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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 08-02-12
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Danuta Hübner: Record payments for cohesion policy in 2007
[02] The Commission signs a "contract of Confidence" with Slovenia and
Estonia to reinforce the joint responsibility for control of Structural
Funds and Cohesion Fund expenditure - EMBARGO 15h30 -
[03] Turkey joins EU competitiveness programme
[04] Let's listen to children: They know how to make the Internet a safer
place!
[05] Services financiers: la Commission publie une nouvelle étude sur les
politiques d'investissement des fonds OPCVM
[06] Commission to tackle the links between organised crime and corruption
[07] "Keep children out of the firing line"
[08] GDP per inhabitant in 2005 ranged from 24% of the EU27 average in Nord-
Est in Romania to 303% in Inner London
[09] Commission clears acquisition of UAB Palink by REWE
[10] Commission clears acquisition of Travel by Reitan, SAS, NSB, Marked
and Vizz
[11] Le Commissaire Louis Michel préoccupé par les arrestations de
représentants de l'opposition au Tchad
Midday Express of 2008-02-12
Reference: MEX/08/0212
Date: 12/02/2008
EXME08 / 12.02
MIDDAY EXPRESS
News from the Communication Directorate General's midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction Générale Communicationb
12/02/08
[01] Danuta Hübner: Record payments for cohesion policy in 2007
Cohesion policy budget execution for 2007 was excellent, Danuta Hübner,
Commissioner for Regional Policy, announced today. She presented details of
Member States' record performance in making payments of over EUR 41 billion,
against EUR 33 billion in 2006. New Member States are now approaching
absorption rates close to those of the EU15, she added. As for the next
generation of programmes, running from 2007 to 2013, most of these were
adopted before the end of last year in the fastest-ever programming
exercise to date.
[02] The Commission signs a "contract of Confidence" with Slovenia and
Estonia to reinforce the joint responsibility for control of Structural
Funds and Cohesion Fund expenditure - EMBARGO 15h30 -
At the occasion of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN), the
Commissioner responsible for Regional Policy,Danuta Hübner will sign two
"contracts of confidence" , strengthening further the cooperation between
the Commission and the control authorities of Estonia and Slovenia in
relation to the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Cohesion
Fund.
[03] Turkey joins EU competitiveness programme
Turkey is the third candidate country, after Croatia and the former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, to join the Competitiveness and Innovation
Programme (CIP) under which the European Commission promotes innovation,
entrepreneurship and growth in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Today, European Commission Vice President Günter Verheugen and Mr. Volkan
Bozkir, Ambassador of the Permanent Mission of Turkey to the EU signed a
Memorandum of Understanding formalising the Republic’s entry to the
Entrepreneurship and Innovation pillar of CIP.
[04] Let's listen to children: They know how to make the Internet a safer
place!
Today, 100 organisations in over 50 countries worldwide celebrate Safer
Internet Day. In Brussels a first ever pan-European Youth Forum on Safer
Internet is organised by the European Commission with the participation of
Meglena Kuneva, the EU's Consumer Commissioner. The purpose is to increase
dialogue between children and decision makers on safer Internet issues and
to raise awareness of the best ways for protecting minors online. Safer
Internet Day is organised under the patronage of the EU's Information
Society and Media Commissioner Viviane Reding.
[05] Services financiers: la Commission publie une nouvelle étude sur les
politiques d'investissement des fonds OPCVM
La Commission européenne publie aujourd'hui une importante étude sur les
fonds d'investissement européens, intitulée «analyse comparative de
l'utilisation des capacités d'investissement, des rendements
d'investissement et des facteurs de risque dans les marchés OPCVM1 et non
harmonisés», qui alimentera sa réflexion et ses travaux en vue de la
communication sur les fonds d'investissement non harmonisés, prévue pour
l'automne 2008. Cette étude sera un des éléments examinés lors d'une
audition publique sur les fonds de détail non harmonisés et les fonds
immobiliers que la Commission organise à Bruxelles le 8 avril 2008.
[06] Commission to tackle the links between organised crime and corruption
The European Commission has today issued a staff working document examining
the links between organised crime and corruption. The paper draws together
existing information to identify situations where Organised Crime uses
corruption as a tool for infiltrating the public and private sectors. It
reviews existing counter-measures and concludes that a better understanding
of the links between organised crime and corruption is much needed. The
Commission will therefore launch a study to examine what is an increasingly
disturbing and largely unexplored phenomenon.
[07] "Keep children out of the firing line"
Today marks the International Day against the Use of Child Soldiers. To
mark the occasion the European Commissioners Benita Ferrero-Waldner and
Louis Michel have joined forces to call for a more robust international
response to the curse of child recruitment into armies and irregular
fighting forces.
[08] GDP per inhabitant in 2005 ranged from 24% of the EU27 average in Nord-
Est in Romania to 303% in Inner London
In 2005, GDP per inhabitant, expressed in terms of purchasing power
standards, in the EU27's 271 NUTS-2 regions ranged from 24% of the EU27
average in the region of Nord-Est in Romania, to 303% of the average in
Inner London in the United Kingdom. This information is taken from data
released by Eurostat.
[09] Commission clears acquisition of UAB Palink by REWE
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger
Regulation to the acquisition of sole control of UAB Palink of Lithuania by
REWE-Beteiligungs-Holding International GmbH (REWE International) of
Germany. REWE is active in food and non-food wholesale and retail
(including supermarkets, discount stores and specialist stores), travel and
tourism, principally in Germany. UAB Palink is active in food and non-food
retail in Lithuania and Latvia. The operation was examined under the
simplified merger review procedure.
[10] Commission clears acquisition of Travel by Reitan, SAS, NSB, Marked
and Vizz
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger
Regulation to the acquisition of sole control of Travel AS of Norway by
Reitan Servicehandel AS (Reitan), Norges Statsbaner AS (NSB), Marked AS and
Vizz AS, all of Norway, and SAS AB of Sweden. Travel supplies software and
develops websites for booking passenger transportation and other travel
services. Reitan operates franchising of discount and convenience stores.
SAS is an air transport company and NSB is active in rail and bus
transportation. Market and Vizz are holding companies. The operation was
examined under the simplified merger review procedure.
Rediffusion
[11] Le Commissaire Louis Michel préoccupé par les arrestations de
représentants de l'opposition au Tchad
Après avoir dénoncé dès le 1er février 2008 la tentative de prise de
pouvoir par la force par une alliance rebelle au Tchad, le Commissaire au
Développement et à l'Aide Humanitaire Louis Michel suit avec inquiétude
croissante les conséquences négatives de cette offensive militaire sur le
plan de la réconciliation interne du Tchad suite à l'arrestation de
représentants charismatiques de l'opposition politique républicaine.
Autre matériel diffusé
• Speech by Vice President Kallas on 2006 Budget Discharge
recommendations, at ECOFIN
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
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