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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 09-02-03
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] High quality industrial relations can help EU face crisisA
European Commission report published today shows that structured dialogue
between workers' and employers' representatives can help the EU face the
economic crisis. High quality industrial relations are a key element in
managing economic change and reducing its costs, helping workers and
companies adapt to change while protecting them from transitory shocks.
[02] Western Balkans: enhancing the European perspective – update 2009
[03] Aides d'État: la Commission autorise un régime temporaire français
permettant d’accorder des prêts bonifiés aux entreprises fabriquant des
produits verts
[04] Industrial producer prices down by 1.3% in euro area
[05] Enregistrement de quatre dénominations de produits agricoles
[06] Health effects of electromagnetic fields: Commission's Scientific
Committee adopts opinion
[07] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express of 2009-02-03
Reference: MEX/09/0203
Date: 03/02/2009
EXME09 / 03.02
MIDDAY EXPRESS
News from the Communication Directorate General's midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction Générale Communicationb
03/02/09
[01] High quality industrial relations can help EU face crisisA
European Commission report published today shows that structured dialogue
between workers' and employers' representatives can help the EU face the
economic crisis. High quality industrial relations are a key element in
managing economic change and reducing its costs, helping workers and
companies adapt to change while protecting them from transitory shocks.
[02] Western Balkans: enhancing the European perspective – update 2009
Progress in visa liberalisation, more scholarships, and more opportunities
in research – the Commission updates its initiatives to support the
political and economic development in the countries of the Western Balkans,
thus helping to accelerate their progress on the road towards EU
membership.
[03] Aides d'État: la Commission autorise un régime temporaire français
permettant d’accorder des prêts bonifiés aux entreprises fabriquant des
produits verts
La Commission européenne a autorisé, en vertu des règles du traité CE
sur les aides d'État, un régime offrant des prêts à taux réduits aux
entreprises investissant dans la fabrication de produits verts. Cette aide
s'inscrit dans la série de mesures adoptées par la France pour faire face
à la crise économique actuelle. Cette aide vise en particulier à soulager
les entreprises qui rencontrent des problèmes de financement en raison du
resserrement du crédit, tout en facilitant leur investissement dans des
produits apportant un bénéfice environnemental. Grâce à ce régime, les
pouvoirs publics, en particulier les collectivités territoriales, peuvent
accorder jusqu'au 31 décembre 2010 des prêts bonifiés, pour une durée
de deux ans au maximum. Le régime remplit les conditions de
l’encadrement temporaire de la Commission relatif aux aides d’Etat qui
donne aux États membres des possibilités supplémentaires pour faciliter
l’accès des entreprises au financement dans le contexte de la crise
économique et financière (voir <a href="http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/08/1993&format=HTML&aged=0&language=FR&guiLanguage=en">IP/08/1993).
Il est, par conséquent, compatible avec l’article 87, paragraphe 3,
alinéa b du traité CE, qui permet des aides pour remédier à une
perturbation grave de l'économie d'un Etat membre.
[04] Industrial producer prices down by 1.3% in euro area
In December 2008 compared with November 2008, the industrial producer price
index fell by 1.3% in the euro area (EA15) and by 1.4% in the EU27. In
November, prices decreased by 2.0% in both zones. In December 2008 compared
with December 2007, industrial producer prices rose by 1.8% in the euro
area and by 2.6% in the EU27. The average industrial producer price index
for 2008, compared with 2007, increased by 6.2% for the euro area and by
8.1% for the EU27. These figures come from Eurostat.
[05] Enregistrement de quatre dénominations de produits agricoles
La Commission européenne a ajouté quatre dénominations de produits
agricoles et alimentaires à la liste des appellations d'origine protégées
(AOP) et indications géographiques protégées (IGP). Il s'agit des
produits italiens "Radicchio di Verona" (Radis - IGP) et "Zafferano di
Sardegna" (Safran – AOP), de l'huile d'olive espagnole "Aceite de La
Alcarria" (AOP) et du produit français "Huîtres Marennes Oléron" (IGP).
Les quatre dénominations s'ajoutent à la liste d'environ 800 produits
déjà protégés en vertu de la législation sur la protection des
indications géographiques, des appellations d'origine et des spécialités
traditionnelles. Des renseignements sur les produits de qualité ainsi que
la liste des dénominations protégées sont disponibles sur l'internet Ã
l'adresse: <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/foodqual/quali1_fr.htm">http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/foodqual/quali1_fr.htm
[06] Health effects of electromagnetic fields: Commission's Scientific
Committee adopts opinion
Today, the Commission's independent Scientific Committee on Emerging and
Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR) publishes its opinion on possible
health effects of electromagnetic fields (EMF). Due to rapid technological
advances and new scientific research, the Commission asked the Committee to
update its opinion from 21 March 2007. The update considered more than 200
new scientific papers yet the conclusions differ little from the earlier
opinion. Based on current evidence the main conclusions remain that radio
frequency fields used in wireless communication technologies are unlikely
to lead to an increase in cancer in the human population at large. However,
further studies are needed to clarify if long-term exposure to mobile
phones (well beyond 10 years) increases cancer risk for an individual using
a mobile phone frequently and to examine the effects on children. The
Commission has committed research funds from the 7th research framework
programme to investigate the link between mobile phones and brain cancer
risk in children. Data for health effects of intermediate frequency fields
used, for example, in metal detectors or anti theft devices in shops, are
still lacking. This area of research is important given the increasing
exposure to these products and will thus need to be continued. The updated
opinion confirms the 2007 opinion that extremely low frequency fields, used
in high voltage power lines might contribute to childhood leukaemia.
Furthermore, the updated opinion identified 2 new epidemiological studies
that indicate a possible link to Alzheimer's disease. These are serious
matters and further investigation will be pursued. Given the seriousness of
these issues and noting the growing public concern on this subject as well
as the absence of clear scientific evidence on many questions, the
Commission will hold a workshop on EMF and Health on 11 and 12 February.
The workshop will bring together scientists, stakeholders and policy makers
to discuss the latest scientific assessments on EMF and health and generate
a constructive policy dialogue. SCENIHR Opinion: <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_risk/committees/04_scenihr/docs/scenihr_o_022.pdf">http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_risk/committees/04_scenihr/docs/scenihr_o_022.pdf
- Easy to read version of Opinion (from March 2007): <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/health/opinions2/en/electromagnetic-
fields/index.htm">http://ec.europa.eu/health/opinions2/en/electromagnetic-
fields/index.htm Workshop on EMF and health:<a href="http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_risk/ev_20090211_en.htm">http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_risk/ev_20090211_en.htm
[07] Autre matériel diffusé
• Memo on Industrial Relations in Europe Report
• Memo Antitrust: Commission confirms inspections in high voltage power
cable sector
• Speech by Commissioner Kuneva on the Second Consumer Market Scoreboard,
Brussels
• Discours du Vice-président Tajani à l'occasion du sommet de Chefs
d'État et de Gouvernement de l'Union Africaine, Addis Ababa
• Speech by Commissioner Borg at the launch of Google Ocean, Brussels
• Speech by Commissioner McCreevy at the European Parliament Committee on
Economic and Monetary Affairs, Strasbourg
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
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