic", a system based on route-risk analysis which can make a significant contribution to the fight against fraud, and increased global security. Such a system can identify false declarations of origin, which can be made to circumvent anti-dumping duties and reduce smuggling of counterfeit goods, nuclear materials or weapons.[03] Slovenia is well prepared for the euro, but needs to reassure consumers about prices, a new report on the practical preparations for the euro showsSlovenia appears to be fairly well prepared for the euro on 1 January but would gain from adopting further measures to strengthen consumers' confidence that prices will remain stable during the changeover. This is one of the conclusions drawn by the fourth report on the practical preparations for the enlargement of the euro area. The report focuses particularly on Slovenia, as it is about to adopt the euro, but also looks closely at the changeover plans adopted by Cyprus and Malta, which aspire to do the same in 2008. Although the Cypriot plan covers all aspects of the changeover, the details are patchy, while Malta's plan appears to be both comprehensive and detailed. A Eurobarometer survey also shows that public opinion in the new Member States remains positive about the single currency, more so than in 2004 and 2005, although the results differ from country to country.[04] New Cohesion policy on track to modernise European regions : Austria and Latvia are the first to send their plans to the CommissionRegional policy Commissioner Danuta Hübner urged the national and regional authorities across the European Union to follow the example of Austria and Latvia to send to the European Commission their plans for the new Cohesion policy 2007-2013. The Commissioner announced today that Austria and Latvia were the first Member States to send electronically their national strategic reference frameworks. In that document they describe how EU funding will be used to deliver growth and jobs in the new programming period to start on January 2007.[05] La Commission ordonne à l'Italie de suspendre le paiement d'aides à AEM Torino jusqu'à ce qu'elle rembourse les aides illégales passéesLa Commission européenne a autorisé, en vertu des règles relatives aux aides d'Etat du traité CE, une subvention de €16 millions que l'Italie entend accorder à AEM Torino. Cette aide est destinée à couvrir les coûts supportés dans le cadre de la libéralisation du secteur de l'électricité (coûts irrécupérables, dits "coûts échoués"). La Commission considère que cette subvention est conforme aux règles sur les aides d'Etat. Toutefois, comme AEM Torino avait reçu dans le passé un montant important d'aides illégales et incompatibles qu'elle n'a pas encore remboursé, la Commission a ordonné à l'Italie de suspendre le versement des €16 millions d'aides nouvelles jusqu'à ce qu'AEM Torino effectue ce remboursement.[06] La Commission autorise l'acquisition de JVEF et JVCOM par Veolia et Rail LinkLa Commission européenne a autorisé, en vertu du règlement Concentrations, le projet d'acquisition des entreprises françaises JVEF et JVCOM par les entreprises françaises Veolia Cargo (Veolia) et Rail Link. Veolia est active dans le secteur du transport ferroviaire de marchandises. Rail Link est active dans le secteur du transport terrestre de marchandises, et plus particulièrement le transport combiné rail/route. JVEF effectue le transport ferroviaire de marchandises principalement en France et JVCOM s'occupe du transport combiné rail/route, opérant dans plusieurs pays européens. 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] EU and US united in efforts to strengthen economic integration and boost jobs, growth and competitivenessThe US Government hosted the second informal US-EU economic ministerial meeting to discuss transatlantic economic integration and shared economic challenges on 9 November. European Union Commission Vice President Günter Verheugen and Finnish Minister for Trade and Industry Mauri Pekkarinen met Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez and Energy Secretary Samuel W. Bodman to review joint progress, in the most significant areas of the transatlantic economy, including innovation, intellectual property rights (IPR), and regulatory cooperation.[08] Commission develops its approach to Joint Technology Initiatives, to stimulate research-industry linksThe European Commission has outlined the roadmap for presenting its proposals for the creation of Joint Technology Initiatives, part of the Seventh Framework Programme, due to start in 2007. Joint Technology Initiatives are new instruments designed to promote research that supports industrial competitiveness. They will be long-term public-private partnerships created in a few areas identified on the basis of clearly defined criteria, such as demonstrated added value of intervention at European level; financial and other resources committed by industry; clear impact on growth and competitiveness; contribution to broader policy objectives; and capacity to attract additional investment. The roadmap presented to Member States reconfirms the six areas identified in the Commission's proposal for the Seventh Framework Programme, sets out the criteria to assess which JTIs are the most advanced at this stage and establishes the process for setting the first ones up. It identifies the Innovative Medicines Initiative and the ARTEMIS Initiative for Embedded Computing Systems in Europe as the most advanced candidates and likely to be put forward by the Commission in early spring 2007. The approach enshrined in Joint Technology initiatives was endorsed by the informal meeting of European leaders in Lahti in October 2006.[09] Andris Piebalgs meets top climate change expert, Sir Nicholas Stern, with a view to the preparation of the Strategic EU Energy ReviewEuropean Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs met today Sir Nicholas Stern, Head of the UK Government Economics Service, and one of the top world specialists on the economics of climate change. Mr Piebalgs and the author of the "Stern Report" discussed the contribution of the European Energy Policy in the fight against climate change in view of the preaparation of the European Strategic Energy Review that the Commission will adopt early next year. "Climate change is a global threat that demands a urgent action. A responsible energy policy should consider ambitious goals at a European level to promote carbon free energy sources. It is not only essential to save the planet but is also economically sound. This is the basis of the Energy Review", Commissioner Piebalgs said.[10] Markos Kyprianou on official visit to ItalyEuropean Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner Markos Kyprianou will meet Prime Minister Romano Prodi and members of his ministerial team on an official visit to Italy on 13-14 November. Commissioner Kyprianou will meet Prime Minister Prodi on Monday 13 November at 17:00 and they are expected to discuss issues including Italy's 'citizen-consumer' legislation, action to tackle obesity, Italy's law banning smoking in public places and action on alcohol related harm. Consumer issues including Italy's 'citizen consumer' legislation and the Commission’s review of the acquis communautaire in consumer protection legislation will be discussed by Commissioner Kyprianou and Economic Development Minister Pierluigi Bersani at 15:30 on Monday, which will be followed by a press point (at Via Veneto 33, Rome). The Commissioner's visit will continue with a meeting at 18:30 on 13 November with Under Secretary for Public Health Gian Paolo Patta to discuss animal health and animal welfare issues. On Tuesday at 09:00 am Commissioner Kyprianou will meet Agriculture Minister Paolo De Castro to hold further discussions on these issues.[11] Utilisation d'internet dans l'UE25 : Près de la moitié des particuliers ont utilisé internet au moins une fois par semaine en 2006 ; un tiers des ménages et les trois quarts des entreprises ont un accès internet à large bandeDans l'UE25, 52% des ménages disposaient d'un accès à internet au premier trimestre 2006, comparé à 48% au premier trimestre 2005, et 32% avaient une connexion à large bande, comparé à 23% en 2005. Début 2006, 94% des entreprises comptant au moins 10 salariés avaient un accès à internet (91% au début 2005), et 75% une connexion à large bande (63% en 2005). Au premier trimestre 2006, 47% des particuliers dans l'UE25 utilisaient internet régulièrement, c'est-à -dire au moins une fois par semaine, que ce soit à la maison ou dans un autre lieu. Ces données sont publiées par Eurostat.[12] Autre matériel diffusé2005 customs seizures of counterfeit goods – Frequently Asked QuestionsNote on Education, Youth Affairs and Culture Council (13-14/11) Discours de M. Frattini : "La sicurezza alimentare in Europa" à la 'Conferenza Episcopale Italiana sulla sicurezza alimentare' (! embargo 11/11 à 09h00 !, Parme) Speech by Charlie McCreevy : "Facing realities to deliver results" at Investment Bank of Ireland 40th Anniversary Dinner (Dublin) Speech by Danuta Hübner : "Cohesion Policy: A key tool for regions to grasp the opportunities of globalisation" at Association of European Regions General Assembly 2006 (Palma de Mallorca, ! embargo 14h00 !) Speech by Stavros Dimas : "Environment and Industry: How ambitious environmental standards can promote business competitiveness in Europe?" to British Chamber of Commerce (09/11) Speech by Joe Borg : "The Green Paper on Maritime Affairs" at 3rd European Parliamentary Symposium on Maritime Europe (09/11) Calendrier du 13 au 18 novembre 2006
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/ Midday Express: News from the EU Commission Spokesman's Briefings Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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