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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 07-05-07

Midday Express: News from the EU Commission Spokesman's Briefings Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>


CONTENTS / CONTENU

  • [01] Prévisions économiques de printemps pour 2007-2008 : emploi et finances publiques devraient continuer à s'améliorer dans un contexte de croissance vigoureuse
  • [02] Sugar reform : Commission proposes to improve sugar restructuring scheme
  • [03] SOLVIT : le réseau de résolution de problèmes à l'échelle de l'UE continue d'apporter des solutions rapides et efficaces mais souffre d'un manque de soutien au niveau national
  • [04] Direct taxation : Commission asks nine Member States for information on discriminatory taxation of dividends and interest paid to foreign pension funds
  • [05] La Commission autorise l'acquisition de TPHST par Teleperformance et The Phone House SAS
  • [06] Commission clears acquisition of Millenium by CERP Rouen and Sanacorp
  • [07] La Commission autorise l'acquisition conjointe de Servepar par Accor et Groupama
  • [08] Commission approves proposed acquisition of MyTravel Group by KarstadtQuelle
  • [09] Stavros Dimas at the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD)
  • [10] Danuta Hübner receives in Sofia the "Doctor Honoris Causa award" from the UNWE
  • [11] Autre matériel diffusé Midday Express of 2007-05-07 Reference: MEX/07/0507 Date: 07/05/2007 EXME07 / 7.5

    MIDDAY EXPRESS

    News from the Communication Directorate General's midday briefing

    Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction Générale Communicationb

    07/05/07


  • [01] Prévisions économiques de printemps pour 2007-2008 : emploi et finances publiques devraient continuer à s'améliorer dans un contexte de croissance vigoureuse

    Selon les prévisions économiques de printemps de la Commission européenne, l'économie de l'Union européenne devrait croître de 2,9% en 2007 et de 2,7% en 2008 (2,6% et 2,5%, respectivement, pour la zone euro), grâce à la vigueur de l'investissement et à une consommation privée plus soutenue. Ces niveaux de croissance impliquent, pour les deux zones, une révision à la hausse de ½ point de pourcentage en 2007 par rapport aux prévisions de l'automne. Près de neuf millions de nouveaux emplois devraient être créés entre 2006 et 2008 dans l'ensemble de l'UE, dont six millions dans la seule zone euro, ce qui contribuera à faire passer le taux de chômage de l'UE sous la barre des 7% en 2008 (contre 8¾% en 2005). L'amélioration des finances publiques se poursuivra sous l'effet de la reprise économique : le déficit des administrations publiques dans l'UE et dans la zone euro devrait en effet être ramené à environ 1%, niveau inégalé depuis de nombreuses années. L'inflation devrait rester contenue, même si la période de prévision devrait être marquée par une légère remontée de l'inflation sous-jacente, conséquence de la nouvelle hausse des prix du pétrole et de la reprise conjoncturelle.

    [02] Sugar reform : Commission proposes to improve sugar restructuring scheme

    The European Commission today proposed changes to the sugar restructuring scheme aimed at making it more effective and thus reducing European Union sugar production to sustainable levels. The restructuring scheme was a key element of the 2006 reform of the Common Market Organisation for sugar, offering producers who would be uncompetitive at the new lower price a financial incentive to leave the sector. Unfortunately, much less quota has been renounced during the first two years of the scheme than anticipated and changes therefore have to be made to make it more attractive. The main changes proposed are that the percentage of the aid given to growers and machinery contractors should be fixed at 10 percent, but growers who renounce quota will get an additional payment, paid retroactively to avoid penalising those who have already given up their quotas. A new element is that beet growers could apply directly for aid from the restructuring fund, up to a certain limit. As an additional incentive for companies to participate, those which renounce a certain amount of their quota in 2008/09 will be exempted from paying the restructuring levy on the part of their quota which was subject to preventive withdrawal in the 2007/2008 marketing year. The Commission believes that the changes proposed should allow the renunciation of about 3.8 million tonnes of sugar quota in addition to the 2.2Â million tonnes given up so far. If insufficient quota has been renounced by 2010, the Commission also proposes that the level of compulsory quota cut would vary depending on how much quota each Member State had renounced under the restructuring scheme. The Commission hopes that the Council and Parliament can adopt the proposal by October at the latest.

    [03] SOLVIT : le réseau de résolution de problèmes à l'échelle de l'UE continue d'apporter des solutions rapides et efficaces mais souffre d'un manque de soutien au niveau national

    En 2006, le réseau SOLVIT de l'Union européenne a maintenu le cap en proposant aux citoyens et aux entreprises des solutions rapides et efficaces à des problèmes concrets liés à une application incorrecte de la législation de l'UE par les administrations nationales. Cependant, au niveau national, davantage de publicité et de ressources en personnel sont aujourd'hui nécessaires pour que les possibilités du réseau puissent être pleinement exploitées. C'est ce que conclut le rapport annuel de la Commission européenne sur le fonctionnement du réseau SOLVIT. Il souligne également que si le nombre de cas traités au cours de l'année est demeuré stable, le pourcentage de cas résolus est resté élevé et la durée moyenne de traitement a été considérablement écourtée. En outre, l'intérêt manifesté pour le réseau SOLVIT incite un nombre croissant d'Etats membres à se montrer plus actifs dans l'alignement des règles nationales sur le droit européen.

    [04] Direct taxation : Commission asks nine Member States for information on discriminatory taxation of dividends and interest paid to foreign pension funds

    The European Commission has decided to send requests for information in the form of letters of formal notice to the Czech Republic, Denmark, Spain, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia and Sweden about their rules under which dividend and/or interest payments to foreign pension funds (outbound payments) may be taxed more heavily than dividend and/or interest payments to domestic pension funds (domestic payments). The Commission doubts whether such higher taxation is compatible with the EC Treaty and with the EEA Agreement, as it may restrict the free movement of capital. The Member States involved are asked to reply within two months. A letter of formal notice is the first step of the infringement procedure of Article 226 of the EC Treaty.

    [05] La Commission autorise l'acquisition de TPHST par Teleperformance et The Phone House SAS

    La Commission européenne a autorisé, en vertu du règlement Concentrations, le projet d'acquisition conjoint de l'entreprise française TPHST par Teleperformance S.A. de la France et The Phone House SAS, filiale française de la société Carphone Warehouse du Royaume-Uni. Teleperformance et TPHST gèrent des centrales téléphoniques ("call centres"). Carphone Warehouse distribue des produits et des services liés aux téléphones portables. 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.

    [06] Commission clears acquisition of Millenium by CERP Rouen and Sanacorp

    The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger Regulation to the acquisition of joint control of a newly created company constituting a joint venture, Millennium, by CERP Rouen S.A. of France and Sanacorp Pharmahandel AG (Sanacorp) of Germany. CERP Rouen is active in the wholesale of pharmaceuticals and related services in France and Belgium and the supply of home-care equipment, IT services and financing to pharmacies. Sanacorp is active in the wholesale of pharmaceuticals and related services in Germany. Millennium will combine the parent companies' activities in the wholesale of pharmaceuticals and related services in France, Belgium and Germany. The operation was examined under the simplified merger review procedure.

    [07] La Commission autorise l'acquisition conjointe de Servepar par Accor et Groupama

    La Commission européenne a autorisé, en vertu du règlement Concentrations, le projet d'acquisition par lequel l'entreprise française Groupama acquiert le contrôle en commun de la société française Servepar, à présent contrôlée par le groupe Accor S.A. (Accor) de la France. Groupama est actif principalement dans les domaines de l'assurance, de la banque et des services. Accor est actif dans le secteur de l'hôtellerie et dans la conception et la fourniture de services aux entreprises et aux collectivités, notamment à travers l'émission de titres de services. Servepar est une société active dans le domaine de la gestion d'actif, amenée, à terme, à se spécialiser dans la distribution de produits d'épargne salariale. 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.

    [08] Commission approves proposed acquisition of MyTravel Group by KarstadtQuelle

    The European Commission has approved under the EU Merger Regulation the proposed acquisition of MyTravel Group PLC, a UK travel group, by KarstadtQuelle AG, a German department store and mail order company, active in tour operating via the Thomas Cook Group. The Commission has concluded that the proposed transaction would not significantly impede effective competition in the European Economic Area or any substantial part of it.

    [09] Stavros Dimas at the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD)

    European Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas will participate in the ministerial segment of the annual meeting of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) in New York from 9 to 11 May. The session will complete a two-year cycle of discussions focusing on energy, climate change, industrial development and air pollution. The main outcome is expected to be a document identifying the key policy measures to accelerate countries' implementation of measures in these areas. The discussions on climate change are intended to complement complement and set in a wider policy context the discussions under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, which will be taking place in parallel at official level in Bonn, Germany. Commissioner Dimas will also hold bilateral discussions on climate change and other issues with ministers from a number of non-EU countries.

    [10] Danuta Hübner receives in Sofia the "Doctor Honoris Causa award" from the UNWE

    European Regional Policy Commissioner Danuta Hübner received today the honorary title of "Doctor Honoris Causa" of the University of National and World Economy (UNWE) in Sofia, Bulgaria. Professor Borislav Vorisov, rector of the university awarded the prize in the presence of academia representatives and students. "Enlargement, the most powerful policy of the Union, has helped to transform countries across the continent into functioning democracies where the principles of liberty, the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law are firmly established. It has been a catalyst for modernisation, for the transition to market economies, promoting the prosperity and well-being of our citizens. And it has created the largest and most integrated community of democracies in the world", stated Commissioner Hübner at the award ceremony during her lecture on "Where is Europe going?". Commissioner Hübner also met Bulgarian Finance Minister, Mr Plamen Oresharski.

    [11] Autre matériel diffusé

    Preparation of Eurogroup and Economic and Finance Ministers Council (07- 08/05)

    Providing policy-makers and practitioners with practical tools to improve integration policies: the second edition of the Handbook on Integration

    12 new projects for the integration of third-country nationals have been selected under the INTI Programme

    Speech by Joe Borg : "Bremen shows that we are on the right track" at High- level Conference 'Towards a Future Maritime Policy for the Union: A European Vision for Oceans and Seas' (04/05, Bremen)

    Speech by Leonard Orban : "The European Union in the next ten years" at Charles University (04/05, Prague) From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/


    Midday Express: News from the EU Commission Spokesman's Briefings Directory - Previous Article - Next Article
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