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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 08-06-13Midday Express: News from the EU Commission Spokesman's Briefings Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>CONTENTS / CONTENU
MIDDAY EXPRESSNews from the Communication Directorate General's midday briefingNouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction Générale Communicationb13/06/08[01] Commission encourages Romania to pursue budgetary consolidation as well as reformsThe European Commission today advised the government of Romania to pursue with determination the consolidation of government finances while remaining on the path of economic reforms. This two-pronged approach is necessary to address the growing imbalances in the economy, while allowing Romania to continue its fast convergence towards the average income levels in the EU. This is economic and budgetary policy advice under the revised Stability and Growth Pact agreed on in 2005 by all European Union countries.[02] Internal Market: Commissioner McCreevy to host high-level conference on postal market reformOn 24 June 2008 Internal Market and Services Commissioner McCreevy will host a high-level conference on postal market reform: "The EU Internal Market for Postal Services – creating it together". The conference will mark the start of the final and decisive phase of EU postal market reform and is the Commission's immediate follow-up on the adoption of the new Postal Directive 2008/6/EC earlier this year. After gradual market opening in recent years, remaining legal monopolies on postal markets are set to be abolished by 31 December 2010. The vision of sustainable and open postal markets with high-quality postal services that contribute effectively to growth, employment and competitiveness can now become a reality. Commissioner McCreevy will deliver a strong message at the conference that creating a sustainable postal internal market is a joint responsibility and that it takes more than the abolishing of the legal monopolies to meet this target. Key-note speakers at the conference include Competition Commissioner Kroes, MEP Ferber, Portuguese Minister Lino and Greek Minister Hatzidakis. All relevant players in the postal sector reaching from Member States to operators will be represented at high level.[03] Les prix européens de l'éducation et la formation tout au long de la vie récompensent d'excellents projets en faveur de la mobilitéLes prix européens de l'éducation et la formation tout au long de la vie 2008 ont été décernés aujourd'hui quinze excellents projets réalisés dans ce domaine avec le soutien financier de l'Union européenne. Cette année, l'accent était mis sur «la qualité dans la mobilité». Ces prix ont été remis par Ján Figel', commissaire européen chargé de l'éducation, de la formation, de la culture et de la jeunesse, et par Milan Zver, ministre slovène de l'éducation et des sports, l'occasion d'une conférence tenue Ljubljana, en Slovénie.[04] EU to maintain suspension of import duties on cerealsMariann Fischer Boel, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, today announced that the suspension of cereal import duties will remain in force for the next marketing year - which will end on June 30, 2009 – unless market conditions justify their reintroduction before that date. The proposal, which was put to the Management Committee for cereals today, is a reaction to the continuing tight situation on the cereals markets and the resulting high price levels. At the same time, there are no export refunds on cereal exports.[05] Reducing work-related accidents and illness through better risk assessmentEvery year 5,720 people die in the European Union as a consequence of work- related accidents, according to EUROSTAT figures . Besides that, the International Labour Organisation estimates that an additional 159,500 workers in the EU die every year from occupational diseases. Taking both figures into consideration, it is estimated that every three-and-a-half minutes somebody in the EU dies from work-related causes. Most of these accidents and diseases are preventable, and the first step in preventing them is risk assessment. That is the message of “Healthy Workplaces. Good for you. Good for business.”, the Europe-wide information campaign on risk assessment, launched by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA). The campaign focuses especially on high-risk sectors such as construction, healthcare and agriculture, and on the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises. It will run over two years (2008-09).[06] Bangladesh: Commission supports recovery and rehabilitation after SIDR cyclone with €13 millionThe European Commission will provide €13 million to support the sustainable recovery and rehabilitation of agriculture-based and non- agriculture-based livelihoods in coastal areas severely affected by cyclone SIDR which struck Bangladesh on 15 November 2007. This action will help to link the relief phase, for which ECHO has already provided €20.425 million, and the longer term reconstruction and development of the affected areas.[07] Europe's mental health in the spotlightCommissioner for Health Androulla Vassiliou launches the European Pact for Mental Health and Well-Being at the High Level Conference on Mental Health in Brussels today. This is the first conference to bring together ministers, experts, patients, health professionals, researchers and high profile personalities and other stakeholders to agree future joint actions to improve mental health in Europe. The Pact is a call for partnership action. It recognises the health, social and economic benefits of good mental health for all and the need to overcome the taboo and stigma still associated with mental illness. An estimated 11% of Europeans experience some form of mental illness each year. Such disorders can lead to suicides, with one person every 9 minutes committing suicide in the EU. To address this problem and to benefit from shared experience, ministers and experts from across Europe pledged to work together and focus on 5 key areas: prevention of suicide and depression; mental health in youth and education; mental heath in workplace settings; mental health in older people; combating stigma and social exclusion.[08] EU Commissioner for Science and Research, Janez Potočnik, visits Japan and will attend the first G8 meeting on Science and TechnologyAt the first ever G8 meeting of Science and Technology ministers on 15 June in Okinawa, Japan, EU Commissioner Janez Potočnik will stress the importance and potential of increased international science and technology cooperation in addressing shared global challenges like climate change and energy. On 16 June, he will pay a visit to Tokyo. He will discuss bilateral EU – Japan cooperation in meetings with Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Mr Kisaburo Tokai, and Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Mr Akira Amari. At the Tokyo University, he will launch a new network of European researchers in Japan. A press briefing will be held at the Delegation of the European Commission.[09] Commissioner Piebalgs welcomes the 35th anniversary of Russian gas supplies to VNG in LeipzigEnergy Commissioner Piebalgs attended the celebration of the 35th anniversary of Russian gas supplies to VNG in Leipzig today. This is one of the oldest contracts in the EU and underlines the ongoing beneficial symbiosis between the EU and its largest external gas supplier.[10] EU launches investigation into US biodiesel importsThe EU has today initiated anti-subsidy and anti-dumping investigations into imports of biodiesel from the United States. Examination by the European Commission of complaints lodged by European industry found that an investigation was warranted – sufficient evidence was provided of subsidies to the US biodiesel sector, as well as dumping of biodiesel in the European market. The complainant has argued that this has had an adverse effect on the European biodiesel industry. A detailed investigation by the Commission will now determine whether measures are justified under EU trade rules.[11] Bluefin tuna campaign: Commission announces closure of purse seine fisheryThe European Commission has today announced that it is closing the bluefin tuna fishery in the Mediterranean and Eastern Atlantic for the purse seine fleets, as it deems that the quotas allocated to them will shortly have been exhausted. Purse seiners from Greece, France, Italy, Cyprus and Malta will be prohibited from fishing as of 00h00 16 June, and purse seiners from Spain will be prohibited from fishing as of 00h00 23 June. The decision is based on the data and information in the possession of the Commission. Other segments of the fleet which still have quota available are free to continue fishing. The closure of the purse seine fishery is necessary to protect this fragile resource, and ensure the recovery of the stock in line with the 15-year recovery plan agreed by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT). The Commission is determined to use all necessary means to prevent a recurrence of the substantial overfishing seen in 2007.[12] Hausse de 0,3% de l'emploi dans la zone euro et dans l'UE27Le nombre de personnes ayant un emploi dans la zone euro (ZE15) a progressé de 0,3% (446 000 personnes) au premier trimestre 2008 par rapport au trimestre précédent, selon des estimations basées sur les comptes nationaux et publiées par Eurostat. Au cours de la même période, le nombre de personnes ayant un emploi dans l'UE27 a aussi augmenté de 0, 3% (753 000 personnes). Au quatrième trimestre 2007, les taux de croissance avaient été de +0,3% dans les deux zones. Ces chiffres sont corrigés des variations saisonnières.[13] Euro area labour costs rose by 3.3%Total hourly labour costs in the euro area (EA15) rose by 3.3% in nominal terms in the year up to the first quarter of 2008, compared with 2.9% for the previous quarter2. In the EU271, the annual rise was 4.3% up to the first quarter of 2008, compared with 3.6% for the previous quarter. The two main components of labour costs are wages & salaries and non-wage costs. In the euro area, wages & salaries grew by 3.7% in the year up to the first quarter of 2008, and non-wage costs by 2.3%, compared with 3.2% and 2.0% respectively for the fourth quarter of 2007. In the EU27, wages & salaries rose by 4.7% and the non-wage component by 3.1%. For the previous quarter the corresponding rates were 3.9% and 2.7%. The breakdown by economic activity shows that in the euro area hourly labour costs rose at an annual rate of 3.7% in industry, 4.0% in construction and 3.0% in services up to the first quarter of 2008. In the EU27, labour costs grew by 4.7% in industry, 5.0% in construction and 4.0% in services. These figures come from Eurostat.[14] European Group on Ethics to hold a public roundtable debate on the issues related to Modern Developments in Agriculture TechnologiesThe European Group on Ethics (EGE), an independent, advisory body to the European Commission on ethical aspects of science and new technologies, will hold a public roundtable debate on 18 June 2008 in the context of preparing an Opinion on Ethical aspects of Modern Developments in Agriculture Technologies to be issued to the European Commission in December 2008. Topics that will be addressed in the Opinion include, inter alia: Food security and Sustainability in agriculture, The Common Agriculture Policy, Biotechnology, Global trade and Bio-fuels.[15] Autre matériel diffusé• Memo on Antitrust: Commission notes MasterCard's decision to temporarily repeal its cross-border Multilateral Interchange Fees within the EEA• Speech du Commissaire Ferrero-Waldner 'La Conférence Internationale pour le Soutien de l'Afghanistan', Paris • Speech du Commissaire Vladimir pidla - Améliorer la Santé Mentale dans l'Union Européenne, dans le cadre de la Conférence EU sur la santé mentale, Bruxelles • Speech by Commissioner Piebalgs on 'Security of EU energy supplies', Leipzig • Calendrier du 16 au 22 juin • Top News from the European Commission A disposition au secrétariat de Jonathan Todd (BERL 03/315): Notification préalable d'une opération de concentration : Dupont / Danisco
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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