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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 07-05-22
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Defining the Commission's global policy on the fight against cyber
crime
[02] Journée mondiale sans tabac : le nombre d'Européens favorables aux
politiques antitabac augmente, selon un nouvel Eurobaromètre
[03] Nature conservation : one in six European mammals threatened with
extinction shows assessment by the World Conservation Union (IUCN)
[04] Commission conditionally approves Article 22 derogation for the
Poseidon gas pipeline between Greece and Italy
[05] Günter Verheugen welcomes Council decision to repeal knots in the
wood directive and agreement to simplify pre- packaging directive
[06] Euro area external trade surplus € 7.4 billion - € 11.1 billion
deficit for EU27
[07] La production dans le secteur de la construction en hausse de 0,9%
dans la zone euro ; hausse de 1,1% dans l'UE27
[08] Conference to take stock of the Healthy Democracy process
[09] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express of 2007-05-22
Reference: MEX/07/0522
Date: 22/05/2007
EXME07 / 22.5
MIDDAY EXPRESS
News from the Communication Directorate General's midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction Générale Communicationb
22/05/07
[01] Defining the Commission's global policy on the fight against cyber
crime
(! embargo 16h30 !) The European Commission has adopted the Communication
"Towards a general policy on the fight against cyber crime". Specific
actions to improve coordination and cooperation between law enforcement
authorities and between law enforcement and private sector operators will
play an important role in the fight against cyber crime, and complement
other actions taken at national, European and international level.
[02] Journée mondiale sans tabac : le nombre d'Européens favorables aux
politiques antitabac augmente, selon un nouvel Eurobaromètre
La majorité des citoyens européens sont favorables à des politiques
anti-tabac, selon les résultats d'un nouvel Eurobaromètre sur le tabac
que Markos Kyprianou, commissaire européen à la santé, a présenté au
Parlement européen en prévision de la Journée mondiale sans tabac du 31
mai. Une majorité écrasante d’entre eux (88%) est pour une interdiction
de fumer dans les bureaux ainsi que dans les locaux de travail et les lieux
publics fermés – une légère augmentation par rapport à l'enquête de
l'année dernière (86%). L'enquête révèle également qu'un fumeur sur
trois a tenté de renoncer à la cigarette au cours des douze derniers mois.
Toutefois, plus de 70% d'entre eux ont recommencé à fumer moins de deux
mois après. Le commissaire Kyprianou a annoncé que l'une des actions
s'inscrivant dans la campagne européenne anti-tabac "HELP - Pour une vie
sans tabac" serait le lancement, le 31 mai, d'un service d'accompagnement
personnalisé par courrier électronique, destiné à aider les personnes
décidant d'arrêter de fumer. Un Manifeste européen des jeunes "Pour une
vie sans tabac" a également été présenté au commissaire et
aux députés européens à Strasbourg.
[03] Nature conservation : one in six European mammals threatened with
extinction shows assessment by the World Conservation Union (IUCN)
Published on the occasion of World Biodiversity Day an assessment of all
European mammals shows that nearly one in every six mammal species is
threatened with extinction. The report, commissioned by the European
Commission and carried out by the World Conservation Union (IUCN),
demonstrates that population trends are alarming : a quarter (27%) of all
mammals had declining populations and a further 33% had an unknown
population trend. Only 8% were identified as increasing, including the
European bison. The report also highlights successful recoveries resulting
from targeted conservation measures and shows that to reverse the observed
decline such measures need to be integrated into all European Union
policies on the use of natural resources.
[04] Commission conditionally approves Article 22 derogation for the
Poseidon gas pipeline between Greece and Italy
The European Commission today conditionally approved article 22 derogation
to the "Poseidon pipeline", a new gas pipeline that will connect Greece and
Italy. This derogation, foreseen in article 22 of the Gas directive
(2003/55/EC), exempts major new infrastructures from the third party access
rules of the same directive for a limited period of time in order to make
the investment possible.
[05] Günter Verheugen welcomes Council decision to repeal knots in the
wood directive and agreement to simplify pre- packaging directive
The Member States of the European Union adopted on 21 May the European
Commission proposal to repeal the so called "knots in the wood" Directive
68/89/EEC. It regulated the quality and size of wood in the rough in detail
at EU level. In the future it will be up to standardisation organisations
to define wood criteria for industry. In addition to important progress of
other initiatives to simplify EU legislation, this vote is the first
tangible withdrawal of a European law since the Commission announced its
Better Regulation programme in spring 2005. At the same time the Member
States came to a political agreement on the deregulation of packaging sizes,
except for wines and spirits, which will be adopted formally in the
foreseeable future. Both acts of Better Regulation were already adopted by
the European Parliament. The Commission's efforts on simplification will
intensify in the future, for example with regard to areas such as
construction, business statistics and the environment. Moreover, the
Commission has tabled an EU Action Programme cutting unnecessary
administrative burdens on businesses by a quarter by 2012 at the beginning
of 2007 (IP 07/77).
[06] Euro area external trade surplus € 7.4 billion - € 11.1 billion
deficit for EU27
The first estimate for the euro area (EA13) trade balance with the rest of
the world in March 2007 gave a €7.4 billion surplus, compared with
€+0.6 billion in March 2006. The February 2007 balance was €-1.3
billion, compared with €-3.4 billion in February 2006. In March 2007
compared with February 2007, seasonally adjusted exports rose by 1.2%,
while imports fell by 2.6%. The first estimate for March 2007 extra-EU27
trade was a deficit of €11.1 billion, compared with €-13.5 billion in
March 2006. In February 2007, the balance was €-17.6 billion, compared
with €-16.2 billion in February 2006. In March 2007 compared with
February 2007, seasonally adjusted exports rose by 1.1%, while imports fell
by 2.2%. These data are released by Eurostat.
[07] La production dans le secteur de la construction en hausse de 0,9%
dans la zone euro ; hausse de 1,1% dans l'UE27
Dans le secteur de la construction, la production corrigée des variations
saisonnières a progressé de 0,9% dans la zone euro (ZE13) et de 1,1% dans
l'UE27 en mars 2007 par rapport au mois précédent. En février, la
production avait augmenté de 1,3% dans la zone euro et de 0,7% dans
l'UE27. Par rapport à mars 2006, la production a enregistré en mars 2007
une hausse de 11,4% dans la zone euro et de 11,2% dans l'UE27, après des
hausses de 11,7% dans la zone euro et de 9,5% dans l'UE27 en février. Ces
premières estimations sont diffusées par Eurostat.
[08] Conference to take stock of the Healthy Democracy process
Meglena Kuneva, European Commissioner for Consumer Protection, will give
the opening address tomorrow at a conference to discuss greater stakeholder
involvement in EU activities related to consumer protection, health and
food safety. The conference, which will be held in Brussels, will take
stock of the extensive stakeholder consultation, entitled "Healthy
Democracy", which was launched by the Commission's DG Health and Consumer
Protection last year. The objective of the "Healthy Democracy" process was
to look into how the Commission could increase contact with citizens on
consumer protection, health and food safety policies, and maximise their
input on these issues. Participants at the conference will have the
opportunity to hear the findings and recommendations of the "Healthy
Democracy" process, and to discuss how stakeholders at national, regional
and local level could be more involved in the policy and decision making
processes in these areas. In the long term, the plan is to establish a
solid network of stakeholders and research bodies, who would provide
regular contributions to the decision-making process. Director General of
DG Health and Consumer Protection Robert Madelin will also take part in the
conference, and Philippe Brunet, Deputy Head of Cabinet of Health
Commissioner Markos Kyprianou, will make the closing remarks at the event.
For more information, see: <a href="http://www.sanco-stakeholderinvolvement.eu/">http://www.sanco-
stakeholderinvolvement.eu/
[09] Autre matériel diffusé
Commission Communication "Towards a general policy on the fight against
cyber crime" (! embargo 16h30 !)
Questions and answers on Tobacco
Speech by Mariann Fischer Boel : "The Future of Rural Regions" at the
Informal Agriculture Council (Mainz)
Speech by Markos Kyprianou : "Towards a European Commission initiative on
Health Services" in the European Parliament debate on the Vergnaud report
on Health services (21/05, Strasbourg)
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
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