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EU News Flashes and Events for 96-11-15
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS
[01] EU's merger powers
[02] Steel state aid control
[03] Auto industry changes
[04] Benchmarking/EU competitiveness
[05] Action to promote SMEs
[06] EU says neutral on Lufthansa
[07] EU Court/Tetra Pak
[08] EU confirms ban on ostrich imports
[09] WTO to review farm trade
[10] Gelatine producers/BSE cover-up
[11] EP/U.S. gene-modified soya
[12] MEPs demand Bjerregaard resign
[13] EP/procedure for asylum seekers
[14] Tietmeyer/EMU
[15] Arthuis/German support on EMU
[16] Dublin EU summit to focus on EMU
[17] Brittan/China's WTO bid
[18] Bosnia peace stabilisation plan
[19] Main EU events for November 15
[01] EU's merger powers
BRUSSELS - European Union industry ministers rejected unequivocally on
Thursday a proposal to increase the European Commission's power to vet mergers
and acquisitions.
[02] Steel state aid control
BRUSSELS - European Union industry ministers reached a compromise agreement on
Thursday on new rules to control state support to the bloc's steel industry.
[03] Auto industry changes
BRUSSELS - European Union industry ministers, describing the automobile
industry as a key industrial sector, on Thursday said further structural
changes were needed.
[04] Benchmarking/EU competitiveness
BRUSSELS - European Union industry ministers urged the European Commission on
Thursday to put forward proposals for developing the use of so called
benchmarking as a tool to boost the competitiveness of European industry.
[05] Action to promote SMEs
BRUSSELS - European Union industry ministers called on member states on
Thursday to take action to help promote small firms, seen as vital in the
Union's efforts to reduce its high jobless rate.
[06] EU says neutral on Lufthansa
BRUSSELS - The European Commission said on Thursday it was neutral on German
government plans to sell the remainder of the airline Deutsche Lufthansa AG,
adding that any sell-off should not favour German buyers ahead of other EU
investors.
[07] EU Court/Tetra Pak
LUXEMBOURG - The European Court of Justice rejected on Thursday Tetra Pak's
appeal against a 75 million Ecu fine, the largest fine ever imposed by the
European Commission.
[08] EU confirms ban on ostrich imports
BRUSSELS - The European Union's standing veterinary committee has proposed a
ban on the import of ostrich meat and live ostriches from South Africa after
an outbreak of Congo fever).
[09] WTO to review farm trade
STRASBOURG - The European Parliament said on Thursday the European Union
should use the December meeting of the World Trade Organisation to study
the impact of farm sector reform on countries that are net importers of
foodstuffs.
[10] Gelatine producers/BSE cover-up
STRASBOURG, France - European gelatine manufacturers denied on Thursday
they had withheld important information from the European Commission on the
public health risk of gelatine manufacturing methods.
[11] EP/U.S. gene-modified soya
STRASBOURG, France - The U.S. should keep products containing genetically
modified soybeans completely apart from conventional foodstuffs, the European
Parliament said in a resolution on Thursday.
[12] MEPs demand Bjerregaard resign
STRASBOURG - Green MEPs called on Wednesday for Environment Commissioner Ritt
Bjerregaard to resign after she said the Commission could not accept vital
European Parliament amendments to the fifth EU environment programme.
[13] EP/procedure for asylum seekers
STRASBOURG - The European Parliament demanded on Thursday that an independent
appeals procedure be set up for political refugees whose asylum requests are
turned down.
[14] Tietmeyer/EMU
BONN - German Bundesbank President Hans Tietmeyer warned on Thursday that
political conflicts could tear apart Europe's planned common currency if
member states did not agree to a strict stability pact to defend it.
[15] Arthuis/German support on EMU
PARIS - France will push ahead in the next few months to win backing for a
stability council to act as a counterweight to the European Central Bank after
the launch of monetary union, Finance Minister Jean Arthuis said on Thursday.
[16] Dublin EU summit to focus on EMU
ATHENS - Irish Prime Minister John Bruton, whose country holds the European
Union presidency, said on Thursday the Dublin summit will focus on the single
European currency and policies against organised crime and drugs.
[17] Brittan/China's WTO bid
BEIJING - European Commission Vice-President Sir Leon Brittan said on Thursday
he might soon urge the United States to move quickly on China's long-stalled
plan to join the World Trade Organisation.
[18] Bosnia peace stabilisation plan
PARIS - Bosnia's three co-presidents agreed with world powers on Thursday on a
detailed plan to stabilise the fragile peace in the former Yugoslav republic
over the next two years as a condition for continuing international aid.
[19] Main EU events for November 15
CORK, Ireland - EU youth ministers hold informal meeting (Friday).
STRASBOURG - European Parliament plenary session (Friday is the last of five
days).
PRAGUE - Elections to Czech senate (Friday).
ISRAEL - EP President Klaus Haensch meets Israeli President Ezer Weizman and
other government officials (Sunday).
MOLDOVA - Presidential election (Sunday).
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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