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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 08-09-04
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Financial services: Commission nominates members of Expert Group on
Credit Histories
[02] A European research and innovation strategy for ICT: time horizon 2020
[03] Cut red tape to attract venture capital to cutting edge high-tech
research, Commission tells Parliament and Council
[04] Hübner to highlight role of innovation in Cohesion Policy investment
for Northern Germany
[05] Payments: Commission and ECB support launch of pan-European SEPA
Direct Debit; provide guidance to industry
[06] Commission and stakeholders discuss water scarcity and droughts at
Zaragoza World Expo
[07] "European Civic Days" strengthen civil dialogue in Europe
[08] First International Energy Agency (IEA) Review of the EU's Energy
Policy now published
[09] Commissioner Fischer Boel wins International Wine Challenge 'Wine
Personality of the Year 2008'
[10] Commission clears acquisition of Colbison SAS by Abenex Capital and
Natixis Private Equity
[11] Commission clears acquisition of Ranbaxy by Daiichi Sankyo
Midday Express of 2008-09-04
Reference: MEX/08/0904
Date: 04/09/2008
EXME08 / 04.09
MIDDAY EXPRESS
News from the Communication Directorate General's midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction Générale Communicationb
04/09/08
[01] Financial services: Commission nominates members of Expert Group on
Credit Histories
The European Commission has appointed the members of its Expert Group on
Credit Histories (EGCH). The group is composed of experts in the field of
credit data. The group's objective is to identify solutions that will
maximise the circulation of credit data within the EU. The experts will
present their report with recommendations by 1st May 2009.
[02] A European research and innovation strategy for ICT: time horizon 2020
In search of the best strategies to boost Europe's leadership in ICT
(Information and Communications Technology) research and innovation in the
next decade, the European Commission today launched a public consultation.
Contributions from industry, ICT experts, policy-makers and the wider
public will be fed into a new strategy for ICT research and innovation, to
be unveiled next year. The aim is to put European ICT industry, especially
SMEs, to the fore of the race for global competitiveness. The public
consultation is open until 7 November 2008.
[03] Cut red tape to attract venture capital to cutting edge high-tech
research, Commission tells Parliament and Council
The Commission today called on the Parliament and Council to support a new
drive to cut red tape and allow greater flexibility to make European high-
tech research more effective. It was responding to the 'Aho report', the
most comprehensive evaluation of EU ICT research yet, looking beyond the
management of research to evaluate its impact on innovation. The report
highlighted that EU research could be of greater benefit for European
competitiveness by involving and supporting high growth companies and
providing better links between research and venture capital. The Commission,
which has launched several initiatives to involve leading companies in
research (IP/08/910, IP/08/824, IP/08/785), is committed to making the
information and communications technology (ICT) research it supports more
effective in terms of delivering business opportunities. It is also
launching a public consultation that will feed into proposals to this end
in early 2009.
[04] Hübner to highlight role of innovation in Cohesion Policy investment
for Northern Germany
Danuta Hübner, European Commissioner for Regional Policy, will highlight
the role of innovation in regional development on her visit to Northern
Germany, 4-5 September. She will visit Bremen, Hamburg and Schleswig-
Holstein to meet regional authorities and see recent achievements, to
discuss current priorities, and to speak at a symposium on globalisation.
[05] Payments: Commission and ECB support launch of pan-European SEPA
Direct Debit; provide guidance to industry
The European Commission and the European Central Bank (ECB) have encouraged
the European Payments Council ('EPC') to move ahead with the launch of the
SEPA Direct Debit scheme. Under this scheme, bank customers would be able
to arrange direct debits to pay companies with bank accounts in any of the
31 European countries participating in SEPA (Single Euro Payments Area).
The Commission and ECB recognise the potential advantages of the SEPA
Direct Debit scheme, in terms of economies of scale and increased
competition liable to drive efficiency and innovation in the area of
payments to the benefit of European consumers and companies. The Commission
and the ECB have indicated to the EPC that they would be prepared to
support the idea of a 'multilateral interchange fee' for cross border
direct debits within the framework of the SEPA scheme on condition that
such fees were objectively justified and transitional (applicable only for
a limited period).
[06] Commission and stakeholders discuss water scarcity and droughts at
Zaragoza World Expo
At a one-day conference in Zaragoza stakeholders will discuss ways to use
water more efficiently in the European Union. The conference follows the
Communication on water scarcity and droughts presented by the European
Commission in July 2007 and contributions will feed into the report the
Commission is due to publish at the end of 2008 as a follow-up to its
Communication. The report will tackle implementation and monitoring aspects
of the policy options presented in the Communication.
[07] "European Civic Days" strengthen civil dialogue in Europe
The European Commission is launching a new series of events concentrating
on European citizenship. The first will be the "European Civic Days",
taking place in La Rochelle, France, from 4 to 6 September 2008. More than
1,500 people are expected to participate in this event, which will discuss
European citizenship and strengthening civil dialogue in Europe. It will
bring together a wide range of interested parties from associations and non-
governmental organisations, officials from local, regional, national and
European institutions as well as specialists on European citizenship.
Focussing on mobility, the programme includes exchanges, discussions,
workshops and examples of concrete initiatives and best practices.
[08] First International Energy Agency (IEA) Review of the EU's Energy
Policy now published
President of the Commission, José Manuel Barroso and Energy Commissioner
Andris Piebalgs today received the Executive Director of the International
Energy Agency, Nobuo Tanaka who presented the main findings of IEA Review
of the EU's Energy Policy. This is the first time that the IEA has made an
in-depth analysis of European Energy Policy. The Review strongly endorses
the broad outlines of the Commission's energy proposals tabled during the
last year. EMBARGO 12h30
[09] Commissioner Fischer Boel wins International Wine Challenge 'Wine
Personality of the Year 2008'
Mariann Fischer Boel, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development,
was yesterday awarded the Wine Personality of the Year 2008 award by the
International Wine Challenge. The IWC has been running for more than 25
years and is an internationally renowned wine competition (www.internationalwinechallenge.com).
Every year, the IWC names a Wine Personality of the Year. In giving the
award, the IWC said: "In years to come, European wine producers may tell
their children stories about Mariann Fischer Boel. Of how the family
vineyards might have been pulled up and the family winemaking tradition
lost had it not been for the intrepid heroine from the north. She has
dragged the European wine industry into the 21st century, after loud
protests and long arguments. Against huge opposition, she has persuaded
country after country to accept the sometimes bitter medicine of reform.
There have been a few compromises, but the European wine industry is now
prepared to meet the competition from outside Europe leaner and fitter than
it has been for decades. Mariann Fischer Boel has cajoled and persuaded,
argued and negotiated, for two long years. Her reform programme was adopted
by the EU Council of Ministers in April 2008, and came into force on 1st
August. It is a heroic achievement, and she richly deserves to be named the
IWC Wine Personality of the Year 2008.
[10] Commission clears acquisition of Colbison SAS by Abenex Capital and
Natixis Private Equity
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger
Regulation to the acquisition of joint control of Colbison SAS of France by
French companies Abenex Capital and Natixis Private Equity. Abenex Capital
is an investment fund management company. Natixis Private Equity is
responsible for all the venture capital activities of the Natixis group;
specialised in SME-related investments. Colbison SAS is active in
commercial catering under the trade name ‘Buffalo Grill’, related
activities and hotels. The operation was examined under the simplified
merger review procedure.
[11] Commission clears acquisition of Ranbaxy by Daiichi Sankyo
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger
Regulation to the acquisition of sole control of Ranbaxy Laboratories
Limited of India by Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited (DS) of Japan. Both are
pharmaceutical companies. The operation was examined under the simplified
merger review procedure.
A disposition au secrétariat de Jonathan Todd (BERL 03/315):
Notification préalable d'une opération de concentration :
Deutsche Telekom/OTE
Tata / Mubadala / Lochmore / Piaggio
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
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