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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 08-11-25Midday 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 Communicationb25/11/08[01] La Commissaire Hübner adresse les ministres européens sur le rôle- clé de la politique de cohésion dans le plan européen de relance économiqueDanuta Hübner, Commissaire à la politique régionale, participe du 25 au 26 novembre à Marseille à la rencontre informelle des ministres européens responsables du logement, du développement urbain et de l'aménagement du territoire et de la politique de cohésion. Aujourd'hui, le 25 novembre, la Commissaire interviendra pendant le débat sur le développement urbain de la politique de cohésion dans le cadre du débat "Vers la ville durable et solidaire". Le 26 novembre elle présentera trois sujets: le Livre vert sur la cohésion territoriale; la future de la politique de cohésion, et le rôle-clé de la politique dans le plan de relance économique de la Commission européenne. En particulier, elle discutera quatre principaux défis auxquels les régions d'Europe seront confrontées dans les années à venir: la mondialisation, les changements démographiques et climatiques, l'énergie.[02] Euro-African Conference in Paris on migration and development: the Commission asks its partners to deliver on their commitmentsToday, 25 November, in Paris, France is hosting the second Euro-African Ministerial Conference on migration and development, during which the African and European partners will take note of the reinforcement of the dialogue in the context of the Rabat process and the existence of a Euro- African consensus on a global approach to migration. They are also expected to commit themselves further to developing a genuinely operational relationship by adopting a multi-annual cooperation programme to ensure balanced and concerted management of migration in West Africa. The European Commission supports the Euro-African dialogue on migration and development, and will continue to act as a driving force in ensuring that it takes the form of cooperation initiatives.[03] Children in action for women's rights: drawing exhibition at International Day for the Elimination of Violence against WomenAlmost 30,000 children, aged between 8 and 10, from all corners of the globe have participated to a drawing competition on the theme of gender equality, launched for the second year running by the European Commission on 8 March 2008, on the occasion of the Women's International Day. The drawings of the finalists that censured the violence against women will be exhibited in Brussels from 26 November to 18 December 2008.[04] Remise du Prix Jean Monnet 2008: le Professeur Dai Bingran (Shanghaï) est honoré pour son action académique à promouvoir et à faire connaître l'Union européenneLe Commissaire Ján Figel' a décerné aujourd'hui le Prix Jean Monnet 2008 au Professeur Dai Bingran de l'université Fudan, Shanghaï, pour son engagement en faveur de l'enseignement sur l'intégration européenne. Cette remise du prix a eu lieu, en présence notamment du Président de la Commission européenne, José Manuel Barroso, lors de la Conférence Jean Monnet/ECSA Monde "L'Europe des réalisations dans un monde en mutation". La conférence, qui a débuté au Parlement européen le 24 novembre 2008, s'attache à nouveau à approfondir le débat sur le rôle de l'Union européenne, et cette fois plus particulièrement sur l'innovation et la compétitivité internationale.[05] State aid: Commission approves Latvian state support for JSC Parex BankaThe European Commission has approved, under EC Treaty state aid rules, the emergency support intended to facilitate the financing of JSC Parex Banka. The Commission found the aid to be in line with its guidance Communication on state aid to overcome the current financial crisis (see <a href="http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/08/1495&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en">IP/08/1495). The aid is necessary to avoid a serious disturbance in the Latvian economy. The measures are limited in time and scope to the minimum necessary to restore the financing, require an adequate fee level and provide safeguards to minimise distortions of competition. They are therefore compatible with Article 87.3.b. of the EC Treaty.[06] Affaires maritimes: la Commission encourage la planification de l'espace maritime en EuropeLa Commission a adopté aujourd'hui une feuille de route pour la planification de l'espace maritime, un nouvel instrument destiné à résoudre les problèmes causés par l'intensification des rivalités concernant l'utilisation de la mer. L'idée maîtresse de cette feuille de route est de faciliter la planification des espaces marins et côtiers afin d'exploiter de manière durable le potentiel de croissance des secteurs maritimes au sein de l'Union européenne. La planification de l'espace maritime peut également aider les zones côtières à se préparer aux effets du changement climatique, tels que l'élévation du niveau de la mer, les inondations, la dégradation des écosystèmes marins et les investissements pour protéger le littoral.[07] Fisheries: Commission satisfied with ICCAT decisions to save bluefin tunaThe European Commission is pleased with the consensus reached yesterday by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT) meeting in Marrakech, Morocco, to strengthen decisively the fifteen-year recovery plan for Eastern bluefin tuna, to protect endangered porbeagles in the Atlantic and to reduce the fishing season on Mediterranean swordfish. Through a combination of substantially reduced fishing opportunities, shorter fishing seasons, ambitious new control measures, and a landmark agreement on controlling both fishing and farming capacity, there will be an immediate and significant reduction in fishing pressure on the fragile bluefin tuna stock. The total allowable catch (TAC) for 2009 has been reduced to 22 000 tonnes, as compared to 28 500 tonnes in 2008, and will be decreased further to 19 950 tonnes in 2010 – a reduction of 30% over two years. Subject to an early reassessment of the stock in 2010, it is also envisaged to further reduce the TAC to 18 500 tonnes in 2011. These catch limits will be backed up by a four-month reduction in the fishing season for the purse seine fleet. In a separate decision, ICCAT also established a systematic peer-review system to assess the compliance of all its members, with the power to impose rapid and effective sanctions. Both these recommendations were adopted on the basis of proposals tabled jointly by the EU, Japan and a majority of the Mediterranean coastal states.2009 guide prices for fisheries products: increase for most small pelagic species, decrease for white fish and frozen products Today, the European Commission adopted its annual proposal on next year’s guide prices for fresh and frozen fisheries products as well as the EU producer price for tuna for processing. The Commission proposes to decrease guide prices for the majority of white fish species, by between –0.5 % and –1.5 %. The market for white fish deteriorated in the first half of 2008, with considerable drops in prices. The market for small pelagic species has improved, and an increase of 0.5 % to 2 % is proposed, except for mackerel and Spanish mackerel (decreases of between –1.5 % and –2 %). For crustaceans there are increases for shrimps and prawns (between 0.5 % and 3 %) but decreases for crab and Norway lobster. For frozen products, the prices have tended to decrease over the past year following decreasing prices on the international markets. The Commission proposes decreases of between –1 % and –3 %. Finally, the Commission proposes to increase the EU producer price for yellowfin tuna by 2 %. The Commission proposals are based on Member States' average market prices over the previous three years. Other important factors also taken into account include trends in production and market demand, the interests of consumers and the need to avoid withdrawals of fisheries products from the market. For full details of the Commission's proposal, see table at: <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/fisheries/press_corner/press_releases/2008/com08_88_en.htm">http://ec.europa.eu/fisheries/press_corner/press_releases/2008/com08_88_en.htm [08] Fisheries: EU leads way on protecting sharks in ICCATYesterday the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) reached a limited agreement on the ambitious shark protection measures proposed earlier in the week by the EU (<a href="http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/08/1741&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en">IP/08/1741). As initially tabled, these measures, elaborated in full collaboration with the EU Member States involved in these fisheries and with relevant European NGOs, would have effectively led to an end of fishing for all species of thresher and hammerhead sharks and a freeze of fishing effort on blue and shortfin mako sharks. At this year's ICCAT annual meeting, however, it proved impossible to obtain the agreement of all ICCAT members, and in particular those involved in these fisheries, on the full range of measures proposed. However, ICCAT was able to agree on an obligation to release any bigeye thresher sharks caught alive. Bigeye thresher sharks have been singled out by recent scientific advice as being especially highly endangered. ICCAT also agreed to the proposal tabled by the EU to put in place in 2009 a formal process with other concerned Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs) to decide on coordinated management measures for porbeagle stocks throughout the Atlantic Ocean. These results fall far short of the EU's ambitions and of civil society's expectations. However, the European Commission trusts that they will prove just the first step towards a range of effective ICCAT measures to protect these vulnerable members of the Atlantic ecosystem. The Commission is committed to making shark protection one of its top priorities for 2009, and will shortly be publishing an EU Action Plan on Sharks. This priority will be reflected in our work not just in ICCAT, but in RFMOs around the world.[09] CAP: Call for tender for study on prospects for forestry sectorThe European Commission has launched a call for tender for a study on prospects for the market supply of wood and other forest products from areas with fragmented forest-ownership structures. The main objective of this study is to identify the most appropriate measures for increasing the market supply of wood and other forest biomass from areas where forests are held by many individuals owning relatively small parcels of forest. The main question asked in this respect is how to achieve an increase in wood output of EU forests, while respecting the principles of sustainable forest management? In addressing this question, the study is expected to analyse the conditions under which fragmented ownership can hamper placement of wood on the market and propose solutions to overcome the obstacles for wood mobilisation. The maximum budget attributed to this study is € 250 000. The deadline for submitting offers expires on 10 February 2009. The Commission intends to award the contract in the first half of 2009, following the evaluation of the offers received. The contractor will have to carry out the study within 13 months from the signature of the contract. <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/agriculture/tenderdocs/2008/302449/index_en.htm">http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/agriculture/tenderdocs/2008/302449/index_en.htm[10] Autre matériel diffusé• Speech by Commissioner Hübner 'EU- China co-operation in the area of cohesion policy: current state and perspectives', China• Speech by Commissioner Hübner 'Convent of Marshalls', Brussels – in Polish only • Speech by Commissioner Dimas 'Climate Change – The Global Challenge', London • Discours du Président Barroso sur la Contribution de la Finance au Développement Durable, Paris • Speech by Commissioner Reding 'Why ICT research is even more important in the aftermath of the financial crisis', Lyon • Speech by Commissioner Almunia ' Securing better economies and societies in an ageing Europe', Brussels - EMBARGO 13h00 CET • Speech by Commissioner Dimas 'REACH, an informed and responsible chemicals policy', London A disposition au secrétariat de Jonathan Todd (BERL 03/315): Notification préalable d'une opération de concentration : REWE/Coop Switzerland/transGourmet Holding SE Hutchison/Evergreen Hargreaves/Evonik/JV
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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