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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 08-10-31
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Commissioner HĂĽbner and Commissioner Ĺ pidla to address French
Presidency conference on territorial cohesion and future Cohesion Policy
[02] European Youth Week 2008: The future challenges for youth on the top
of the agenda
[03] Aide d'État: la Commission autorise le régime français de
refinancement des établissements de crédit
[04] State aid: Commission approves Dutch guarantee scheme for financial
institutions
[05] “Barcelona Process: Union for the Mediterranean”: Ministers meet
in Marseille to endorse its working modalities and to agree priorities for
2009
[06] Commission proposes financial assistance to Hungary and an increase in
overall BoP loans ceiling
[07] Euro area inflation estimated at 3.2%
[08] Euro area unemployment stable at 7.5%
[09] Commission clears acquisition of Appliances Components Companies,
Bianchi Vending and Finder by Goldman Sachs
[10] Democratic Republic of Congo: Commissioner Michel continues regional
shuttle diplomacy and announces €4 million humanitarian aid for
vulnerable people in North Kivu
[11] Danuta HĂĽbner en Martinique: plus de croissance avec la politique de
cohésion
[12] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express of 2008-10-31
Reference: MEX/08/1031
Date: 31/10/2008
EXME08 / 31.10
MIDDAY EXPRESS
News from the Communication Directorate General's midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction Générale Communicationb
31/10/08
[01] Commissioner HĂĽbner and Commissioner Ĺ pidla to address French
Presidency conference on territorial cohesion and future Cohesion Policy
The European Commission and French Presidency of the European Union, in
partnership with the EU Committee of the Regions and Association of French
Regions, are holding a conference in Paris on territorial cohesion and the
future Cohesion Policy on 30-31 October. Danuta HĂĽbner, Commissioner for
Regional Policy, and Vladimir Ĺ pidla, Commissioner for Employment, Social
Affairs and Equal Opportunities, will both address the event, which
provides the first major opportunity to debate the Commission's recently
published Green Paper on territorial cohesion (see IP/08/1460).
[02] European Youth Week 2008: The future challenges for youth on the top
of the agenda
The future challenges for young people will be placed at the top of the
agenda during the fourth edition of the European Youth Week, to be held
from 2-9 November 2008. An unprecedented number of political debates,
cultural and other activities will be organised in all corners of Europe,
with numerous activities taking place in Brussels for some 200 selected
young participants.
[03] Aide d'État: la Commission autorise le régime français de
refinancement des établissements de crédit
La Commission européenne a autorisé, en vertu des règles du
traité CE relatives aux aides d'État, un mécanisme de refinancement des
dettes destiné à des établissements de crédit, conçu par la France pour
stabiliser les marchés financiers. Ce régime prévoit notamment un accès
non discriminatoire, il est limité dans le temps et dans sa portée et
établit des mesures de garantie adéquates de manière à réduire au
minimum les distorsions de la concurrence. La Commission a conclu que le
régime constitue un moyen approprié, nécessaire et proportionné pour
remédier à une perturbation grave de l'économie française et est, à ce
titre, compatible avec les règles de l'UE sur les aides d'Etat (Article
87.3.b) telles qu'explicitées dans la Communication sur leur application
aux banques en temps de crise (voir IP/08/1495).
[04] State aid: Commission approves Dutch guarantee scheme for financial
institutions
The European Commission has approved, under EC Treaty state aid rules, a
Dutch guarantee scheme intended to restore and facilitate the financing of
Dutch financial institutions, which is hampered by the drying up of the
interbank lending market. This in turn endangers the provision of loans to
companies and households. The Commission found the scheme to be in line
with its Guidance Communication on state aid to overcome the current
financial crisis (see IP/08/1495). The scheme constitutes an adequate means
to remedy a serious disturbance in the Dutch economy while avoiding undue
distortions of competition and is therefore compatible with Article 87.3.b.
of the EC Treaty. In particular, the scheme provides for non discriminatory
access, is limited in time and scope, requires an adequate guarantee fee
and provides safeguards to minimise distortions of competition.
[05] “Barcelona Process: Union for the Mediterranean”: Ministers meet
in Marseille to endorse its working modalities and to agree priorities for
2009
Foreign Ministers from all 43 states of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership
meet in Marseille on 3-4 November to endorse plans for the mandate,
structure and institutional governance of the Barcelona Process: Union for
the Mediterranean. The initiative, launched at the Paris Summit of 13th
July, aims at injecting a renewed political momentum into the EU’s
relations with the Mediterranean through the reinforcement of shared
ownership and the achievement of wider visibility through a far-reaching
programme of projects. To these ends, Ministers will examine the details of
the Commission's proposals for the functioning of the co-presidency as well
as the composition, seat and funding of the Secretariat. In efforts to
advance the regional integration process, Ministers will also agree on
priorities for the 2009 working programme.
[06] Commission proposes financial assistance to Hungary and an increase in
overall BoP loans ceiling
The European Commission has formally proposed to grant financial assistance
for Hungary's balance of payments (BoP). It has also proposed to raise the
overall ceiling foreseen in the Regulation establishing a facility
providing medium-term financial assistance to European Union countries'
BoPs to €25 billion from €12 billion at present. Both proposals have
been sent to Member States which are expected to endorse them at the
finance ministers' meeting (ECOFIN) on 4 November. In the case of the
amended ceiling, however, the European Parliament and the European Central
Bank will need to give their opinions to the Council before the formal
adoption. Despite considerable efforts since mid-2006 to correct its
budgetary position and external imbalances, the Hungarian financial markets
came under severe stress this month as the global financial crisis deepened
and broadened. In view of this, the Hungarian government has now taken
steps to accelerate the deficit reduction and to improve fiscal governance
as part of a comprehensive economic programme to foster market confidence.
[07] Euro area inflation estimated at 3.2%
Euro area annual inflation is expected to be 3.2% in October 2008 according
to a flash estimate issued by Eurostat. It was 3.6% in September. Euro area
inflation is measured by the Monetary Union Index of Consumer Prices
(MUICP). To compute the MUICP flash estimates, Eurostat uses early price
information relating to the reference month from Member States for which
data are available as well as early information about energy prices. The
flash estimation procedure for the MUICP combines historical information
with partial information on price developments in the most recent months to
give a total index for the euro area. No detailed breakdown is available.
Experience has shown the procedure to be reliable (15 times exactly
anticipating the inflation rate and 9 times differing by 0.1 over the last
two years). Further information can be found in Eurostat News Release
113/2001 of 5 November 2001.
[08] Euro area unemployment stable at 7.5%
The euro area (EA15) seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate stood at 7.5% in
September 2008, stable compared with August. It was 7.3% in September 2007.
The EU271 unemployment rate was 7.0% in September 2008, compared with 6.9%
in August. It was 7.0% in September 2007. Eurostat estimates that 16.710
million men and women in the EU27, of which 11.691 million were in the euro
area, were unemployed in September 2008. Compared with August 2008, the
number of persons unemployed increased by 32 000 in the EU27 and by 52 000
in the euro area. Compared with September 2007, unemployment went up by 132
000 in the EU27 and by 507 000 in the euro area. These figures are
published by Eurostat.
[09] Commission clears acquisition of Appliances Components Companies,
Bianchi Vending and Finder by Goldman Sachs
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger
Regulation to the acquisition of joint control of Appliances Components
Companies SpA (ACC) of Italy, Bianchi Vending Group SpA (Bianchi) of Italy
and Finder SpA (Finder) of Italy and the group of companies controlled by
each of them by Goldman Sachs Private Equity Holding LP, controlled by
Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (Goldman Sachs) of the USA, Mr Antonio Corbani and
Mr Ferdinando Gelosa. Goldman Sachs is active in investment banking and
securities. ACC manufactures motors for the wet industry (washing machines,
dryers and dishwashers) and compressors for commercial and household
refrigerators. Bianchi manufactures vending machines. Finder manufactures
industrial pumps and filters. The operation was examined under the
simplified merger review procedure.
Rediffusion
[10] Democratic Republic of Congo: Commissioner Michel continues regional
shuttle diplomacy and announces €4 million humanitarian aid for
vulnerable people in North Kivu
Louis Michel, European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid,
is undertaking shuttle diplomacy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
(DRC) and Rwanda in an effort to assist towards a diplomatic and political
solution to the current crisis. Today he met DRC President, Joseph Kabila
in Kinshasa. Tomorrow, he will meet with Rwandan President Paul Kagame in
Kigali.
[11] Danuta HĂĽbner en Martinique: plus de croissance avec la politique de
cohésion
Danuta Hübner, la Commissaire chargée de la Politique régionale est en
Martinique, pour rencontrer les autorités qui gèrent les fonds
structurels européens. Elle s’entretiendra avec M. Ange Mancini, le
Préfet de la région. A Fort-de-France, capitale de Martinique, la
Commissaire visitera deux projets qui ont bénéficié de l’aide
communautaire: une maternité de référence européenne et un projet
d’incinération des déchets ménagers. Pour la période 2007-2013, la
région bénéficie d’un nouvel investissement de € 417 millions du
Fonds européen de développement régional (FEDER).
[12] Autre matériel diffusé
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action'
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• Calendrier hebdomadaire du 3 au 9 novembre
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From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
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