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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 07-04-23
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] La Commission, la BEI et 9 Etats membres lancent le Fonds Fiduciaire
pour les infrastructures en Afrique
[02] Europe's windows on the world : ports and product safety
[03] La Commission autorise, sous conditions, les Obligations de Service
Public aériennes vers la Sardaigne
[04] Antitrust : Commission sends Statement of Objections to alleged
participants in cartel for car glass
[05] Anchois dans le Golfe de Gascogne : tous les navires concernés
peuvent commencer la pêche lundi 23 avril
[06] Commission clears acquisition of Converium by SCOR
[07] La Commission autorise le projet d'acquisition d'APCOA par Eurazeo
[08] Eurostat : Euro area and EU27 government deficit at 1.6% and 1.7% of
GDP respectively ; government debt at 69.0% and 61.7%
[09] Commission welcomes adoption of negotiating mandates for new Free
Trade Agreements with India, Korea and ASEAN
[10] EU to start negotiations for Association Agreement with the Andean
Community ; aid package for the region of €713 million
[11] Experts make recommendations on research in social sciences and
humanities
[12] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express of 2007-04-23
Reference: MEX/07/0423
Date: 23/04/2007
EXME07 / 23.4
MIDDAY EXPRESS
News from the Communication Directorate General's midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction Générale Communicationb
23/04/07
[01] La Commission, la BEI et 9 Etats membres lancent le Fonds Fiduciaire
pour les infrastructures en Afrique
Le Commissaire européen chargé du développement et de l'aide humanitaire,
Louis Michel, les représentants de l'Autriche, la Belgique, l'Espagne,
l'Italie, le Luxembourg et les Pays-Bas et le Président de la Banque
Européenne d'Investissement, Philippe Maystadt, ont signé aujourd'hui un
protocole d'accord pour la création d'un Fonds Fiduciaire destiné Ã
l'appui des infrastructures en Afrique. Le Fonds Fiduciaire est un
instrument financier du Partenariat Europe-Afrique pour les infrastructures,
l'un des piliers de la nouvelle stratégie de l'UE pour l'Afrique
approuvée par le Conseil européen en décembre 2005. Dans la phase de
démarrage 2006-2007, €87 millions ont été mobilisés des ressources de
la Communauté et les Etats Membres et la BEI à mis a disposition
€260 millions sous forme de prêts pour le fonctionnement du fonds
[02] Europe's windows on the world : ports and product safety
Are products entering the EU safe for consumers? Who is making sure that
dangerous goods do not get into the marketplace? Today, European Consumer
Protection Commissioner Meglena Kuneva visited the Dutch Food and Consumer
Product Safety Authority (Voedsel en Waren Autoriteit) and its laboratory
in Zwijndrecht, as well as the bustling port of Rotterdam. "With close to
90% of all goods entering our market via sea ports, it is becoming
increasingly important to control our external borders at ports such as
Rotterdam" said Ms Kuneva. "I further believe that customs authorities
could play a very important role in the enforcement of product safety
requirements". During her visit, Ms Kuneva highlighted the relationship
between ports and product safety, outlined the forthcoming EU strategy in
this area, and stressed the importance of stepping up efforts to stop
dangerous goods at ports. The Commissioner also had the chance to see first-
hand the arrangements in place to ensure the safety of imported consumer
products, witnessing the opening of a consignment in the harbour.
[03] La Commission autorise, sous conditions, les Obligations de Service
Public aériennes vers la Sardaigne
La Commission européenne a décidé aujourd'hui d'autoriser la mise en
place par l'Italie d'Obligations de Service Public (OSP) sur 16 routes
reliant les trois aéroports de Sardaigne aux principaux aéroports
continentaux italiens, mais ceci sous conditions afin d'éviter des
restrictions sur le lancement de nouvelles liaisons aériennes. En effet,
elle considère qu'il revient à l'Italie d'apprécier les nécessités de
mobilité des résidents sardes, en tenant compte de l'insularité et de la
situation économique de la Sardaigne et que ces OSP peuvent s'avérer
nécessaires. Cependant, la Commission rappelle que toute restriction à la
liberté de prestation doit être dûment justifiée et être
proportionnée aux besoins réels. Elle demande en conséquence à l'Italie
de modifier les OSP actuelles sur plusieurs points et rappelle les
principes qui doivent guider les Etats dans leur application.
[04] Antitrust : Commission sends Statement of Objections to alleged
participants in cartel for car glass
The European Commission can confirm that it has recently sent a Statement
of Objections to a number of undertakings regarding their alleged role in a
cartel for car glass. The Statement of Objections alleges that the
undertakings concerned may have allocated customers and agreed on supply
quotas and prices for most of the motor vehicle manufacturers in Europe,
thereby restricting competition in the EEA market in violation of EC Treaty
rules outlawing restrictive business practices (Article 81).
[05] Anchois dans le Golfe de Gascogne : tous les navires concernés
peuvent commencer la pêche lundi 23 avril
Comme annoncé dans la lettre du Commissaire Borg du 17 avril dernier à la
France et à l'Espagne concernant les modalités pour la pêche
expérimentale d'anchois dans le Golfe de Gascogne, une réunion technique
a eu lieu hier à Bruxelles (IP/07/498 et IP/07/507). Cette réunion portait
sur les modalités de la pêche concernant un maximum de 18 navires sur un
nombre total de 28 qui pourront prendre part à la pêcherie. Ces 18 navires
ne participeront pas à la pêche appelée "d'accompagnement".
[06] Commission clears acquisition of Converium by SCOR
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger
Regulation to the acquisition of sole control of Converium Holding AG
(Converium) of Switzerland by SCOR S.A. of France. SCOR and Converium are
both reinsurance companies. The operation was examined under the simplified
merger review procedure.
[07] La Commission autorise le projet d'acquisition d'APCOA par Eurazeo
La Commission européenne a autorisé, en vertu du règlement UE sur les
concentrations, le projet d'acquisition d'APCOA Parking Holdings Gmbh,
Allemagne, par Eurazeo S.A., France. Après avoir examiné l'opération
envisagée, la Commission est parvenue à la conclusion qu'elle
n'entraverait pas de manière significative une concurrence effective dans
l'Espace économique européen ou une partie substantielle de celui-ci.
[08] Eurostat : Euro area and EU27 government deficit at 1.6% and 1.7% of
GDP respectively ; government debt at 69.0% and 61.7%
In 2006, the government deficit of both the euro area (EA13) and the EU27
fell compared to 2005. In the euro area the government deficit decreased
from 2.5% of GDP in 2005 to 1.6% in 2006, and in the EU27 it fell from 2.4%
to 1.7%. In the euro area the government debt to GDP ratio fell from 70.5%
at the end of 2005 to 69.0% at the end of 2006, and in the EU27 from 62.9%
to 61.7%. This information is provided by Eurostat.
[09] Commission welcomes adoption of negotiating mandates for new Free
Trade Agreements with India, Korea and ASEAN
The European Commission has today welcomed the formal adoption by European
Member States of negotiating mandates for a new generation of Free Trade
Agreements with India, South Korea and ASEAN. New independent research
released by the European Commission today suggests that the agreements
could add more than €40 billion to EU exports annually and provide wide
new trade opportunities for all sides. The European Commission, which will
negotiate on behalf of EU Member states, expects to launch negotiations in
the months to come.
[10] EU to start negotiations for Association Agreement with the Andean
Community ; aid package for the region of €713 million
The EU and the Andean Community announced on 19 April in Santo Domingo
their intention to start negotiations for an Association Agreement in the
margins of the next EU-Andean Community Joint Committee that will be held
in La Paz at the end of May 2007. By then, it is expected that the Andean
Community will have made further progress on regional integration. The
Commission will carry out the negotiations on behalf of the EU. During the
meeting, Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner presented a large aid package for the
Andean region, amounting to around €713 million for the period (2007-
2013), adopted by the European Commission to assist the region to address
the most important challenges they face. The allocations are €234 million
for Bolivia, €160 million for Colombia, €137 million for Ecuador,
€132 million for Peru and €50 million to support regional integration.
[11] Experts make recommendations on research in social sciences and
humanities
A report from expert advisors to the European Commission has outlined how
the role of humanities and social sciences can be improved in the EU's
Research framework programme. The final report "Positioning Humanities
Research in the 7th Framework Programme" of the Expert Group on Humanities
identifies the precise contributions that Humanities can make to policy-
oriented research and submits a substantial number of recommendations for
the future of the theme "Socio-economic sciences and the humanities" of the
FP7's specific programme "Cooperation". For instance, the EGH has insisted
on the importance of the language used in the descriptions of research
topics, as well as on the efforts to be made, in the dissemination of
projects outcomes, to clearly demonstrate the link between innovative
research and policy-relevant outcomes. The report can be downloaded at: <a
href="http://ec.europa.eu/research/social-sciences/index_en.htm">http://ec.europa.eu/research/social-
sciences/index_en.htm
[12] Autre matériel diffusé
"Operation Diabolo", an international customs operation led by OLAF, seized
135 million counterfeit branded cigarettes and 557,000 other counterfeit
products
International customs operation "Diabolo"
Questions and answers on Commissioner Kuneva's visit to the Dutch Food and
Product Safety Authority and the Port of Rotterdam
Speech by Mariann Fischer Boel : "The reform of the wine market regime –
more power to compete" at Intervitis Interfructa Conference (Stuttgart)
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
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