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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 07-04-17
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Visit of Polish Prime Minister Kaczynski to Commission
[02] Anchovy in the Bay of Biscay : Commission sets out conditions of
experimental fishery
[03] Member States back proposal to preserve plant genetic resources
[04] UE-Amérique centrale : à l'occasion de sa visite au Guatemala, Benita
Ferrero-Waldner annonce un programme d'aide de €840 millions
[05] 26 jeunes européens se rendent au Rwanda pour faire l'expérience de
l'aide au Développement de la Commission européenne
[06] Conference underlines crucial role of small enterprises and crafts for
growth and jobs
[07] European experts debate future of the food industryA conference on
'Perspectives for Food 2030' being held on 17 and 18 April in Brussels
brings together the food industry to look at what research is needed to
face up to challenges it might face in the future. These include changing
lifestyles, emerging markets, the impact of enlargement and the emergence
of new technologies. Speakers from industry, consumer groups, academia,
retailing, agriculture and other sectors will put forward their ideas on
how the food industry and consumer demand will evolve over the next 25
years and to consider the implications this may have for food, agriculture,
fisheries and biotechnology. Issues to be covered include what the consumer
will want on his plate, how the supermarket of the future will look and
what new food technologies will emerge. The conference comes at the
beginning of the 7th Research Framework programme, which will allocate at
least €1.9 billion to research in this field between 2007 and 2013.
'Perspectives for Food 2030' opens with a keynote speech on 17 April by
European Science and Research Commissioner Janez PotoÄŤnik and will be
closed by European Agriculture and Rural Development Commissioner Marianne
Fischer-Boel on 18 April. The conference can be followed via live
webstreaming at: <a href="http://scic.cec.eu.int/streaming/char">http://scic.cec.eu.int/streaming/char.
Presentations of speakers will be made available at the conference website
<a href="http://www.ec.europa.eu/research/conferences/2007/food2030/program_en.htm">www.ec.europa.eu/research/conferences/2007/food2030/program_en.htm.
[08] February 2007 : Euro area external trade deficit €1.7 billion ;
€17.6 billion deficit for EU27
[09] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express of 2007-04-17
Reference: MEX/07/0417
Date: 17/04/2007
EXME07 / 17.4
MIDDAY EXPRESS
News from the Communication Directorate General's midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction Générale Communicationb
17/04/07
[01] Visit of Polish Prime Minister Kaczynski to Commission
The European Commission will receive the Prime Minister of Poland, Mr
Jaroslaw Kaczynski, on an official visit, on 18 April. This will be the
Prime Minister's first visit to the College (but not his first visit to the
Commission). Mr Kaczynski will meet with the College of Commissioners
between 12h00 and 13h00. The College will have an exchange of views with
him on key issues on the European political agenda. Thereafter, President
José Manuel Barroso will host a lunch for the Prime Minister. Meetings are
also scheduled with Commissioners Hubner, Kyprianou, Dimas and Kroes in the
afternoon. A press point will be organised after the lunch at 14h15 in the
press room.
[02] Anchovy in the Bay of Biscay : Commission sets out conditions of
experimental fishery
In a letter to the Fisheries Ministers of France and Spain sent earlier
today, European Commissioner for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, Joe Borg,
set out the conditions governing the experimental fishery on anchovy in the
Bay of Biscay. Commissioner Borg says that, "after exhaustive discussions
with the two Member States concerned, including in the margins of the
Council meeting yesterday, the Commission considers that the experimental
fishery on anchovy in the Bay of Biscay should be conducted in the
following manner : - France will immediately recall to port the vessels
that have already gone out to fish for anchovy ; - the consort fishery, by
10 vessels, will start on the 23rd of April, accompanying the research
vessels that should start their campaign on that date ; - for the remaining
18 vessels, the Commission will convene a meeting in the coming days with
scientists from French and Spanish research institutes, in particular to
determine the timing and the area coverage of the experimental fishery by
those vessels. The Commission will be immediately making the STECF report
available to the public.
[03] Member States back proposal to preserve plant genetic resources
A European Commission proposal aimed at protecting seed varieties of
agricultural crops which may be threatened by genetic erosion was backed by
the Standing Committee on Seeds and Propagating material for Agriculture,
Horticulture and Forestry today. The proposal foresees derogations from EU
seed marketing legislation for seed varieties that are naturally adapted to
local conditions but which currently cannot be marketed due to the fact
that they do not fulfil certain mandatory criteria. Under EU legislation,
seed varieties must undergo an approval process and be inscribed in the
national and in the Common seed catalogues before they can be marketed
within the territory of the EU. Moreover, the multiplication of seed of
these varieties has to meet certain criteria, which is officially
certified. These rules ensure that EU farmers have access to high quality
seed. However, certain varieties which are not inscribed in the catalogues
and do not conform to the strict EU criteria are still important for
ensuring that plant genetic diversity is not diminished. The Commission has
therefore proposed that these varieties could be inscribed in the
catalogues without official examination, once they meet set minimum
standards. Furthermore, they could be produced and marketed without
official certification, according to the text agreed today. In order to
ensure that these varieties are only used for the envisaged objective,
quantitative restrictions will apply to the production and marketing of
these varieties, and they will only be allowed to be marketed in the region
to which they are naturally adapted. This proposal will have benefits for
the environment, by helping to preserve biodiversity, and will also enable
small plant breeding companies to supply local markets with naturally
adapted seed varieties.
[04] UE-Amérique centrale : à l'occasion de sa visite au Guatemala, Benita
Ferrero-Waldner annonce un programme d'aide de €840 millions
La Commissaire européenne en charge des Relations extérieures et de la
Politique de voisinage de l'UE, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, va présenter le 18
avril 2007 Ă Guatemala City le nouveau programme d'aide que la Commission
propose à l'Amérique centrale pour les années 2007-2013. Il s'agit d'une
expression concrète de la solidarité de l'UE avec la région pour faire
face aux défis du processus de négociations du futur Accord
d'Association. La Commission a développé, pour chacun des pays de la
région, une stratégie visant à appuyer leurs priorités politiques et
sociales, notamment la bonne gouvernance et la démocratie, la justice et
la lutte contre l'insécurité, la lutte contre les inégalités et contre
la pauvreté, ainsi que l'environnement. Les montants proposés pour la
période 2007-2013 s'élèvent à €34 millions pour le Costa Rica, €121
millions pour le Salvador, €135 millions pour le Guatemala, €223
millions pour le Honduras, €214 millions pour le Nicaragua, €38
millions pour le Panama et €75 millions pour la coopération régionale.
[05] 26 jeunes européens se rendent au Rwanda pour faire l'expérience de
l'aide au Développement de la Commission européenne
Entre le 17 et le 21 avril, 26 jeunes européens âgés de 16 à 18
ans et leurs professeurs se rendent au Rwanda avec le Commissaire européen
au DĂ©veloppement et Ă l'Aide humanitaire, Louis Michel. Ils y feront la
connaissance de jeunes Rwandais, de leur pays et de leur histoire. Ils
feront aussi l'expérience directe de la valeur ajoutée de l'Europe dans
le monde à travers la politique de développement et l'aide humanitaire de
la Commission européenne. Ces jeunes de 25 Etats membres de l'UE sont les
lauréats du "Prix Jeunesse et Développement" remis lors des Premières
Journées européennes du Développement qui ont eu lieu à Bruxelles en
novembre 2006.
[06] Conference underlines crucial role of small enterprises and crafts for
growth and jobs
The 4th European conference 'Challenges and opportunities for craft and
small enterprises' hosted by the European Commission in Stuttgart today and
yesterday highlighted the importance of these companies for growth and
jobs. In the presence of EU Council President Angela Merkel and Commission
Vice President GĂĽnter Verheugen, the conference discussed how to further
promote and reinforce the vital role of crafts and small enterprises as
dynamic drivers of the economy. Conference participants adopted a
declaration with conclusions addressed to the European, national and
regional authorities and to the business sector itself. The Commission will
use them in forthcoming policy initiatives. The conference has also been
the occasion to launch the Commission's new portal for Small and Medium-
Sized Enterprises (SME's), which pools all information on EU action of
interest to SME's.
[07] European experts debate future of the food industryA conference on
'Perspectives for Food 2030' being held on 17 and 18 April in Brussels
brings together the food industry to look at what research is needed to
face up to challenges it might face in the future. These include changing
lifestyles, emerging markets, the impact of enlargement and the emergence
of new technologies. Speakers from industry, consumer groups, academia,
retailing, agriculture and other sectors will put forward their ideas on
how the food industry and consumer demand will evolve over the next 25
years and to consider the implications this may have for food, agriculture,
fisheries and biotechnology. Issues to be covered include what the consumer
will want on his plate, how the supermarket of the future will look and
what new food technologies will emerge. The conference comes at the
beginning of the 7th Research Framework programme, which will allocate at
least €1.9 billion to research in this field between 2007 and 2013.
'Perspectives for Food 2030' opens with a keynote speech on 17 April by
European Science and Research Commissioner Janez PotoÄŤnik and will be
closed by European Agriculture and Rural Development Commissioner Marianne
Fischer-Boel on 18 April. The conference can be followed via live
webstreaming at: <a href="http://scic.cec.eu.int/streaming/char">http://scic.cec.eu.int/streaming/char.
Presentations of speakers will be made available at the conference website
<a href="http://www.ec.europa.eu/research/conferences/2007/food2030/program_en.htm">www.ec.europa.eu/research/conferences/2007/food2030/program_en.htm.
[08] February 2007 : Euro area external trade deficit €1.7 billion ;
€17.6 billion deficit for EU27
The first estimate for the euro area (EA13) trade balance with the rest of
the world in February 2007 gave a €1.7 billion deficit compared with €-
3.3 billion in February 2006. The January 2007 balance was €-7.0 billion,
compared with €-9.9 billion in January 2006. In February 2007 compared
with January 2007, exports, seasonally adjusted, rose by 0.6% and imports
by 2.3%. The first estimate for February 2007 extra-EU27 trade was a
deficit of €17.6 billion, compared with €-16.1 billion in February
2006. In January 2007, the balance was €-26.0 billion, compared with €-
26.2 billion in January 2006. In February 2007 compared with January 2007,
exports, seasonally adjusted, fell by 0.4% while imports rose by 1.2%.
These data are released by Eurostat.
[09] Autre matériel diffusé
Speech by Mariann Fischer Boel : "Giving a voice to the future of farming
in the EU" at European Young Farmers' Day
Speech by JoaquĂn Almunia : "The euro and the dollar – pillars in global
finance" at Federal Reserve Bank of New York (New York, ! embargo 15h30 !)
Speech by JoaquĂn Almunia : "Reforming Europe for a Globalised World" at
Spain-US Chamber of Commerce (16/04, New York)
Speech by Vladimir Špidla : "Erfahrung ist Zukunft – Die Bedeutung der
Ă„lteren fĂĽr die Wirtschaftliche Entwicklung" at Conference on
'Demographic Change as Opportunity: The Economic potential of the Elderly'
(Berlin)
Speech by Vladimir Ĺ pidla : "Flexicurity: Eine Antwort Europas auf die
Globalisierung ?" at Hertie School of Governance (Berlin)
Speech by Danuta HĂĽbner : "SMEs are drivers for growth in European
regions" at Conference 'Structural Funds 2007- 2013: Opportunities for
Small and medium-sized Enterprises' (16/04, Limassol)
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
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