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EU News Flashes and Events for 96-04-25EU News Flashes and Events DirectoryFrom: News Distribution Manager <dist@hri.org>CONTENTS[01] Gradual EU beef ban lifting[02] Major urged to send mad cow plan[03] Lonrho/Gencor merger banned[04] UEFA/Commission meet/Bosman case[05] Talks on tax harmonisation/Monti[06] Telecom "universal service" fears[07] EU not to tamper with TV quotas[08] Telecoms trade pact/Brittan[09] WTO bananas dispute panel blocked[10] Russian/Ukrainian magnesium duty[11] Yeast gene code data release[12] More EU involvement in KEDO[13] Montedison and Montell/Shell deal[14] Sweferry/Germany's DFO ferry deal[15] Ciba/Sandoz AG merger cleared[16] AT&T telecommunications/Van Miert[17] New mini-buses/coaches belt rules[18] Main Eu events for April 25[01] Gradual EU beef ban liftingLONDON - Britain said on Wednesday it foresaw that the European Union ban on its beef exports could be lifted gradually and that a total removal of restrictions could be some way off.[02] Major urged to send mad cow planBRUSSELS - Commission President Jacques Santer has urged British Prime Minister John Major to present a detailed plan to eradicate mad cow disease as soon as possible, the Commission's chief spokesman said. In LONDON, John Major accused the EU of i llegally banning British beef, but ruled out retaliatory trade sanctions as a means of settling the mad cow crisis.[03] Lonrho/Gencor merger bannedBRUSSELS - The Commission, fearful of handing the world's lucrative platinum market to just two producers, blocked SAfrica's Gencor and British-based Lonrho from merging their platinum businesses. In JOHANNESBURG, Gencor Ltd's Impala Platinum Holdi ngs said it would appeal against a Commission ruling which blocked its merger with the platinum interests of Lonrho.[04] UEFA/Commission meet/Bosman caseBRUSSELS - UEFA, European soccer's governing body, will meet the European Commission on Friday to discuss the aftermath of the controversial Bosman court ruling, Competition Commissioner Karel Van Miert said on Wednesday.[05] Talks on tax harmonisation/MontiBRUSSELS - The European Commission is considering creating a high-level ad hoc group to discuss its paper on taxation in the European Union, Taxation Commissioner Mario Monti told MEPs on Wednesday.[06] Telecom "universal service" fearsBOLOGNA, Italy - The European Union countries with the most liberalised telecommunications markets told their EU partners on Wednesday not to exaggerate the problems associated with providing "universal service" to their citizens.[07] EU not to tamper with TV quotasBOLOGNA, Italy - European Union culture ministers are reluctant to tamper with a hard-won compromise over legislation to limit the number of foreign programmes on European television screens, Italian Telecommunications Minister Agostino Gambino sai d on Wednesday.[08] Telecoms trade pact/BrittanSINGAPORE - European Union Trade Commissioner Leon Brittan said on Wednesday he was optimistic a global trade pact to open telecommunications markets could be agreed on by next week.[09] WTO bananas dispute panel blockedGENEVA - The European Union on Wednesday blocked the immediate creation of a dispute panel in the World Trade Organisation over its controversial banana import regime, trade sources said.[10] Russian/Ukrainian magnesium dutyBRUSSELS - The European Union announced on Wednesday a two-month extension until June 24 of a provisional anti-dumping duty on imports of unwrought magnesium from Russia and the Ukraine.[11] Yeast gene code data releaseBRUSSELS - The European Commission trumpeted on Wednesday the public release of research data on yeast genes which it said would open the door to cures for a range of diseases, including several cancers.[12] More EU involvement in KEDOBRUSSELS - The European Commission proposed on Wednesday stepping up its participation in the international effort to clean up North Korea's nuclear plants.[13] Montedison and Montell/Shell dealBRUSSELS - The European Commission said in a statement on Wednesday it had allowed the transfer of Montedison's polypropylene technology business back to Montell, a joint venture between Montedison and Shell Petroleum NV.[14] Sweferry/Germany's DFO ferry dealBRUSSELS - The European Commission said on Wednesday it was vetting an agreement between Sweden's Sweferry and Deutsche Fahrgesellschaft Ostsee mbH concerning the joint operation of two ferry services between Sweden and Germany.[15] Ciba/Sandoz AG merger clearedBASLE, Switzerland - Ciba-Geigy AG shareholders on Wednesday approved by an overwhelming majority joining Ciba with Sandoz AG, clearing one of the final hurdles to a mega-merger of the two Swiss drug giants.[16] AT&T telecommunications/Van MiertBRUSSELS - U.S. telecommunications giant AT&T must allow European operators other than its partners in Uniworld the right to use its infrastructure, Competition Commissioner Karel Van Miert said on Wednesday.[17] New mini-buses/coaches belt rulesBRUSSELS - New coaches and mini-buses registered in the European Union will have to fit seat belts for all passengers from 1999 and 2001 respectively, a European Commission official told Reuters on Wednesday.[18] Main Eu events for April 25HELSINKI - Commission President Jacques Santer meets Finnish Prime Minister Paavo Lipponen to discuss Santer's proposal for a "confidence pact" to fight unemployment.BRUSSELS - Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Yves-Thibault de Silguy holds news conference on the single currency information campaign at 1015 GMT; meets Finnish Central Bank Governor Sirkka Hamalainen (in the evening). BOLOGNA, Italy - EU telecoms ministers meet (second of two days); Trade Commissioner Sir Leon Brittan briefs on WTO telecoms talks. BRUSSELS - EP Human Rights sub-committee public hearing on "Free speech-free media: rights under threat" begins at 0700 GMT. BRUSSELS - Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Emma Bonino addresses the EP Development Committee at 0800 GMT. BRUSSELS - Economic and Social Committee (ECOSOC) holds plenary session (second of two days). Lord Yehudi Menuhin gives address on "A Europe of culture" at 0830 GMT followed by a news conference at 1030 GMT. BRUSSELS - Cambridge University Centre for European Legal Studies Director Alan Dashwood addresses CEPS seminar on "Constitutional issues for the inter- governmental conference (IGC)" at 1115 GMT. BRUSSELS - EP Women's Rights Committee public hearing on "Equal treatment for men and women" begins at 1300 GMT. From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://www.cec.lu/
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