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EU News Flashes and Events for 96-12-19
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS
[01] No postal liberalisation yet
[02] Spain urged to act in GSM fee row
[03] EU clears gene-modified maize
[04] Better gene-food labels
[05] No end to tobacco subsidies
[06] EU-US close to rice duty deal
[07] Burma's preferential trade status
[08] Dutch sees difficult times ahead
[09] Britain must stay EU key player
[10] Call for fur ban rejected
[11] New steel aid rules adopted
[12] New German regional aid plan
[13] Shipbuilding aid ceilings
[14] 6-month extension for IRI on debt
[15] EU probes French aid to Thomson
[16] EU grants aid to UK coal industry
[17] EU to study Boeing deal
[18] Commission rejects Clabecq plan
[19] Red Cross workers murder
[20] $80 million for Bosnia's winter
[21] Main EU events for December 19
[01] No postal liberalisation yet
BRUSSELS - The Telecommunications Council reached a common position on
Wednesday on a plan for opening up postal services to competition that will
delay significant liberalisation until at least the year 2003.
[02] Spain urged to act in GSM fee row
BRUSSELS - The European Commission told Spain on Wednesday it had until mid-
March to announce how it plans to end distortion of competition in favour of
partly state-owned Telefonica in the fast-growing Spanish mobile phone market.
[03] EU clears gene-modified maize
BRUSSELS - The European Commission approved on Wednesday Ciba Geigy AG's
application for market release of gene-modified maize, European Farm
Commissioner Franz Fischler told Reuters.
[04] Better gene-food labels
BRUSSELS - The European Commission will soon propose improved labelling of
genetically modified food products, Environment Commissioner Ritt Bjerregaard
said on Wednesday.
[05] No end to tobacco subsidies
BRUSSELS - The European Commission refused on Wednesday to seek an end to
European Union tobacco production subsidies, saying it was not prepared to put
200,000 people out of work.
[06] EU-US close to rice duty deal
BRUSSELS - The European Commission is close to reaching agreement with the
United States on the cumulative recovery of rice import duties, an EU official
said on Wednesday.
[07] Burma's preferential trade status
BRUSSELS - The European Commission said on Wednesday it had approved a
decision to withdraw certain preferential trade terms from products produced
by Burma's industrial sector.
[08] Dutch sees difficult times ahead
BRUSSELS - The Netherlands said on Wednesday its presidency of the European
Union would sound a sober note in its race to agree key institutional reforms
ahead of the planned enlargement of the 15-member alliance.
[09] Britain must stay EU key player
LONDON - Finance minister Kenneth Clarke on Wednesday called for Britain to
remain fully involved in the European Union, saying it could not enjoy the
economic benefits of membership if it stood aside from talks on the bloc's
future.
[10] Call for fur ban rejected
BRUSSELS - The European Commission rejected on Wednesday EU environment
ministers' calls for a ban on fur imports from Canada, Russia and the United
States as a way to force new talks on animal-trap standards.
[11] New steel aid rules adopted
BRUSSELS - The European Commission adopted new rules on Wednesday to control
state support to the European Union's steel industry.
[12] New German regional aid plan
BRUSSELS - After months of hard bargaining with Germany, the European
Commission cleared a plan on Wednesday which will allow Bonn to continue
pouring huge subsidies into its regions over the next three years.
[13] Shipbuilding aid ceilings
BRUSSELS - The European Commission decided on Wednesday to maintain EU
shipbuilding aid ceilings until the end of 1997, if an international deal to
scrap most support to the sector has not come into force before then.
[14] 6-month extension for IRI on debt
BRUSSELS - The European Commission said on Wednesday it had agreed to give
Italian industrial holding company IRI six more months to reduce its debt to
levels agreed between the Commission and Italy in 1992.
[15] EU probes French aid to Thomson
BRUSSELS - The European Commission said on Wednesday it had opened a formal
probe into French state aid to Thomson SA consumer electronics unit Thomson
multimedia.
[16] EU grants aid to UK coal industry
BRUSSELS - The European Commission authorized on Wednesday a total of 371
million pounds in aid for the 1997 and 1998 financial years to the privatised
British coal industry.
[17] EU to study Boeing deal
BRUSSELS - European Competition Commissioner Karel Van Miert said on Wednesday
that at a first glance it appeared that a merger between Boeing and McDonnell
Douglas Corp would have to be notified to the European Union competition
authorities.
[18] Commission rejects Clabecq plan
BRUSSELS - The European Commission has rejected a rescue plan for Belgian
steel firm Forges de Clabecq, Belgian media reported on Wednesday.
[19] Red Cross workers murder
DUBLIN - The European Union on Wednesday condemned the murder in Chechnya of
six aid workers of the International Committee of the Red Cross.
[20] $80 million for Bosnia's winter
SARAJEVO - The European Union said on Wednesday it had donated 65 million ecus
for Bosnia's emergency relief winter programmes in its biggest single
contribution to the war-torn country.
[21] Main EU events for December 19
BRUSSELS - EU fisheries ministers hold bilateral meetings in the morning.
Plenary session begins at 1400 GMT (first of two days); discussions focus on
1997 fish catch quotas.
BRUSSELS - European Commission President Santer meets Brunei Sultan Sir
Hassanal Bolkiah at 1400 GMT; addresses the Paul-Henri Spaak Foundation on
"The IGC after Dublin II" at 1800 GMT.
BRUSSELS - European Commissioners van den Broek, Van Miert and Papoutsis meet
Dutch Economic Affairs Minister Hans Wijers.
LUXEMBOURG - Executive committee of Schengen group on free movement of people
meets at ministerial level under Luxembourg presidency at 0900 GMT; European
Commissioner Monti attends.
BRUSSELS - Economic and Social Committee plenary session resumes at 0800 GMT
(second of two days).
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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