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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 07-08-30
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] First meeting of Ministers from the EU and the European Neighbourhood
[02] EUROBAROMETER: Europeans support greater cooperation with neighbouring
countries
[03] Floods: Commission allocates € 9.5 million in emergency aid to flood
victims in India, Bangladesh and Nepal
[04] Kyprianou and Platini kick off football season with joint Commission-
UEFA TV campaign promoting physical activity
[05] Enregistrement de quatre dénominations de produits agricoles
[06] Commission to decide on Danish national allocation plan
[07] Autre matériel diffuse
[08] Strengthening the European Neighbourhood Policy
[09] Questions and Answers on Commission actions to promote physical
exercise
[10] Questions and Answers on physical activity
Midday Express of 2007-08-30
Reference: MEX/07/0830
Date: 30/08/2007
EXME07 / 30.8
MIDDAY EXPRESS
News from the Communication Directorate General's midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction Générale Communicationb
30/08/07
[01] First meeting of Ministers from the EU and the European Neighbourhood
On 3 September, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, Commissioner for External Relations
and European Neighbourhood Policy, will host in Brussels the first ever
meeting of Ministers and other representatives from all of the countries
covered by the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) with their counterparts
from the European Union. This international conference: “Working Together
– Strengthening the European Neighbourhood Policy", organised and hosted
by the European Commission, will include a ministerial-level morning
session, which will focus particularly on the opportunities for trade
liberalisation, mobility, and the challenges of climate change and energy
security. The afternoon session will open up the debate to other
stakeholders including business groupings and non-governmental
organisations. The conference will be opened by José Manuel Barroso,
President of the Commission, Luis Amado, Foreign Minister of Portugal and
the current EU Presidency, and Benita Ferrero-Waldner.
[02] EUROBAROMETER: Europeans support greater cooperation with neighbouring
countries
A survey conducted for the European Commission by Eurobarometer confirms
that a significant majority of people in EU Member States support efforts
to intensify co-operation with the countries neighbouring the Union. The
overwhelming majority of those polled believe that working with neighbours
on fighting organised crime and terrorism, on environment and energy, on
economic development, immigration, democracy, education and training is
important. Most Europeans believe that EU assistance to its neighbours can
serve to extend peace and democracy beyond the borders of the Union, and
around half believe that neighbouring countries are indeed willing to co-
operate with the EU to introduce internal reforms.
[03] Floods: Commission allocates € 9.5 million in emergency aid to flood
victims in India, Bangladesh and Nepal
The European Commission has allocated €9.5 million in humanitarian aid to
help flood victims in Bangladesh, India and Nepal. Emergency experts from
the Commission's Humanitarian Aid department, ECHO, have been in the flood
affected areas and will be back soon, liaising with relief agencies on
operations to be funded. The emergency relief focuses on the distribution
of food rations and the provision of drinking water, emergency shelter and
healthcare, in particular to prevent outbreaks of water-borne diseases. The
next step is to assist the recovery of livelihoods, damaged housing and
water-sanitation facilities. The emergency funds are channelled through
ECHO under the responsibility of Louis Michel, the European Commissioner
for Development and Humanitarian Aid.
[04] Kyprianou and Platini kick off football season with joint Commission-
UEFA TV campaign promoting physical activity
The European Commission and the Union of European Football Associations
(UEFA) are launching a joint TV advertising campaign that aims to encourage
European citizens to make physical activity part of their daily lives. The
advert encourages viewers to get out of their armchairs and be physically
active, using the slogan "Go on, get out of your armchair'. Millions of
Europeans are expected to view the advert, as it will be screened free of
charge during the half-time break of this season’s televised Champions
League football games. This initiative comes at a time when poor diets and
low levels of physical activity in Europe account for six of the seven
leading risk factors for ill health in Europe. The lack of physical
exercise, coupled with unbalanced diets, has turned obesity into a serious
public health problem. In most EU Member States more than half of the adult
population is overweight or obese. It is also estimated that almost 22
million children are overweight in the EU and each year this figure is
growing by 400,000.
[05] Enregistrement de quatre dénominations de produits agricoles
La Commission européenne a ajouté quatre dénominations de produits
agricoles et alimentaires la liste des appellations d'origine protégées
(AOP) et indications géographiques protégées (IGP). Il s'agit.du fromage
français "Barèges-Gavarnie" (AOP), du fruit italien "Arancia del Gargano
(PGI) et des biscuits tchèques "Hořické trubičky" (IGP) et
"Lomnické suchary" (IGP). Les quatre dénominations s'ajoutent la liste
d'environ 800 produits déj protégés en vertu de la législation sur la
protection des indications géographiques, des appellations d'origine et
des spécialités traditionnelles. Des renseignements sur les produits de
qualité ainsi que la liste des dénominations protégées sont disponibles
sur l'internet l'adresse : <a
href="http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/foodqual/quali1_fr.htm">http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/foodqual/quali1_fr.htm
[06] Commission to decide on Danish national allocation plan
On Friday 31 August, the European Commission is scheduled to take its
decision on the national allocation plan submitted by Denmark under
Directive 2003/87/EC, which establishes the EU emissions trading scheme for
greenhouse gases.
The decision will be communicated at 12 pm Central European Summer Time
(CEST) via a press release.
The announcement will also be displayed simultaneously on both the
href="http://europa.eu.int/rapid/">http://europa.eu.int/rapid/ and the DG
Environment website at: <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/environment/climat/emission.htm">http://ec.europa.eu/environment/climat/emission.htm
and <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/environment/climat/2nd_phase_ep.htm">http://ec.europa.eu/environment/climat/2nd_phase_ep.htm.
The legal decision will be posted on the DG Environment emissions trading
website at the time of the announcement being made: <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/environment/climat/2nd_phase_ep.htm">http://ec.europa.eu/environment/climat/2nd_phase_ep.htm.
[07] Autre matériel diffuse
[08] Strengthening the European Neighbourhood Policy
[09] Questions and Answers on Commission actions to promote physical
exercise
[10] Questions and Answers on physical activity
Greek forest fires: offers of assistance (table and m
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