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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 08-09-26

Midday Express: News from the EU Commission Spokesman's Briefings Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>


CONTENTS / CONTENU

  • [01] Environment: new EU legislation requiring collection and recycling of spent batteries applies from today
  • [02] Politique de Cohésion: la coopération transfrontalière et l'innovation sont les facteurs de dynamisme de la région Friuli Venezia Giulia (Italie)
  • [03] Mandelson urges action to reverse sliding EU investment in China
  • [04] Commission welcomes Council support for plans to combat counterfeiting and piracy more effectively
  • [05] An EU27 surplus in trade in goods with India of € 3.2 billion in 2007
  • [06] Message of Commission Vice-President Günter Verheugen: World Tourism Day 2008
  • [07] Environment: Major disaster simulation exercise tests the response capabilities of ten European countries
  • [08] Mergers: Commission approves proposed acquisition of Volkswagen Ireland by Volkswagen AG
  • [09] Meet tomorrow's top researchers at EU Contest for Young Scientists!
  • [10] Mergers: Commission approves proposed acquisition of Siemens' Home and Office Communication Devices business SHC by Arques Midday Express of 2008-09-26 Reference: MEX/08/0926 Date: 26/09/2008 EXME08 / 26.09

    MIDDAY EXPRESS

    News from the Communication Directorate General's midday briefing

    Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction Générale Communicationb

    26/09/08


  • [01] Environment: new EU legislation requiring collection and recycling of spent batteries applies from today

    Revised EU legislation that aims to protect human health and the environment by ensuring waste batteries are properly collected and recycled applies from today. The directive also makes producers responsible for the management of batteries once they become waste. Adopted by the European Parliament and Council in 2006, the revised Batteries Directive should be transposed by Member States into national law by today. So far seven Member States have communicated to the Commission national legislation which fully transposes the directive.

    [02] Politique de Cohésion: la coopération transfrontalière et l'innovation sont les facteurs de dynamisme de la région Friuli Venezia Giulia (Italie)

    Danuta Hübner, Commissaire européenne la politique régionale, poursuit son déplacement officiel en Italie. Après sa visite hier en Vénétie (IP/08/1400), située aux confins des Alpes, de la Mer Adriatique et des Balkans. Le nouveau programme 2007-2013 conçu par la région dans le cadre de la Politique de Cohésion, se concentre sur le développement de son important potentiel en matière de recherche et d’innovation. Au total, l’action du Fonds Européen de Développement Régional (FEDER) représentera un investissement européen de 74 millions d’euros.

    [03] Mandelson urges action to reverse sliding EU investment in China

    EU Trade commissioner Peter Mandelson has today urged China to act to reverse sliding EU investment rates in China. Noting that EU investment rates in China had been falling since 2005 and that Russia and India had both attracted more EU investment than China, Mandelson said China was facing "tough competition for the world's most productive investment". He urged Chinese authorities to tackle "outdated and unnecessary" restrictions on EU direct investment. Mandelson argued that the EU and China should aim to create an open investment market in green technologies and to use their joint weight to shape the global investment environment that would emerge from the current banking crisis. – EMBARGO 13h00

    [04] Commission welcomes Council support for plans to combat counterfeiting and piracy more effectively

    The Competitiveness Council adopted a Resolution on a comprehensive EU anti- counterfeiting plan. This Resolution adds momentum to existing Commission plans to step up the fight against counterfeiting and piracy.

    [05] An EU27 surplus in trade in goods with India of € 3.2 billion in 2007

    Between 2000 and 2007, EU27 trade in goods with India more than doubled in value: exports rose from €13.7 billion to € 29.5 billion, while imports increased from €12.8 billion to € 26.3 billion. As a result, the EU27 surplus in trade with India increased from € 0.8 billion in 2000 to € 3.2 billion in 2007. This increased surplus was mainly due to a surplus in manufactured goods, which rose from € 0.9 billion in 2000 to € 4.7 billion in 2007. India accounted in 2007 for 2.4% of EU27 exports and 1.8% of EU27 imports, and was the EU27's 9th most important trading partner. On the occasion of the European Union - India summit, which will take place on 29 September in Marseille in France, Eurostat issues data on trade and investments between India and the EU.

    [06] Message of Commission Vice-President Günter Verheugen: World Tourism Day 2008

    The success of tourist destinations is closely linked to the quality of their natural environment, their cultural distinctiveness, the well-being of local populations and their security conditions. If well understood, tourism can act as a driving force for the conservation and environmentally friendly development of territories, while creating welfare opportunities. Building on this unique character of tourism, the Commission recently presented an ‘Agenda for a sustainable and competitive European tourism’. The Agenda calls on all tourism stakeholders: the industry, the local population and authorities, and the tourists themselves, to embrace sustainability principles. It recognizes that, in the long term, European competitiveness and local jobs will largely depend on sustainability patterns. One of the key challenges ahead lies in the risk of global warming if mankind does not find ways to fight vigorously against it. Tourism will inevitably be affected by climate change, but also contributes to it. The tourism industry therefore also needs to find ways to reduce its contribution to greenhouse gas emissions, while tourist destinations should adapt to changes in the pattern of demand and in the types of tourism they offer. Successfully fighting the risks of climate change requires joint efforts and global action. The EU is committed to promote sustainable tourism and to lead by example. We should demonstrate that successful tourism is not in contradiction with ambitious environmental policies, but to the contrary goes hand in hand with it. I am confident that we can make this case and trigger similar action in other touristic places around the world.

    [07] Environment: Major disaster simulation exercise tests the response capabilities of ten European countries

    A major multi-disaster simulation exercise in Hungary and Romania will come to a close today. EU-HUROMEX 2008, a five-day drill, is a series of simulated incidents designed to test countries' response capacities to disasters such as major floods and related accidents. The exercise, which is being co-financed by the Community Civil Protection Mechanism (Mechanism), started on 21 September. The simulation exercise has been organised by Hungary in partnership with Romania. It involves civil protection teams from no less than 10 European countries, including Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia as well as civil protection coordination and assessment experts from the Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, the Netherlands and Norway. The aim of this exercise is to provide training opportunities for actors taking part in international rescue operations during natural disasters such as major floods and post-earthquake conditions. The Monitoring and Information Centre (MIC), which is the central operating hub of the Mechanism and links the civil protection authorities of 30 participating European countries, has facilitated the coordination of the international teams as it does in real emergencies. The European Commission finances 75% of the eligible costs of the exercise. Since its launch in 2001, the Mechanism has monitored close to 100 disasters and has been active in over 60. Boosting Community cooperation when national emergencies arise, some of its most important interventions include Greece's wildfires last year and more recently, this year's cyclone in Myanmar as well as the China's devastating earthquake. For more information: European civil protection – <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/environment/civil/index.htm%20/">http://ec.europa.eu/environment/civil/index.htm / EU-HUROMEX 2008 – <a href="http://www.eu-huromex2008.eu/">http://www.eu- huromex2008.eu/

    Rediffusion

    [08] Mergers: Commission approves proposed acquisition of Volkswagen Ireland by Volkswagen AG

    The European Commission has cleared under the EU Merger Regulation the proposed acquisition of Volkswagen Group Ireland Limited, the exclusive importer and wholesale distributor of Volkswagen, Audi and Skoda vehicles in Ireland, by Volkswagen AG (VWAG) of Germany. After examining the operation, the Commission concluded that the transaction would not significantly impede effective competition in the European Economic Area (EEA) or any substantial part of it.

    [09] Meet tomorrow's top researchers at EU Contest for Young Scientists!

    This year's EU contest for Young Scientists (EUCYS), which was held in Copenhagen, Denmark, rewarded contestants aged 14 - 19 who shared the € 46.500 prize pot. Three projects received first prizes of 7.000 € each shared by Magdalena Bojarska from Poland for “Hamiltonian cycles in generalized Halin graphs", Martin Tkác from Slovakia for “Tilting of bulk materials based on gravitation principle in cargo railway transport”, and Elisabeth Muller from the United Kingdom for "From Microcosm to Magma Oceans: A Lunar Meteorite Perspective". Other prize winners came from Czech Republic, Germany, Ireland, Belarus, France and Latvia. For this 20th anniversary of the EUCYS, the European Commission decided to award a Prize for International Cooperation, for the best project from a Third Country team. In doing so, the Commission underlined the importance of international scientific cooperation in research. The prize, worth € 5.000, was won by Pipa Grierson from New Zealand for "Fighting Facial Eczema".

    [10] Mergers: Commission approves proposed acquisition of Siemens' Home and Office Communication Devices business SHC by Arques

    The European Commission has cleared under the EU Merger Regulation the proposed acquisition of SHC, the Home and Office Communication Devices business of Siemens of Germany, by Arques, also of Germany. SHC is active in the consumer electronics sector. Arques is an investment company. The Commission concluded that the proposed concentration would not significantly impede effective competition in the European Economic Area (EEA) or any substantial part of it. 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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