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EU News Flashes and Events for 96-11-13
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS
[01] Adoption of texts on blood, TSEs
[02] Nonbinding text on smoking accord
[03] Working time directive/Santer
[04] Major risks new EU crisis
[05] Working time directive/Flynn
[06] Proposed treaty change unveiled
[07] Worries over EMU delay
[08] Commission's BSE counter-attack
[09] Telecoms open trade pact
[10] Gradin's Gibraltar visit
[11] EU consumer confidence rises
[12] Main EU events for November 13
[01] Adoption of texts on blood, TSEs
BRUSSELS - The Health Council adopted texts on Tuesday on blood safety, EU
health policies and diseases known as TSEs.
[02] Nonbinding text on smoking accord
BRUSSELS - The Health Council, abandoning for now efforts to prohibit all
tobacco advertising, agreed a resolution on Tuesday that simply urges EU
countries to continue and coordinate their anti-smoking efforts.
[03] Working time directive/Santer
BRUSSELS - European Commission President Jacques Santer told British Prime
Minister John Major on Tuesday that the European Union's working time law
would not shackle business and urged him to implement it as quickly as
possible.
[04] Major risks new EU crisis
LONDON - Britain headed for a new showdown with its European Union partners on
Tuesday, threatening to veto reforms crucial for the bloc's expansion unless
they agreed to overturn a law limiting the EU working week to 48 hours.
[05] Working time directive/Flynn
BRUSSELS - EU Social Affairs Commissioner Padraig Flynn urged Britain on
Tuesday to act urgently to implement the EU working time directive and
criticised if for trying to hold treaty talks "ransom" over the law.
[06] Proposed treaty change unveiled
BRUSSELS - Britain formally proposed on Tuesday that it be exempted from
directive 93/104/EC on working hours by having it made part of London's opt-
out from EU social policy.
[07] Worries over EMU delay
BRUSSELS - European Union hopes of launching a common currency in 1999 are
undergoing a serious test of political will, with tough German demands and
cracks around Europe's edges raising the risk of a delay.
[08] Commission's BSE counter-attack
BRUSSELS - The European Commission on Tuesday counter-attacked against
allegations that it had mishandled the mad cow crisis.
[09] Telecoms open trade pact
GENEVA - The European Union tabled a new offer on Tuesday to open up its
telecommunications market under a World Trade Organisation pact and confirmed
Spain would liberalise all its telecom services by January 1998.
[10] Gradin's Gibraltar visit
BRUSSELS - Spain's sensitivity over Gibraltar spilled over onto the European
Commission on Tuesday when Madrid complained angrily about a visit to the
disputed British colony by Swedish Commissioner Anita Gradin.
[11] EU consumer confidence rises
BRUSSELS - European Union consumers showed a surprising burst of improved
confidence in October, the first sign of an upswing in economic sentiment
since March, the European Commission said on Tuesday.
[12] Main EU events for November 13
STRASBOURG - European Commission regular weekly meeting begins at 0730 GMT;
Commissioners Cresson and Fischler hold joint news conference on an action
plan on research in Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSE) at 1130
GMT; Commissioner Bjerregaard holds news conference on marketing of
genetically-modified maize at 1400 GMT.
BRUSSELS - Committee of the Regions holds plenary session (first of two days);
Austrian Chancellor Franz Vranistzky attends.
TILBURG, Netherlands - Former German President Richard von Weizsaecker gives
address on Culture of European Union at 1900 GMT.
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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