|
|
European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 07-03-28
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[I] Résultats de la Commission de ce jour - Outcome
of today's Commission meeting
[01] La Commission lance un débat sur la promotion de l'utilisation des
instruments fondés sur le marché pour soutenir les fins de politique de
l'environnement et de l'énergie
[02] Commission proposes to end waste of fisheries resources
[03] La Commission renvoie l'Espagne devant la Cour de justice pour n'avoir
pas supprimé les conditions illégales imposées en ce qui concerne
l'offre de rachat d'Endesa par E.ON
[04] Commission initiates infringement proceedings against Greece over ban
on certain animal imports
[05] De nouvelles règles financières facilitent l'utilisation des fonds
de l'UE
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[06] Environment : Commission welcomes final political agreement on LIFE+
[07] La Commission autorise le projet d'acquisition du fabricant français
de roulements SNR par le japonais NTN
[08] Commission approves proposed acquisition of joint control of
Mölnlycke Healthcare Group by Investor AB and Morgan Stanley Group
[09] Commission clears acquisition of AZ by Vestar and Carlyle
[10] La Commission autorise la création d'une entreprise commune entre
Sagard et Cognetas
[11] Charlie McCreevy welcomes progress made in ECOFIN Council on Payment
Services Directive
[12] José Manuel Barroso in Lithuania (29-30/03)
[13] Margot Wallström to visit Greece
[14] Commission grants €2.5 million to WHO for seven projects under
Public Health Programme
[15] Joe Borg to attend meeting of Baltic Fisheries Ministers
[16] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express of 2007-03-28
Reference: MEX/07/0328
Date: 28/03/2007
EXME07 / 28.3
MIDDAY EXPRESS
News from the Communication Directorate General's midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction Générale Communicationb
28/03/07
[I] Résultats de la Commission de ce jour - Outcome
of today's Commission meeting
[01] La Commission lance un débat sur la promotion de l'utilisation des
instruments fondés sur le marché pour soutenir les fins de politique de
l'environnement et de l'énergie
Juste après le Conseil européen de printemps qui a été couronné de
succès et au cours duquel ont été fixés des objectifs très ambitieux
dans les domaines de l'énergie et du changement climatique, la Commission
européenne a adopté un livre vert sur l'utilisation des instruments
fondés sur le marché à des fins de politique environnementale et
énergétique. Etant donné que les instruments fondés sur le marché se
sont révélés aptes à réaliser les objectifs stratégiques au moindre
coût, le document vise à susciter un large débat public sur la façon
dont les taxes, les droits d'émission négociables et autres instruments
fondés sur le marché peuvent être utilisés plus largement et plus
efficacement à des fins de politique environnementale et énergétique, aux
niveaux communautaire et national.
[02] Commission proposes to end waste of fisheries resources
The European Commission has adopted a communication on reducing unwanted
catches and eliminating discards in European fisheries. Discarding is the
practice of dumping overboard unwanted fish or other marine organisms which
have been caught unintentionally. Discard rates in European fisheries vary
widely, from negligible in some small-scale coastal fisheries, to up to 70-
90% of the catches in some trawl fisheries. The proposed approach
represents an innovation for the Common Fisheries Policy. It involves the
adoption of a progressive fishery-by-fishery discard ban and the setting of
standards for maximum acceptable by-catch. This will provide an incentive
to industry to devise ways to meeting the by-catch targets, rather than
through series of measures to regulate landings. In short, the incentive
would be for fishers to take from the sea only what can be marketed. The
debate on achieving these aims will continue till the end of 2007 and the
first proposed measures could be tabled in 2008.
[03] La Commission renvoie l'Espagne devant la Cour de justice pour n'avoir
pas supprimé les conditions illégales imposées en ce qui concerne
l'offre de rachat d'Endesa par E.ON
La Commission européenne a décidé de traduire l'Espagne devant la Cour
de justice européenne pour n'avoir pas respecté ses décisions lui
faisant obligation de retirer certaines conditions relatives à l'offre de
rachat d'Endesa par E.ON. Certaines de ces conditions ont été imposées
en juillet 2006 par le régulateur espagnol du secteur de l'énergie (CNE),
d'autres par une décision ministérielle du 3 novembre 2006. Les
conditions en question ont été déclarées illégales en vertu de
l'article 21 du règlement sur les concentrations de l'UE par les
décisions de la Commission du 26 septembre 2006 et du 20 décembre 2006
(voir IP/06/1265 et IP/06/1853). Ces décisions avaient un effet
contraignant immédiat.
[04] Commission initiates infringement proceedings against Greece over ban
on certain animal imports
The European Commission has decided to send a letter of formal notice to
Greece for imposing a national ban on imports of fattening lambs and kids
from Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary, and from all third countries. As intra-
Community trade and rules for imports of animals and animal products are
harmonised, such unilateral bans are contrary to EU law.
[05] De nouvelles règles financières facilitent l'utilisation des fonds
de l'UE
Un travail intensif de deux ans a fini par porter ses fruits : l'Union
européenne dispose d'une nouvelle série de règles financières en vue
d'une meilleure utilisation de ses fonds pour le cadre financier 2007-2013.
Ces nouvelles règles vont simplifier l'accès aux financements tout en
réduisant les procédures administratives à un strict minimum. Pour la
première fois, les noms des bénéficiaires de tous les fonds de l'UE
seront rendus publics.
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[06] Environment : Commission welcomes final political agreement on LIFE+
European Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas welcomed the final
political agreement reached by the Council and the European Parliament last
night on the new 'LIFE+' Financial Instrument for the Environment. The
overall budget foreseen for LIFE+ is just under €1.9 billion for the
period 2007-2013 (in 2004 prices), i.e. very close to the amount initially
proposed by the Commission. 78% of the budget is dedicated to project
action grants and at least 50% of this has been reserved for spending on
the "nature and biodiversity" part of the Programme.
[07] La Commission autorise le projet d'acquisition du fabricant français
de roulements SNR par le japonais NTN
La Commission européenne a donné son aval, en vertu du règlement
communautaire sur les concentrations, au projet d'acquisition de SNR,
fabricant français de roulements, par le japonais NTN. Elle a conclu que
l'opération n'entraverait pas significativement l'exercice d'une
concurrence effective dans l'Espace économique européen ou une partie
substantielle de celui-ci.
[08] Commission approves proposed acquisition of joint control of
Mölnlycke Healthcare Group by Investor AB and Morgan Stanley Group
The European Commission has approved under the EU Merger Regulation the
proposed acquisition of joint control of Mölnlycke Healthcare Care UK Ltd
(Mölnlycke) of Sweden, a provider of surgical and wound care products, by
Investor AB, a Swedish industrial holding company, and Morgan Stanley
Principal Investments Inc. belonging to the Morgan Stanley group of the US.
The Commission concluded that the proposed transaction would not
significantly impede effective competition in the European Economic Area or
any substantial part of it.
[09] Commission clears acquisition of AZ by Vestar and Carlyle
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger
Regulation to the acquisition of joint control of AZ Electronic Materials
(AZ) of Luxembourg by Vestar Capital Fund V, a fund managed by Vestar
Capital Partners (Vestar) of the US and Carlyle Europe Partners II, a fund
managed by the Carlyle Group (Carlyle), also of the US. Vestar and Carlyle
are private equity investment funds. AZ produces specialty chemicals for
semi-conductors, flat panel displays and offset printing. The operation was
examined under the simplified merger review procedure.
[10] La Commission autorise la création d'une entreprise commune entre
Sagard et Cognetas
La Commission européenne a autorisé, en vertu du règlement
Concentrations, le projet d'acquisition de Saint-Gobain Desjoncquerès
(comportant Saint-Gobain Desjoncquères S.A. (France), SG la Granja
(Espagne) et les activités brésiliennes de SG Vidros (Brésil)) par
Sagard II A FCPR et Sagard II B FCPR, sociétés de capital-investissement
gérées par Sagard SAS (Sagard) de France, et les entreprises FCPR
Cognetas II A et FCPR Cognetas II B, sociétés de capital-investissement
gérées par Cognetas SA (Cognetas) de France, par achat d'actions dans une
société nouvellement créée constituant une entreprise commune. PCC,
Sagard et Cognetas sont des compagnies privées de capitaux propres. Saint-
Gobain Desjoncquerès est active dans la production et la commercialisation
de flacons en verre principalement pour les industries de la parfumerie et
de la pharmacie. 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.
[11] Charlie McCreevy welcomes progress made in ECOFIN Council on Payment
Services Directive
On 27 March, finance ministers in the Economic and Financial Affairs
Council (ECOFIN) unanimously adopted a general approach on a compromise
text for the Payment Services Directive (PSD). The aim of the PSD is to
make cross-border payments within the EU – by credit card, debit card,
electronic bank transfer, direct debit or any other means – as easy,
cheap and secure as domestic payments within one Member State, and to
provide the necessary legal foundation to make the Single Euro Payments
Area (SEPA) possible. It will greatly reinforce the rights and protection
of all the users of payment services (consumers, retailers, SMEs...). The
compromise text for the PSD will now be considered by the European
Parliament.
[12] José Manuel Barroso in Lithuania (29-30/03)
European Commission President José Manuel Barroso will visit Lithuania on
29-30 March for his first official visit. He will be accompanied by Budget
Commissioner Dalia Grybauskaite. While in Vilnius, President Barroso will
meet Lithuania's President Valdas Adamkus, Prime Minister Gediminas
Kirkilas, and Parliamentary Speaker Victoras Muntianas. On 29 March,
President Barroso will give a speech at a commemorative session of the
Lithuanian Parliament (Seimas), in the context of the celebrations of the
50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome. As part of the celebrations, and in
the presence of President Adamkus, President Barroso will also open an
exhibition of drawings by the Lithuanian artist Mstislavas Dobuzinskis
entitled "Old Lithuania". On 30 March, in the spirit of Plan D, President
Barroso will give a speech at a symposium on the Treaty of Rome. The
meeting with Prime Minister Kirkilas will be followed by a press conference,
at 12.00 on 30 March (Gedimino av 11).
[13] Margot Wallström to visit Greece
Vice president of the European Commission responsible for Institutional
relations and communication strategy Margot Wallström will visit Greece on
29 March. On this occasion she will meet Greek Prime Minister Mr Kostas
Karamanlis, Minister for Foreign Affairs Ms Dora Bakoyanni, and Mr Yannis
Valinakis Deputy Minister responsible for European Affairs. She will also
debate with Greek students (11.30, 24 Stadious str) and address the Greek
Parliament together with Vice President responsible for transports Jacques
Barrot (16.00). A press conference will be held at 12.45 in bookshop
"Ianos", 24 Stadiou str.
[14] Commission grants €2.5 million to WHO for seven projects under
Public Health Programme
The European Commission and the World Health Organisation (WHO) will sign
today contracts for seven new joint projects worth a total of €4,242,963,
60% of which is funded by the Commission's Public Health Programme. The
contracts cover EU health policy priorities on environment and health,
injuries, equity in health, health security, health services, alcohol and
emergency services. The projects will be implemented by WHO Europe over the
next three years. Markos Kyprianou, Commissioner for Health said: "We are
WHO's third biggest donor, and there are hundreds of EC/WHO collaborative
projects around the world. Today the Commission is allocating a substantial
grant from its Public Health Programme to the WHO for seven important
projects over the next three years. These seven projects will benefit EU
citizens by advancing health policy knowledge in important areas, including
alcohol related harm, injury prevention and disparities in health systems
performance. They will also benefit non-EU citizens by assessing health
crisis preparedness plans in neighbouring countries." The Commission's
Director for Public Health, Andrzej Rys, and WHO's Deputy Regional Director
for Europe, Nata Menabde, will sign the contracts this afternoon at WHO's
EU office in Brussels. With contributions totalling $102million (over
€75million) in 2006, the Commission is the third largest extra-budgetary
contributor to WHO. For more information see:
<a href="http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_international/int_organisations/who_en.htm">http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_international/int_organisations/who_en.htm
<a href="http://www.who.int/bfi/ExtraBud/acg060b.pdf">http://www.who.int/bfi/ExtraBud/acg060b.pdf
[15] Joe Borg to attend meeting of Baltic Fisheries Ministers
European Commissioner for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, Joe Borg, will be
travelling to Copenhagen this afternoon to attend a Ministerial Meeting on
Control and Compliance in the Baltic Sea. This meeting is being hosted by
the Danish Fisheries Ministry, in parallel with a conference on the same
theme organised by the Baltic Sea Regional Advisory Council (RAC). Control
and compliance are important issues in the Baltic Sea, in particular with
respect to cod fisheries. There are two cod stocks in the Baltic: one in
the East, the other in the West. Both are currently overexploited, and
scientists have been warning for some time that the Eastern cod stock, in
particular, is vulnerable to collapse. Control is a major challenge in this
fishery. For a number of years, the International Council for the
Exploration of the Sea (ICES) has estimated that 35-45% of landings of
Eastern Baltic cod have not been reported. A multi-annual plan covering
both cod stocks is due to be adopted by Council in June. Commissioner Borg
has welcomed the initiatives of both the RAC and the Danish authorities on
this vital issue. In his speech to the Ministerial Meeting, Mr Borg will
emphasise the need for creative solutions and strong collaboration to
restore the Baltic cod fisheries to long-term sustainability. Improved
compliance will not be enough in itself to resolve the crisis, but it is
vital first step if the new multi-annual plan is to bear fruit. The
meetings which open today show the determination of all the parties in the
region to address the situation. It also demonstrates how through the RACs,
stakeholders can take a lead in formulating new ideas to achieve
sustainable fisheries which is the fundamental aim of the Common Fisheries
Policy.
[16] Autre matériel diffusé
Eliminating discards in EU fisheries: Questions and Answers
Speech by Markos Kyprianou : "Prospects for an EU animal welfare labelling
scheme" at the Conference 'Animal Welfare: improving by labelling?' (!
embargo 17h30 !)
Speech by Stavros Dimas : "Climate change: European leadership and the role
of the European Parliament" at European Parliament Environment Committee
(27/03)
Speech by Charlie McCreevy at the European Parliament's Economic and
Monetary Committee (27/03)
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
|