|
|
|
EU News Flashes and Events for 96-06-21
From: HR-Net News Distribution Manager <dist@hri.org>
CONTENTS
[01] Beef ban could be lifted in months
[02] EU leaders seek peace on beef
[03] Council reaches electricity deal
[04] Transatlantic trade ties threat
[05] EU/South Africa resume trade talks
[06] Germany/France could miss EMU
[07] Energy council adopts 5 "A" points
[08] EU verdict on Sandoz/Ciba in July
[09] EP warns EU on Schengen
[10] EP links aid to border respect
[11] EU/Mauritanian fish accord
[12] EU/Ukraine loan
[13] Commission hosts Somali meeting
[14] China must join WTO - Beijing
[15] Lithuania ratifies EU agreement
[16] Main EU events for June 21
[01] Beef ban could be lifted in months
LONDON - Prime Minister John Major said he expects the European Union to start
easing a ban on British beef exports within a few months if EU leaders agree a
plan to tackle "mad cow" disease at this weekend's summit.
[02] EU leaders seek peace on beef
FLORENCE, Italy - European Union leaders, anxious to end their bitter "beef
war" with Britain, began arriving for a summit focused on Europe's dominant
issues -- unemployment, the single currency and the future.
[03] Council reaches electricity deal
LUXEMBOURG - European Union Energy Ministers reached a unanimous position on a
draft directive to open the bloc's electricity markets to limited competition,
crowning years of talks with the prospect of a $56 billion open market for
power.
[04] Transatlantic trade ties threat
BRUSSELS - Trade ties between the European Union and United States came under
renewed pressure when the EU warned it was considering retaliating against new
U.S. laws which seek to punish companies doing business with countries
Washington deems enemies.
[05] EU/South Africa resume trade talks
BRUSSELS - The European Union and South Africa resumed negotiations after an
eight-month pause on a free trade agreement.
[06] Germany/France could miss EMU
PARIS - France and Germany's prospects of passing the fitness test for
European monetary union were cast in doubt by the OECD, which predicted both
would miss the 1997 targets for improving their finances.
[07] Energy council adopts 5 "A" points
LUXEMBOURG - The Council of Ministers passed five agenda items as "A" points,
leaving a further 20 blocked by Britain's non-cooperation tactics in protest
against the ban on its beef and beef products.
[08] EU verdict on Sandoz/Ciba in July
BRUSSELS - The European Commission is expected to rule on the merger between
Swiss pharmaceutical giants Sandoz AG and Ciba-Geigy AG by the end of July,
about a month earlier than it is due.
[09] EP warns EU on Schengen
STRASBOURG - The European Parliament urged the European Union to ensure the
seven-nation Schengen free movement zone does not make crossing borders in the
EU more difficult for nationals from other countries.
[10] EP links aid to border respect
STRASBOURG - The European Parliament said Mediterranean countries must respect
their neighbours' external borders to benefit from financial and technical aid
from the European Union.
[11] EU/Mauritanian fish accord
BRUSSELS - European Union fishermen will be able to catch substantially more
fish in return for more cash under a new five-year fisheries agreement
initialled with Mauritania.
[12] EU/Ukraine loan
BRUSSELS - The European Union has agreed to pay 200 million European currency
units in a balance of payments loan to Ukraine, with a first disbursement of
50 million Ecus expected early next month.
[13] Commission hosts Somali meeting
NAIROBI - A three-day meeting convened by the European Commission to discuss
possible political structures for chaotic Somalia opened in the Rift Valley
town of Naivasha in Kenya.
[14] China must join WTO - Beijing
BEIJING - The World Trade Organisation would suffer a great loss if China
could not become a member, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Shen Guofang
said.
[15] Lithuania ratifies EU agreement
VILNIUS - The parliament of the Baltic state of Lithuania gave overwhelming
support to the ratification of the country's association agreement with the
European Union.
[16] Main EU events for June 21
STRASBOURG - European Parliament plenary session resumes at 0800 GMT (last of
five days).
BRUSSELS - Commissioner Fischler news conference on the information campaign
on geographical denominations of agricultural products begins at 0900 GMT
(Friday).
FLORENCE, Italy - Italian presidency European Council of EU heads of state and
government begins at 0800 GMT (Friday); main discussions include EMU, inter-
governmental conference, employment, third pillar issues and BSE; signing of
economic cooperation accords with Uzbekistan and Chile at 1030 GMT (Friday);
joint session with counterparts from central and eastern European associated
countries, Cyprus and Malta at 1300 GMT (Saturday); closing news conference at
1415 GMT (Saturday).
BUENOS AIRES - Presidents and economy ministers of the four Mercosur nations
(Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay) and chief executives of global
companies meet (begins on Sunday); Inter-American Development Bank President
Enrique Iglesias and Commissioner for Relations with Latin America Marin
attend.
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://www.cec.lu/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
|
