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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 06-12-19
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Statement by Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner on Libyan Court verdict on
the Benghazi case
[02] Direct taxation : Commission proposes an EU coordinated approach of
national direct tax systems
[03] Fiscalité directe : la Commission propose une approche communautaire
coordonnée sur la question de la compensation des pertes subies dans
d'autres Etats membres (compensation transfrontalière des pertes)
[04] Direct taxation : Commission proposes an EU-coordinated approach on
exit taxation
[05] Commission clears acquisition of BARt by HTA and CDPQ
[06] Commission clears acquisition of Mammoet by SHV
[07] Commission clears acquisition of Oakwood by MLCP and CIR
[08] Restructuring of Czech and Polish steel companies almost completed
[09] Commission welcomes Council action on REACH, climate change and marine
protection
[10] La Commission salue la ratification de la convention de l'Unesco sur
la diversité culturelle
[11] Commission welcomes adoption of mandates for visa facilitation and
readmission agreements with Moldova
[12] EU welcomes signing of new Central European Free Trade Agreement
[13] L'UE prend la présidence du processus de Kimberley en 2007
[14] La Commission aide les pays ACP à lutter contre leur dépendance vis-Ã
-vis des produits de base agricoles
[15] La Commission approuve un financement de €103 millions pour la
sortie de crise en Côte d'Ivoire
[16] Darfur conflict : Commission provides a further €17 million in
humanitarian aid
[17] Somalia : Louis Michel heads to the region on a peace mission
[18] "Blackout last November calls for increased cooperation between TSOs",
says Andris Piebalgs
[19] EU and euro area enlargement on 1 January 2007 : the new EU of 27 and
euro area of 13
[20] Qu'a fait l'Union européenne pour moi en 2006?
[21] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express of 2006-12-19
Reference: MEX/06/1219
Date: 19/12/2006
EXME06 / 19.12
MIDDAY EXPRESS
News from the Communication Directorate General's midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction Générale Communicationb
19/12/06
[01] Statement by Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner on Libyan Court verdict on
the Benghazi case
Today the Libyan Criminal Court has confirmed the death sentence on the
Bulgarian and Palestinian medical personnel involved in the Benghazi case.
European Commissioner for External Relations and Neighbourhood Policy,
Benita Ferrero-Waldner, gave this reaction: "We simply can not accept this
verdict and trust that the matter will now be referred to a higher
authority. I firmly hope that clemency will be granted to the medical staff,
in the same spirit of mutual respect and humanitarian compassion which
characterised the intense discussions held between the European Union and
other partners with the families of the Benghazi children."
[02] Direct taxation : Commission proposes an EU coordinated approach of
national direct tax systems
The European Commission has adopted a Communication announcing a series of
initiatives to promote better coordination of national direct tax systems
in the EU. The aim is to ensure that national tax systems comply with
Community law and interact coherently with each other. The initiatives seek
to remove discrimination and double taxation for the benefit of individuals
and business while preventing tax abuse and erosion of the tax base.
[03] Fiscalité directe : la Commission propose une approche communautaire
coordonnée sur la question de la compensation des pertes subies dans
d'autres Etats membres (compensation transfrontalière des pertes)
Dans le cadre d'une approche communautaire coordonnée de la fiscalité
directe (IP/06/1827), la Commission européenne invite les Etats membres Ã
rechercher des moyens de permettre aux entreprises de compenser les pertes
subies dans d'autres Etats membres. Dans la plupart des Etats membres, les
pertes nationales peuvent être compensées par d'autres bénéfices
réalisés dans le même Etat membre. En revanche, cette compensation n'est
généralement pas prévue pour des pertes encourues dans d'autres Etats
membres. Cette lacune dans les législations des Etats membres fait
obstacle à la pénétration d'autres marchés et retentit donc
négativement sur la compétitivité internationale des entreprises
européennes. La communication présente plusieurs solutions visant Ã
éliminer ces obstacles.
[04] Direct taxation : Commission proposes an EU-coordinated approach on
exit taxation
In the framework of an EU-coordinated approach in direct taxation
(IP/06/1827), the European Commission invites Member States to better
coordinate their national exit tax rules. Exit taxes are levied by many
Member States on accrued capital gains when taxpayers move their residence
or transfer individual assets to another Member State. The Communication
examines how Member States' exit tax rules on individuals and companies can
be made compatible with the requirements of EC law. It also gives guidance
on how to make such national rules compatible with each other with a view
to removing double taxation or unintended non-taxation and preventing abuse
and tax base erosion.
[05] Commission clears acquisition of BARt by HTA and CDPQ
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger
Regulation to the acquisition of joint control of Budapest Airport Budapest
Ferihegy Nemzetközi Repülőtér Üzemeltető Rt (BARt) of
Hungary by HOCHTIEF AirPort GmbH (HTA) of Germany), controlled by HOCHTIEF
Aktiengesellschaft (HT) of Germany, and Caisse de Dépôt et Placement du
Québec (CDPQ) of Canada. HTA provides airport management services. CDPQ is
a financial institution that manages public and private pension and
insurance funds. BARt manages Budapest Ferihegy International Airport in
Hungary. The operation was examined under the simplified merger review
procedure.
[06] Commission clears acquisition of Mammoet by SHV
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger
Regulation to the acquisition of sole control of Mammoet Holding B.V.
(Mammoet) of The Netherlands by SHV Holdings (SHV), also of The
Netherlands. Mammoet is active in heavy lifting operations, heavy road and
off road transport, rental of cranes, salvage and wreck removal and trade
in new and used cranes and transport equipment. SHV has activities in trade
in and distribution of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), food and non-food
consumer articles, provision of private equity, production of raw materials
and exploration and production of oil and gas. The operation was examined
under the simplified merger review procedure.
[07] Commission clears acquisition of Oakwood by MLCP and CIR
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger
Regulation to the acquisition of joint control of Oakwood Financial Fund
L.P. (Oakwood) of the Cayman Islands by Merrill Lynch Credit Products, LLP
(MLCP) of the US, part of the Merrill Lynch & Co, Inc. group of companies
and CIR Compagnie Industriali Riunite S.p.A, (CIR) of Italy, controlled by
Compagnia Finanziaria De Benedetti. MLCP is active in investment banking
and other financial services. CIR is active in newspaper and magazine
publishing, radio, digital television, advertising and internet sectors,
automotive components, gas and electricity, private healthcare and non-
performing loans. Oakwood is a fund active in the origination and
sales/acquisition of residential mortgages, hire purchase contracts for
motor vehicles, salary and pension secured loans and small ticket equipment
leasing to local authorities and SMEs. The operation was examined under the
simplified merger review procedure.
[08] Restructuring of Czech and Polish steel companies almost completed
In its third report on the steel industry sector in Poland and the Czech
Republic, the European Commission has expressed its satisfaction that the
remaining public shares in both countries have now been passed on to the
private sector. The Commission insists that the new investors should now
concentrate all their efforts on implementing the remaining restructuring
benchmarks, such as cost reduction, investment, and productivity increase.
These measures need to be fully implemented so as to make the companies
more resistant to a possible economic downturn.
[09] Commission welcomes Council action on REACH, climate change and marine
protection
European Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas welcomed the outcome of
Environment Council which adopted the new Regulation on the registration,
evaluation, authorisation and restrictions of chemicals (REACH), reached
political agreement on the framework directive for EU action on marine
environment policy and adopted conclusions on climate change. REACH, a
single EU regulatory system for chemical substances, will improve the
protection of citizens' health and the environment. The marine framework
directive aims to ensure that all EU marine waters are environmentally
healthy by 2021 and it is the main component of the Thematic Strategy on
the protection and conservation of the marine environment, which the
Commission adopted in October 2005. On climate change, the Council stressed
the need to significantly accelerate global negotiations on a post-2012
agreement, with a view to completing them by the end of 2009 at the latest.
The EU's vision and leadership is required now more than ever.
[10] La Commission salue la ratification de la convention de l'Unesco sur
la diversité culturelle
La Convention de l'Unesco sur la protection et la promotion de la
diversité des expressions culturelles, ratifiée depuis hier par un nombre
suffisant de pays, pourra entrer en vigueur dans trois mois. Le nombre
requis de ratifications a été atteint le 18 décembre quand la
Communauté ainsi que douze Etats membres (l'Autriche, le Danemark,
l'Espagne, l'Estonie, la Finlande, la France, la Lituanie, le Luxembourg,
Malte, la Slovaquie, la Slovénie et la Suède) ont déposé leur
instrument de ratification au siège de l'Unesco à Paris. La Bulgarie a
également ratifié hier à Paris à la suite de cette ratification
conjointe.
[11] Commission welcomes adoption of mandates for visa facilitation and
readmission agreements with Moldova
In less than 20 days after the presentation of European Commission's
proposals the Council adopted today the mandates authorising the Commission
to negotiate agreements for short-stay visas facilitation and readmission
between the EU and the Republic of Moldova. These agreements will improve
existing relations with Moldova and respond to problems that Moldovan
citizens currently encounter in obtaining visas to enter the Schengen area.
[12] EU welcomes signing of new Central European Free Trade Agreement
Prime Ministers of South Eastern European countries and territories have
today signed a new Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA). This
marks the conclusion of ambitious negotiations launched on 6 April this
year. The new CEFTA consolidates 32 bilateral free trade agreements in the
Southern European Region into a single Regional Trade Agreement. Although
the EU is not a party to this new Agreement, the European Commission has
provided continuous political, technical and financial support, at every
stage of the trade liberalisation process in South Eastern Europe. The EU
warmly welcomes the conclusion of the agreement and European Enlargement
Commissioner Olli Rehn is in Bucharest to observe the signing.
[13] L'UE prend la présidence du processus de Kimberley en 2007
La Commission européenne s'apprête à prendre, le 1er janvier, la
présidence du système de certification du processus de Kimberley visant Ã
lutter contre les diamants de la guerre. Le processus de Kimberley est une
initiative unique des autorités gouvernementales, de l'industrie
internationale du diamant et de la société civile visant à lutter contre
les diamants dits «de la guerre» - des diamants bruts servant à financer
des opérations militaires -, après l'expérience de conflits
dévastateurs dans certains pays africains producteurs de diamants. Avec
l'appui des Etats membres, la Commission emploiera sa présidence en 2007 Ã
garantir la bonne mise en œuvre des contrôles par l'ensemble des
participants et à combler les lacunes qui subsistent. La Commission a
l'intention, dans le cadre de sa présidence, d'encourager l'industrie Ã
s'auto-réglementer de manière active. Le système européen d'auto-
réglementation des entreprises gagnerait fortement à servir de modèle Ã
d'autres. La Commission travaillera aussi main dans la main avec les
gouvernements, les entreprises et la société civile, qui ont tous
contribué dans une large mesure à la réussite du processus de Kimberley,
et continuera de coopérer étroitement avec les Nations unies sur les cas
du Liberia et de la Côte d'Ivoire, qui font tous deux l'objet d'un embargo
sur les diamants.
[14] La Commission aide les pays ACP à lutter contre leur dépendance vis-Ã
-vis des produits de base agricoles
La Commission européenne a approuvé un programme portant sur quatre ans
et d'un montant de €45 millions pour aider les pays d'Afrique, des
Caraïbes et du Pacifique (ACP) fortement tributaires du coton, du cacao,
du sucre, du café, des bananes et d'autres produits de base. Le programme
aidera ces pays à résister aux fluctuations des prix sur les marchés
mondiaux et à devenir plus compétitifs grâce à une production plus
performante et à la diversification de leur économie.
[15] La Commission approuve un financement de €103 millions pour la
sortie de crise en Côte d'Ivoire
La Commission européenne a approuvé, le 15 décembre, le financement du
Quatrième Programme d'Urgence de Réhabilitation post-crise (PUR IV) pour
la Côte d'Ivoire, pour un montant de €103 millions. Ce programme
permettra de poursuivre la réhabilitation des infrastructures et la
fourniture de services sociaux de base aux populations affectées par la
crise, ainsi que le financement de la transition politique devant mener Ã
la sortie de crise.
[16] Darfur conflict : Commission provides a further €17 million in
humanitarian aid
The European Commission has allocated a further €17 million for life-
saving humanitarian assistance to the victims of the Darfur crisis in Sudan
bringing its contribution for 2006 to a total amount of €97 million. Up
to four million people are affected and around two million are displaced.
More than 210,000 have sought refuge in Chad. At the same time, because of
the spill-over of the conflict into Chad, thousands of Chadian have crossed
the border in the other direction and are now refugees in Darfur. This new
humanitarian aid builds on previous Commission decisions for the region,
notably had an extra €40 million in humanitarian aid announced by
President José Manuel Barroso and Commissioner Michel during their visit
in Darfur last Ocotober (IP/06/1299). Since 2004, the Commission has been a
leading donor for Darfur and has allocated relief aid worth more than
€357 million in response to the Darfur crisis.
[17] Somalia : Louis Michel heads to the region on a peace mission
The European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, Louis
Michel, is travelling today and tomorrow to the Horn of Africa to meet the
key players in the Somali conflict, including the leaders of the
Transitional Federal Institutions and the Supreme Council of the Islamic
Courts. He intends to submit a Memorandum of Understanding to the parties
that should prevent an escalation of violence and press them to resume
talks in order to find a peaceful solution. The Commission remains deeply
concerned at the deteriorating security situation in Somalia and the risk
of an imminent conflict between the Transitional Federal Government and the
Supreme Council of Islamic Courts.
[18] "Blackout last November calls for increased cooperation between TSOs",
says Andris Piebalgs
Inappropriate coordination among Transmission System Operators (TSOs). This
is one of the root causes of the blackout that left millions of Europeans
in the dark last month on 4 November, according to the interim report of
the investigation that the Union for the Coordination of Transmission of
Electricty (UCTE) released recently. "Although the final report can give
further causes for the incident, it is now clear that the EU internal
market needs stronger cooperation between transmission system operators if
we want to ensure the highest levels of security in the system. Soon I will
propose concrete measures to address this problem", said European Energy
Commissioner Andris Piebalgs commenting on the interim report of the UCTE.
[19] EU and euro area enlargement on 1 January 2007 : the new EU of 27 and
euro area of 13
On 1 January 2007, Bulgaria and Romania will join the EU, which will become
a union of 27 Member States. On this date the euro area will also be
enlarged to include Slovenia. For this event, Eurostat publishes a
compilation of economic and social indicators drawing a portrait of the
enlarged European Union of 27Â Members and euro area of 13 Member States.
[20] Qu'a fait l'Union européenne pour moi en 2006?
La Commission européenne lance un nouveau produit multimédia, l'annuaire
de l'Union européenne, qui présente dix grandes actions stratégiques
menées par l'UE cette année et est disponible dans vingt-deux langues.
"L'Europe et vous – aperçu des réalisations de l'Union européenne" vise
à permettre aux citoyens de mieux comprendre ce que l'Union fait et quelles
incidences cela a sur leur vie quotidienne.
[21] Autre matériel diffusé
Communications on a comprehensive strategy to promote tax co-ordination in
the EU – frequently asked questions
FAQ : Convention UNESCO sur la diversité culturelle, un nouvel instrument
de gouvernance internationale
Kimberley Process – Fighting Blood Diamonds!
A new regional agreement to develop trade in South Eastern Europe
Discours de M. Vladimir Špidla : "Promouvoir l'égalité de traitement
dans la mise en œuvre de la législation européenne en matière
d'égalité" à la rencontre avec les représentants des organismes
nationaux chargés de promouvoir l'égalité de traitement
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
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