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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 06-12-01
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Une économie européenne en meilleure forme a besoin de plus de
réformes structurelles
[02] The European Enterprise Awards : European Regions at their
Entrepreneurial Best
[03] Fonds de solidarité de l'UE : la Commission propose une aide de
€15 millions pour les régions hongroises frappées par de graves
inondations
[04] Commission clears joint venture between MLIB and ILP
[05] Commission clears acquisition of Moconta by Bertelsmann and Vodafone
D2
[06] Commission approves proposed acquisition of GE Advanced Materials by
the Apollo Group
[07] Commission approves proposed acquisition of joint control of F Group
by DSG International and FR Invest
[08] Les conteneurs de 45 pieds peuvent continuer à circuler sur les routes
européennes
[09] Common problems, shared solutions : development of the transport
network in South-East Europe
[10] Commission proposes new import arrangements for New Zealand butter
[11] October 2006 : Euro area unemployment down to 7.7% ; EU25 unchanged at
7.9%
[12] Danuta Hübner in North Netherlands
[13] World AIDS Day : Markos Kyprianou presents award for best European
HIV/AIDS commercial to 'Dance4Life' - the Netherlands
[14] Communicating Europe : Commission and Finnish Presidency to host a
major conference on the EU, the media and new technologies
[15] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express of 2006-12-01
Reference: MEX/06/1201
Date: 01/12/2006
EXME06 / 1.12
MIDDAY EXPRESS
News from the Communication Directorate General's midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction Générale Communicationb
01/12/06
[01] Une économie européenne en meilleure forme a besoin de plus de
réformes structurelles
Les performances de l'économie européenne se sont nettement améliorées
en 2006. La croissance économique et la productivité augmentent. Les
évolutions les plus récentes indiquent une croissance de l'économie
passant de 1,7% en 2005 à 2,8% en 2006, alors que la tendance générale du
chômage est à la baisse. Le rapport 2006 de la Commission européenne sur
la compétitivité, qui sera examiné lors du prochain Conseil
Compétitivité, inventorie les bénéfices supplémentaires que des
réformes pourraient apporter dans une série de domaines politiques. Le
rapport met également en évidence les importants déficits relevés en
matière de performances économiques, comme la faible croissance de la
productivité de la main-d'œuvre depuis 1995. Il souligne qu'il est urgent
d'accélérer la mise en œuvre de réformes structurelles dans le cadre de
la stratégie en faveur de la croissance et de l'emploi.
[02] The European Enterprise Awards : European Regions at their
Entrepreneurial Best
Thirteen finalists will be competing for the first edition of European
Enterprise Awards (EEA) which recognise and reward initiatives taken by
local authorities to support entrepreneurship at regional level. They
represent a wide variety of projects, that successfully promote
entrepreneurship throughout Europe. A high level jury selected the best
entries from 51 national nominees. The finalists come from Austria, Belgium,
Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Italy, Norway
Portugal, the Slovak Republic, Sweden and the United Kingdom (see
IP/06/1446). Winners will be announced on 7 December 2006 in Brussels at an
Awards Ceremony which is co-sponsored by the European Commission, the
Committee of Regions and the Finnish Presidency.
[03] Fonds de solidarité de l'UE : la Commission propose une aide de
€15 millions pour les régions hongroises frappées par de graves
inondations
Aujourd'hui, la Commission européenne a proposé d'octroyer une aide du
Fonds de solidarité de l'Union européenne d'un montant total de €15,06
millions pour faire face aux conséquences des inondations catastrophiques
qui ont touché la Hongrie au printemps 2006. Les fonds serviront Ã
rembourser une partie du coût des mesures d'urgence (services de secours,
nettoyage des zones inondées et remise en état des infrastructures de
base).
[04] Commission clears joint venture between MLIB and ILP
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger
Regulation to a joint venture in Ireland between Merrill Lynch
International Bank Limited (MLIB) of Ireland and Irish Life and Permanent
plc (ILP). MLIB is primarily involved in the general markets banking
sector. ILP provides personal financial services in the Irish market. The
joint venture will provide specialist mortgage loans in Ireland. The
operation was examined under the simplified merger review procedure.
[05] Commission clears acquisition of Moconta by Bertelsmann and Vodafone
D2
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger
Regulation to the acquisition of joint control of Moconta GmbH Co. KG
(Moconta) of Germany by Bertelsmann Aktiengesellschaft (Bertelsmann) of
Germany, through its 100% subsidiary Arvato Mobile GmbH (Arvato) of Germany,
and Vodafone D2 GmbH (Vodafone D2) also of Germany. Bertelsmann is a media
company active in the areas of television/radio, print media publishing,
music, printing and other services. Arvato and Moconta provide conceptual
design and services in the area of mobile telecommunication marketing and
customer loyalty. Vodafone D2 is a mobile telecommunications network
operator in Germany and also provides direct internet access, mobile fax
and data communication and picture messages (MMS). The operation was
examined under the simplified merger review procedure.
[06] Commission approves proposed acquisition of GE Advanced Materials by
the Apollo Group
The European Commission has cleared under the EU Merger Regulation the
proposed acquisition of the specialty chemicals part of General Electrics -
GE Advanced Materials - of the US by the American private investment group
Apollo. The Apollo Group will acquire the whole of GE Advanced Materials,
including all the shares in the joint ventures GE Toshiba Silicones and GE
Bayer Silicones (together GEAM). The Commission concluded that the
operation would not significantly impede effective competition in the
European Economic Area or any substantial part of it.
[07] Commission approves proposed acquisition of joint control of F Group
by DSG International and FR Invest
The European Commission has cleared under the EU Merger Regulation the
proposed acquisition of joint control of F Group of Denmark by DSG
International plc of the UK and FR Invest A/S of Denmark. F Group and DSG
International are retailers of electrical and electronic goods. FR Invest
is an investment vehicle. The Commission concluded that the proposed
transaction would not significantly impede effective competition in the
European Economic Area or in any substantial part of it.
[08] Les conteneurs de 45 pieds peuvent continuer à circuler sur les routes
européennes
Les Etats membres peuvent continuer à autoriser la circulation de
conteneurs de 45 pieds dans le transport routier national. Une directive du
Conseil de 1996, qui fixe les règles en matière de poids et de dimensions
dans le transport routier, prévoit une période transitoire de 10 ans au
cours de laquelle le transport de conteneurs de 45 pieds est autorisé.
Cette période transitoire s'achève à la fin de cette année et les
parties concernées craignent que les conteneurs de 45 pieds seront
totalement interdits sur les routes. Cette crainte n'est cependant pas
justifiée, car les conteneurs de 45 pieds pourront continuer à être
utilisés en particulier pour les tronçons routiers des opérations de
transport intermodal.
[09] Common problems, shared solutions : development of the transport
network in South-East Europe
The second annual ministerial meeting for the development of the principal
South-East Europe regional transport network has taken place in Brussels,
attended by Jacques Barrot, Vice-President of the European Commission, and
the Transport Ministers of Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, the Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Kosovo (UNMIK). The
purpose of today's meeting was to promote regional cooperation in
developing the transport networks and thereby to contribute to the regional
integration of the partners. The high-level participants signed a political
resolution as well as a more specific declaration dealing with cooperation
in the rail sector.
[10] Commission proposes new import arrangements for New Zealand butter
The European Commission has proposed new arrangements for the import into
the European Union of butter from New Zealand. The new system respects the
judgment of the European Court of Justice - which in July ruled the
previous system to be discriminatory - and also meets the concerns raised
by New Zealand. The new regime, which was drawn up following lengthy
consultations with Wellington, will attribute 55% of import licences to
traditional importers of New Zealand butter and 45% to newcomers. It will
be proposed to the Council to reduce the in-quota tariff by 19.43% and to
modify slightly the butterfat specifications. In a case brought by a German
dairy company, the European Court in July ruled the existing arrangements
discriminatory, as import licences for New Zealand butter were only issued
to subsidiaries of the Fonterra company, which enjoys an export monopoly in
New Zealand.
[11] October 2006 : Euro area unemployment down to 7.7% ; EU25 unchanged at
7.9%
Euro area seasonally-adjusted unemployment stood at 7.7% in October 2006,
compared to 7.8% in September. It was 8.5% in October 2005. The EU25
unemployment rate was 7.9% in October 2006, the same as September. It was
8.6% in October 2005. In October 2006, the lowest rates were registered in
Denmark (3.5% in September), the Netherlands (3.9%), Estonia and Ireland
(both 4.2%), and Austria (4.7%). Unemployment rates were highest in Poland
(14.0%), Slovakia (12.7%), Greece (9.0% in the second quarter of 2006),
France (8.8%) and Spain (8.4%). These figures come from Eurostat.
[12] Danuta Hübner in North Netherlands
Regional Policy Commissioner Danuta Hübner is visiting the three northern
Dutch provinces Drenthe, Friesland and Groningen and meeting the Governors
of the three provinces, Relus Ter Beek, Ed Nijpels, and Hans Alders,
respectively. The visit brings Commissioner Hübner to three locations
providing good examples of innovation and development of the region's key
sectors: the Wetsus water technology institute in Leeuwarden, the
University Medical Centre in Groningen, and the sensor-technology of
Astron/Lofar in Dwingeloo.
[13] World AIDS Day : Markos Kyprianou presents award for best European
HIV/AIDS commercial to 'Dance4Life' - the Netherlands
'Dance4Life' from the Netherlands received the 'AIDS - Remember Me?' award
for the best European HIV/AIDS awareness television commercial from
European Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner Markos Kyprianou last
night. The award was presented at the 'Night of the HIV/AIDS TV
Commercials' at the Kinepolis cinema in Brussels, where a compilation of
the best AIDS awareness campaigns from across the EU and the world were
screened. Thousands of votes were cast on the web site, <a href="http://www.aids-
remember-me.eu">www.aids-remember-me.eu and from this vote, the top 5 were
submitted to an audience SMS vote last night which was won by 'Dance4Life'.
Commissioner Kyprianou said: "One the eve of World AIDS Day we watched a
unique screening of the best European AIDS awareness TV clips from the past
25 years. Many of the AIDS awareness clips screened last night used humour,
others were hard-hitting, but all were memorable and spoke frankly to young
people. The 'Dance4Life' campaign is a worthy winner as it sends a message
of hope, that by acting together in partnership around the world we can
protect ourselves and beat AIDS." For further information on the Commission
campaign see IP/06/1565 and on the winner see <a href="http://www.dance4life.nl">www.dance4life.nl
[14] Communicating Europe : Commission and Finnish Presidency to host a
major conference on the EU, the media and new technologies
Key opinion formers from Europe's media will be joined in Helsinki next
week, by European Commission Vice-President Margot Wallström, for a
stakeholders' conference, to be held on Monday and Tuesday, 4 and 5
December. Speaking ahead of the Conference, Ms Wallström said: "We need to
present EU affairs in a way that sparks more emotion. The EU does not
usually affect people's lives in sensational ways that grab headlines. But
it affects people's lives in important ways and they have a right to know
about it. They also want to know how people in other EU countries see the
same issues."
[15] Autre matériel diffusé
Note on the Competitiveness Council
The short listed candidates for the European Enterprise Awards
Speech by Olli Rehn : "Challenges and opportunities on the path to the EU" -
lecture at the University (Faculty of Economy) of Osijek, Croatia
Speech by Rehn : "Croatian challenges in reforming the judiciary and
fighting against corruption" at Seminar organised by the Supreme Court of
Croatia (30/11, Zagreb)
Speech by Stavros Dimas : "Nairobi: prospects for the future" at European
Voice Comment Forum debate on climate change (30/11)
Calendrier du 4 au 8 décembre 2006
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
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