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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 09-01-08
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] December 2008: Business Climate Indicator reaches an all-time low in
December
[02] December 2008: Economic sentiment falls to record low levels in both
the EU and the euro area
[03] "We are more intelligent together": EU citizens value science and call
for more cooperation at European level
[04] Postal services: EU reforms on track but more progress needed in some
Member States, says Commission report
[05] Financial services: Commission encourages applications for the new
Payment Systems Market Expert Group
[06] Commission asks Council to provide a medium-term loan to Latvia as
part of coordinated multilateral and bilateral financial assistance
[07] Four more countries lift labour market restrictions for Bulgarian and
Romanian workers
[08] Danuta Hübner en Bourgogne (France) se félicite de l’orientation
des investissements européens vers l’innovation et le développement
durable
[09] Euro area unemployment up to 7.8%
[10] Euro area and EU27 GDP down by 0.2%
[11] Commission clears acquisition of Oximeplus by Teijin Pharma and Esteve
Midday Express of 2009-01-08
Reference: MEX/09/0108
Date: 08/01/2009
EXME09 / 08.01
MIDDAY EXPRESS
News from the Communication Directorate General's midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction Générale Communicationb
08/01/09
[01] December 2008: Business Climate Indicator reaches an all-time low in
December
The Business Climate Indicator (BCI) for the euro area fell more markedly
this month than last and reached its lowest level since January 1985. The
continued steep decline of the indicator signals a deteriorating trend in
year-on-year industrial production growth, which is likely to turn out
clearly negative in the fourth quarter. All five underlying components of
the BCI deteriorated. Managers reported a sharp fall in the production
trend observed in recent months while stocks of finished goods increased.
Their assessment of the current overall order books and export order books
is increasingly negative. Looking ahead, production expectations in the
euro area worsened notably compared to last month and are now at their
lowest level since 1985.
[02] December 2008: Economic sentiment falls to record low levels in both
the EU and the euro area
In December, the Economic Sentiment Indicator (ESI) declined considerably
in the EU and the euro area, continuing the sharp fall in sentiment already
observed in the October and November surveys. It fell by 7.0 points in the
EU and by 7.8 points in the euro area, to 63.5 and 67.1 respectively. This
puts the ESI for both the EU and the euro area at its lowest since the
current series was launched in January 1985.
[03] "We are more intelligent together": EU citizens value science and call
for more cooperation at European level
According to a new qualitative study published today regarding the image of
science and the perceptions and attitudes on the European research policy
of the EU citizens, science is highly valued and intimately linked to the
idea of progress. However, science also gives rise to some fears and
reservations – mostly of possible misuse by mankind. The study also
reveals support for a more coordinated European research policy and the
need to pool human and financial resources to do research on issues of
common interest such health, environment or energy. These comments come
from group discussions that were carried out in the 27 European Union
member states during summer 2008 and which included men and women aged 17
to 60 years, drawn from a mix of social groups.
[04] Postal services: EU reforms on track but more progress needed in some
Member States, says Commission report
EU reforms in the postal sector are well on track, but some Member States
need to speed up their transition towards full market opening and to remove
remaining barriers to competition. These are the conclusions of the
European Commission's latest periodical application report on the EU postal
sector. The creation of an Internal Postal Market is included in the Lisbon
Strategy as a crucial element of the EU's single market policy.
[05] Financial services: Commission encourages applications for the new
Payment Systems Market Expert Group
The European Commission is to create a Payment Systems Market Expert Group
(PSMEG). The group will be composed of experts competent in the area of
payments. It will aim to gain inputs on payment issues, including fraud
prevention, from a range of stakeholders, in particular the payment
industry and users. Interested candidates are invited to send an
application to the Commission by 6 February 2009.
[06] Commission asks Council to provide a medium-term loan to Latvia as
part of coordinated multilateral and bilateral financial assistance
The European Commission today agreed to propose to the Council to provide
medium-term financial assistance to Latvia of up to € 3.1 billion. The
proposed European Union loan is the biggest of the contributions put
together with the Nordic countries and the IMF, among others, and which
will total up to €7.5 billion.. The financial assistance is conditional
on a major economic adjustment programme already adopted by the Latvian
government designed to limit and progressively correct the budgetary and
other imbalances. Ultimately, it will put the Latvian economy on a sounder
and more sustainable footing.
[07] Four more countries lift labour market restrictions for Bulgarian and
Romanian workers
Greece, Spain, Hungary and Portugal have lifted restrictions on access to
their labour markets for Bulgarian and Romanian workers, the European
Commission announced today. The four countries join ten other EU Member
States which had already opened their labour markets for workers from
Bulgaria and Romania. Restrictions remain in eleven Member States.
[08] Danuta Hübner en Bourgogne (France) se félicite de l’orientation
des investissements européens vers l’innovation et le développement
durable
La Commissaire Dabuta Hübner sera en Bourgogne le 9 janvier afin de voir
comment la région utilise les investissements européens qui lui ont été
alloués dans le cadre de la politique de cohésion. Elle sera reçue par
le Préfet de la région, M. Christian de Lavernée, et par le Président
du Conseil régional, M. François Patriat. Au Creusot, elle visitera
plusieurs projets qui ont déjà bénéficié du soutien de l’Union
européenne. La ville a parfaitement réussi à diversifier ses activités
économiques en s’appuyant sur son glorieux passé dans la sidérurgie et
en misant sur la recherche et l’innovation.
[09] Euro area unemployment up to 7.8%
The euro area (EA15) seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 7.8% in
November 2008, compared with 7.7% in October. It was 7.2% in November 2007.
The EU27 unemployment rate was 7.2% in November 2008, compared with 7.1% in
October. It was 6.9% in November 2007. Eurostat estimates that 17.466
million men and women in the EU27, of which 12.180 million were in the euro
area, were unemployed in November 2008. Compared with October 2008, the
number of persons unemployed increased by 274 000 in the EU27 and by 202
000 in the euro area. Compared with November 2007, unemployment went up by
1 134 000 in the EU27 and by 1 059 000 in the euro area. These figures are
published by Eurostat.
[10] Euro area and EU27 GDP down by 0.2%
GDP declined by 0.2% in both the euro area (EA15) and the EU27 during the
third quarter of 2008, compared with the previous quarter, according to
second estimates from Eurostat. In the second quarter of 2008, growth rates
were -0.2% in the euro area and 0.0% in the EU27. In comparison with the
same quarter of the previous year, seasonally adjusted GDP grew in the
third quarter of 2008 by 0.6% in the euro area and by 0.8% in the EU27,
after +1.4% and +1.7% respectively in the previous quarter. In the third
quarter of 2008 and among the Member States for which seasonally adjusted
GDP data are available, Slovakia (+1.5%) recorded the highest growth rate
compared with the previous quarter, followed by Ireland and Poland (both
+1.2%).
[11] Commission clears acquisition of Oximeplus by Teijin Pharma and Esteve
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger
Regulation to the acquisition of joint control of Oximeplus, S.A. of Spain
by Teijin Pharma Limited of Japan and Laboratorios del Dr. Esteve, S.A.
(Esteve) of Spain. Teijin Pharma supplies solutions for both
pharmaceuticals and home health care. Esteve manufactures and markets
pharmaceutical preparations and drugs intended for human and veterinary
use. Oximeplus provides hospital and home oxygen therapy. The operation was
examined under the simplified merger review procedure.
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
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