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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 09-02-16
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] "RegioStars Awards" for Europe's most innovative regional projects
[02] EU Member States on course for analogue terrestrial TV switch-off
[03] Ouverture des «débats de Bruxelles» dans le cadre de l’Année
européenne de la créativité et de l’innovation 2009 (AECI 2009)
[04] Erasmus Mundus s’ouvre un public toujours plus large
[05] Education and care for young children: how European countries face
today's challenges
[06] La Commission entame des consultations sur un éventuel statut de la
fondation européenne
[07] Regional unemployment rates in the EU27 ranged from 2.1% to 25.2% in
2007
[08] Commission clears acquisition of Itínere Infraestructuras by Citi
Infrastructure Partners
[09] Commission discusses with experts support measures for the European
car industry
[10] Commissioner Dimas marks Kyoto anniversary with call for global action
[11] EU seeks UNEP decision to start negotiation process on a binding
international agreement on mercury
[12] Schools in Europe achieve creativity and innovation through eTwinning
online projects
[13] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express of 2009-02-16
Reference: MEX/09/0216
Date: 16/02/2009
EXME09 / 16.02
MIDDAY EXPRESS
News from the Communication Directorate General's midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction Générale Communicationb
16/02/09
[01] "RegioStars Awards" for Europe's most innovative regional projects
Tonight Wallonia, Wales, Réunion Island, North Rhine-Westphalia and Greece
take centre stage in Europe as winners of the 2009 RegioStars Awards.
Danuta Hübner, European Commissioner for Regional Policy, and the
President of the RegioStars Jury, Mr Job Cohen, Mayor of Amsterdam, will
award prizes to the most innovative projects which have been supported by
European Cohesion Policy. The Awards take place during a two-day conference
in Brussels entitled “Regions for Economic Change – Networking for
Results” (<a href="http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/09/259&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=enhttp://europa.eu/rapid/setlanguage.do?language=en">IP/09/259).
EMBARGO 20h00 CET
[02] EU Member States on course for analogue terrestrial TV switch-off
Europe is leading the world in switching from analogue to digital
television. The European Commission is driving a coordinated approach to
the freeing up and future use of the radio spectrum because it wants to
ensure that EU citizens can enjoy the benefits of digital television,
including a growing range of interactive TV services (such as high
definition TV or video on demand), available on multiple transmission
platforms including terrestrial, cable, satellite, TV on internet and
mobile TV networks. For that to happen, Member States are gradually closing
down spectrum-hungry analogue transmissions and moving to digital
broadcasting. Overall, the switch-off of analogue terrestrial TV
transmission in Europe is well on track. Switch-off has already been
completed in five Member States (Germany, Finland, Luxembourg, Sweden and
The Netherlands) and by 2010 the process should be well advanced in the
whole EU. The 2012 EU target for switch-off is expected to be met by almost
all Member States.
[03] Ouverture des «débats de Bruxelles» dans le cadre de l’Année
européenne de la créativité et de l’innovation 2009 (AECI 2009)
«Stimuler l'économie européenne de la connaissance», tel est le thème
du premier débat organisé Bruxelles l’occasion de l’Année
européenne de la créativité et de l’innovation 2009. Les questions
abordées porteront sur la société de la connaissance et sur la manière
de canaliser le potentiel créatif de l’Europe afin de concevoir des
solutions, des produits et des services innovants capables de soutenir la
croissance économique. Une attention particulière sera accordée au tout
nouvel Institut européen d'innovation et de technologie (IET).
[04] Erasmus Mundus s’ouvre un public toujours plus large
Erasmus Mundus – le programme européen de coopération et de mobilité
dont la vocation est de renforcer l’excellence et l’attractivité de
l’enseignement supérieur européen dans le monde et de favoriser la
coopération avec les pays tiers – entre dans une nouvelle phase, doté
d’un budget en nette hausse et d’un champ d’application élargi.
[05] Education and care for young children: how European countries face
today's challenges
The European Commission today presented a new study on early childhood
education and care in Europe, and on what measures are taken to favour
participation of the most disadvantaged social groups. Examining national
policies in 30 countries, the study explores how early childhood education
and care is organised in Europe, what the benefits of the different systems
are, and what is needed to provide effective education and care to the
youngest.
[06] La Commission entame des consultations sur un éventuel statut de la
fondation européenne
La Commission européenne a lancé une consultation publique sur les
difficultés que rencontrent les fondations qui ont des activités
l'étranger, sur le contenu d'un éventuel statut de la fondation
européenne et sur la manière dont un tel statut pourrait influer sur le
comportement des donateurs et des fondateurs. La consultation est liée
une étude de faisabilité publiée au même moment par la Commission. Les
réponses seront prises en compte pour apprécier la nécessité d'établir
un statut et évaluer ses incidences. Les réponses sont attendues d'ici le
15 mai 2009.
[07] Regional unemployment rates in the EU27 ranged from 2.1% to 25.2% in
2007
Regional unemployment rates varied widely across the EU27 in 2007, from
2.1% in the region of Zeeland in the Netherlands, to 25.2% in Réunion, a
French Overseas Department. Of the 263 NUTS 2 regions of the EU27 for which
data are available, 28 had an unemployment rate of 3.5% or less in 2007,
half the average for the EU27. They included eight regions in the
Netherlands, seven in Italy, five in the United Kingdom, three each in the
Czech Republic and Austria and two regions in Belgium. At the other extreme,
14 regions had a rate of 14.2% or higher, double that of the EU27: five
regions in Germany, four in France (all of the Overseas Departments), two
each in Spain and Slovakia and one region in Belgium. The data on regional
unemployment, compiled on the basis of the EU Labour Force Survey, are
taken from a report3 published by Eurostat. This report contains further
analysis of unemployment rates in the EU regions.
[08] Commission clears acquisition of Itínere Infraestructuras by Citi
Infrastructure Partners
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger
Regulation to the acquisition of sole control of Itínere Infraestructuras
S.A. of Spain by Citi Infrastructure Partners, L.P., belonging to Citigroup
of the US. Citi Infrastructure Partners, L.P. is a venture capital fund
focusing on infrastructure. Itínere Infraestructuras S.A. is active in
infrastructure concessions. The operation was examined under the simplified
merger review procedure.
[09] Commission discusses with experts support measures for the European
car industry
Upon invitation of the Commission experts from the Member States and
representatives of the automotive industry today discuss support measures
for the car-sector. As the situation of the European automobile industry is
severely hit by the financial crisis, many Member States have introduced or
plan to introduce scrapping schemes for vehicles. However, such support
measures need to be effective and coordinated within the EU. The Commission
offers guidance and provides a platform for the exchange of views on the
advantages and challenges for the scrapping schemes for cars. Moreover the
Commission informed about available support to sustain employment in the
car industry and to facilitate restructuring. More information on EU car
policy: <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/automotive/index_en.htm">http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/automotive/index_en.htm
[10] Commissioner Dimas marks Kyoto anniversary with call for global action
European Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas, marking tomorrow's fourth
anniversary of the Kyoto Protocol's entry into force, called on the
international community to follow the EU in committing to take serious
action to cut greenhouse gases. "The European Union is on track to achieve
its Kyoto target for 2012, but the speed of climate change means Kyoto must
now be followed by a much bolder global agreement," Commissioner Dimas
said. "The EU is committed to cutting emissions to 30% below 1990 levels by
2020 if other developed countries commit to comparable reductions and
developing countries contribute adequately according to their
responsibilities and capabilities. It is time for our international
partners to follow our lead so that negotiations on the new global
agreement can shift into top gear." The new agreement, which will take over
from Kyoto in 2013, is due to be concluded at the UN climate change
conference in Copenhagen in December. The next round of negotiations will
take place at the end of March in Bonn. The Commission's most recent
progress report, based on projections by member states, shows the EU-15
will achieve its 8% Kyoto emissions reduction commitment (<a
href="http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/08/1534&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en">IP/08/1534).
By 2006, EU-15 emissions were 2.7% below the levels in member states'
chosen base years (1990 in most cases). The latest emissions data, for 2007,
will be published in late spring. The Kyoto Protocol was agreed in 1997 and
came into force on 16 February 2005. In requiring developed countries to
reduce their emissions by an average of 5.2% between 1990 and 2012, and by
creating market-based mechanisms to help them do so at least cost, the
Protocol represents a crucial first step towards limiting world emissions
of greenhouse gases. The Copenhagen agreement will have to be far more
ambitious, however. The latest scientific evidence shows global emissions
will need to stabilised by 2020 and then at least halved from 1990 levels
by 2050 to prevent climate change from reaching dangerous levels. The
Commission set out its vision for the Copenhagen agreement in a
Communication on 28 January (<a href="http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/09/141&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en">IP/09/141).
[11] EU seeks UNEP decision to start negotiation process on a binding
international agreement on mercury
The European Union is calling on the United Nations Environment Programme
(UNEP) Governing Council to start the negotiation process on an
international legal agreement on mercury, at its meeting in Nairobi, Kenya,
this week (16-20 February). The EU strongly favours legally binding
measures to regulate the toxic metal, which poses a major threat to humans,
animals and ecosystems. The agreement would address the whole life cycle of
mercury and could be designed to allow other substances to be covered in
the future, once they have been recognised as being of global concern.
Since the UNEP Governing Council called for a reduction of mercury releases
in 2003, many measures have been undertaken worldwide, mainly on a
voluntary basis. European environment ministers, however, believe that
voluntary initiatives alone will not be enough. The EU has made
considerable progress in addressing the global challenges of mercury since
it launched the EU mercury strategy in 2005. This has resulted in
restrictions on the sale of measuring devices containing mercury, a ban on
exports of mercury from the EU that will come into force in 2011, and new
rules on safe storage. The EU is also seeking a decision from the Governing
Council on the process to strengthen the science-base for policy making on
biodiversity and ecosystem services. This includes the consideration of an
Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem
Services (IPBES). The Global Ministerial Environment Forum, associated with
the Governing Council meeting, will discuss theses issues, as well as the
environmental implications of the current global crises and ways forward in
the debate on international environmental governance. <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/environment/chemicals/mercury/index.htm">http://ec.europa.eu/environment/chemicals/mercury/index.htm
Rediffusion
[12] Schools in Europe achieve creativity and innovation through eTwinning
online projects
eTwinning is an EU initiative to encourage schools to network with each
other over the internet. With around 50,000 registered users across Europe,
increasing numbers of teachers in Europe have proven that they are finding
new ways to develop and innovate teaching and learning. At this year's
annual eTwinning onference in Prague on 13-15 February, the European
Commission is awarding prizes to ten outstanding eTwinning school projects.
[13] Autre matériel diffusé
• Memo on Telecoms Ministerial in Prague: "Next Steps in EU Telecoms"
• Memo on Early childhood education and care in Europe: tackling social
and cultural inequalities
• Memo on State aid: Overview of national measures adopted as a response
to the financial and economic crisis
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
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