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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 09-01-05
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Official launch of the European Year of Creativity and Innovation 2009
[02] A single certificate for safer navigation on European inland waterways
[03] Measures expected to reduce human salmonellosis caused by eggs
[04] Commissioner Vassiliou welcomes entry into force of ban on imports,
exports and trade in cat and dog fur
[05] State aid: Commission approves Spanish guarantee scheme for credit
institutions
[06] State aid: Commission approves first real economy crisis measures
[07] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express of 2009-01-05
Reference: MEX/09/0105
Date: 05/01/2009
EXME09 / 05.01
MIDDAY EXPRESS
News from the Communication Directorate General's midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction Générale Communicationb
05/01/09
[01] Official launch of the European Year of Creativity and Innovation 2009
The Czech Presidency of the EU and European Commission will officially
launch the European Year of Creativity and Innovation 2009 on Wednesday 7
January with the slogan “Imagine. Create. Innovate”. The aim of the
Year is to promote creative and innovative approaches in different sectors
of human activity and help equip the European Union for the challenges
ahead in a globalised world.
[02] A single certificate for safer navigation on European inland waterways
As of 2009, vessels carrying the new European safety certificate are
allowed to navigate on all rivers in the Union, including the Rhine.
According to the new Community rules this single certificate is delivered
on technical requirements for inland waterway vessels. The implementation
of these common rules is a great step forward for the safety of inland
waterway transport in Europe.
[03] Measures expected to reduce human salmonellosis caused by eggs
As of January 1 2009 all eggs from flocks of laying hens, not monitored for
the presence of Salmonella or found positive to Salmonella Enteritidis or
Salmonella Typhimurium, can not be sold as table eggs but must be processed
as egg products and pasteurised in order to eliminate all risks for
consumers. In particular, the measure is expected to reduce considerably
the number of human salmonellosis infections. Restrictions on table eggs
from flocks of layers infected with Salmonella were first adopted in 2003
through Regulation (EC) No 2160/2003 of the European Parliament and of the
Council on the control of Salmonella and other specified food-borne
zoonotic agents. Initially, the restrictions were to enter into force at
the end of 2009. However, high Salmonella prevalence was recorded in flocks
during an EU survey in 2005-2006, and in 2007 it was decided to accelerate
the regulations' enforcement. Commission Regulation (EC) No 1237/2007 set
January 1 2009 as the new date to enforce these restrictions. According to
the European Food Safety Authority's (EFSA) annual reports on the
monitoring of zoonoses, eggs and egg products are responsible for more than
half of all outbreaks of human salmonellosis in the EU where the source of
infection was demonstrated. More than 95% of these infections are caused by
Salmonella Enteritidis or Salmonella Typhimurium. Monitoring for Salmonella
is mandatory in flocks of laying hens since the beginning of 2008. Since
then, whenever Salmonella was detected, measures had to be taken to
eliminate the infection from the farm. However, trade restrictions were not
systematically applied. Because eggs constitute one of the major sources of
human salmonellosis, it is expected that these measures will reduce
considerably the number of cases of infection. The measures also apply to
eggs imported from third countries. Only Croatia, Norway and Switzerland
have provided equivalent guarantees on the safety of eggs. Therefore, only
imports of table eggs from these countries are authorised in the EU.
[04] Commissioner Vassiliou welcomes entry into force of ban on imports,
exports and trade in cat and dog fur
A comprehensive EU ban on imports, exports and intra-Community trade in cat
and dog fur and products containing such fur entered into force on 1
January 2009. European Health Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou said: "I am
delighted that this long awaited measure is now in force, so that European
consumers can be confident that they will no longer be at risk of
inadvertently purchasing products containing cat or dog fur. This ban
reflects the profound attachment that Europeans have to cats and dogs as
companion animals only, and their total rejection of this appalling
practice." The European Commission proposed a ban on cat and dog fur in
November 2006, due to evidence that cat and dog fur was being placed on the
European market, usually undeclared or disguised as synthetic or other
types of fur. Diverging national bans on cat and dog fur threatened to
disrupt the single market. The vast majority of cat and dog fur is believed
to be imported from third countries, notably China, where the rearing of
these animals for their fur is practiced. The Commission's proposal for a
regulation was adopted by the European Parliament and the Council of the
European Union on December 11 2007. It assures EU citizens that cat and dog
fur will no longer be sold anywhere in the EU through a harmonised approach,
prohibiting all production, marketing and imports and exports of cat and
dog fur in the EU. Cat and dog fur, found occasionally on the EU market in
the past, provoked a strong response from EU consumers, who demanded that
measures be taken to prevent such fur and fur products from being sold in
the EU. Tens of thousands of Europeans sent protest letters to the
Commission and handed petitions to Members of the European Parliament. For
more information, see: <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/food/animal/welfare/fur_cats_dogs_en.htm">http://ec.europa.eu/food/animal/welfare/fur_cats_dogs_en.htm
Rediffusion
[05] State aid: Commission approves Spanish guarantee scheme for credit
institutions
The European Commission has approved under EC Treaty State aid rules a
Spanish scheme to support the financial sector by providing guarantees to
eligible financial institutions. The Commission found the measure to be in
line with its Guidance Communication on State aid to overcome the 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).
In particular, the scheme is non-discriminatory, limited in time and scope,
provides for behavioural constraints to avoid abuses and is subject to a
market-oriented remuneration from the beneficiaries. The Commission
therefore concluded that the scheme is an adequate means to remedy a
serious disturbance of the Spanish economy and as such in line with Article
87.3.b of the EC Treaty.
Aides d'État: la Commission autorise le plan italien de recapitalisation
des établissements financiers
La Commission européenne a autorisé le plan de recapitalisation italien
qui vise soutenir le financement de l'économie réelle en mettant des
instruments de fonds propres la disposition des établissements
financiers fondamentalement sains. Après des échanges intensifs avec les
autorités italiennes, la Commission a pu constater que le plan modifié
était conforme sa communication relative aux aides d'État destinées
surmonter la crise financière (voir <a
href="http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/08/1495&format=HTML&aged=0&language=FR&guiLanguage=en">IP/08/1495
et <a href="http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/08/1901&format=HTML&aged=0&language=FR&guiLanguage=en">IP/08/1901).
En particulier, les mesures sont d'une durée et d'une portée limitées,
exigent une rémunération conforme aux conditions du marché et prévoient
suffisamment d'incitations racheter progressivement la participation de
l'État ainsi que des garde-fous de nature éviter les abus. La
Commission est donc parvenue la conclusion que ce plan constituait un
moyen adéquat de remédier une grave perturbation de l'économie
italienne et était, de ce fait, compatible avec l'article 87, paragraphe 3,
point b) du traité CE.
[06] State aid: Commission approves first real economy crisis measures
The European Commission has approved, under EC Treaty state aid rules, two
German real economy crisis measures. The first measure, a EUR 15 billion
German loan programme ("KfW-Sonderprogramm 2009") which is intended to
provide liquidity for undertakings affected by the current credit squeeze,
provides for interest rate reductions on loans to finance investments and
working capital of up to EUR 50 million to be granted to undertakings with
a turnover of less than EUR 500 million. The programme will be administered
by the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW), the main public development
bank in Germany, in close cooperation with the undertakings' own bankers.
The second measure, a Federal framework scheme ("Bundesregelung
Kleinbeihilfen") allows economic policy actors at Federal, regional, and
local level to provide aid of up to EUR 500.000 per undertaking to firms in
need. These are the first cases to be approved under the Commission's new
temporary framework providing Member States with additional possibilities
to tackle the effects of the credit squeeze on the real economy (see <a
href="http://europa.eu.int/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/08/1993"
title="blocked::http://europa.eu.int/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/08/1993">IP/08/1993).
[07] Autre matériel diffusé
• Memo Antitrust: Commission confirms sending Statement of Objections to
EdF on French electricity market
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
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