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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 96-04-18
From: News Distribution Manager <dist@hri.org>
MIDDAY EXPRESS
News from the Spokesman's midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi du Porte-Paroleb
18 / 04 / 1996
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[I] Résultats de la Commission du 17 avril -
Outcome of the Commission meeting of 17 April
[01] Finland: Commission approves state aid to shipbuilding
[02] Italy: Commission approves rescue aid to Gruppo Fochi
[03] La Commission adopte le premier rapport sur la dimension culturelle des
politiques de la Communauté
[04] Révision de la directive sur les produits de cacao et de chocolat et de six
autres directives sur les denrées alimentaires
[05] Flexibility in working time and security for employees
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[06] G7 Moscow nuclear Summit: EU reaffirms commitment to nuclear safety
[07] Chernobyl's 10th anniversary: the EU will continue to assist ensuring
optimal safety
[08] Ritt Bjerregaard en Hongrie
[09] Lebanon: emergency aid for displaced people
[10] João de Deus Pinheiro calls on NGO's to promote human rights and prevent
conflicts in the third world
[11] Edith Cresson à Euroformacão: Il faut passer aux actes concrets
[I] Résultats de la Commission du 17 avril -
Outcome of the Commission meeting of 17 April
[01] Finland: Commission approves state aid to shipbuilding
The European Commission has approved two schemes of state aid for
shipbuilding in Finland: 1) contract related production aid and 2) tax-concessions
for ice-breakers. The schemes are approved until the OECD-Agreement enters
into force or at 1 October 1996 at the latest. The aid level in the scheme for
contract related production aid is in accordance with the one set by the
Commission in the Seventh Directive on Aid to Shipbuilding, namely 9% of the
contract value before aid for big vessels, and 4.5% of the contract value before
aid for small vessels and for conversions. The aid is granted to the constructing
Finnish yard.
[02] Italy: Commission approves rescue aid to Gruppo Fochi
The Commission has approved rescue aid that the Italian Government intends to
give to the Fochi Group in the form of a State guarantee. The Group has been
active in industrial plant construction in the chemical and petrochemical industries
and in machinery. It currently employs 13,325 people. The approval of the
rescue aid in question does not in any way presuppose the authorisation of
subsequent restructuring aid. In June 1995, the Group was made subject to the
so-called Prodi law which provides for extraordinary administrative arrangements
for large enterprises in difficulty. The Administrators, who manage Fochi under
that law, have requested the Treasury to grant a guarantee on a loan of Lire 100
billion that is still regarded as necessary in order for the Group to be able to
continue its activities until the end of July 1996. During this period the future of
the Group will be evaluated.
[03] La Commission adopte le premier rapport sur la dimension culturelle des
politiques de la Communauté
La Commission européenne a adopté le premier "
Rapport sur la prise en compte
des aspects culturels dans l'action de la Communauté européenne", et a décidé
de transmettre ce rapport au Parlement européen, au Conseil des ministres et
au Comité des Régions." La Commission a ainsi examiné précisément la façon
dont les différents actes et politiques communautaires ont tenu ou tiennent
compte des aspects culturels. Cet examen a porté sur les questions
réglementaires (libre circulation, droits d'auteur, fiscalité, concurrence, biens
culturels) ; sur les politiques internes concernées (cohésion économique et
sociale, ressources humaines, technologies, recherche, politique audiovisuelle)
ainsi que sur les relations extérieures de la Communauté.
[04] Révision de la directive sur les produits de cacao et de chocolat et de six
autres directives sur les denrées alimentaires
La Commission a décidé de simplifier et de remanier partiellement les directives
sur les produits de cacao et de chocolat, sur certaines variétés de sucres, de
miel, de jus de fruit et de produits similaires, de lait condensé, d'extrait de café
et de chicorée, de confitures et de marmelades. De nombreuses dispositions
transformées en règlements horizontaux (sur l'étiquetage, l'hygiène et les additifs,
par exemple) peuvent être retirées des directives particulières. Ces dernières
seront en outre adaptées à l'évolution du goût des consommateurs et aux
progrès techniques récents. Dans l'ensemble, elles seront plus claires et plus
concises. Elles autorisent aussi clairement tous les Eacute;tats membres à employer
dans la fabrication du chocolat jusqu'à 5% de graisses végétales en plus du
beurre de cacao. La nature des graisses employées doit être clairement et
lisiblement indiquée sur l'étiquetage. Les Etats membres désireux de continuer
à imposer à leurs chocolatiers de n'employer que le beurre de cacao sont
autorisés à le faire.
[05] Flexibility in working time and security for employees
The European Commission has decided to launch the second stage consultation
of the social partners on the issue of flexibility in working time and security for
employees i.e the working conditions governing part-time, fixed-term and
temporary work. The results of the first round of consultation, launched on 27
September 1995, have confirmed the Commission's view that action remains
desirable and that there is an appropriate role for the EU to play. The 22 replies
received by the Commission show that there is widespread support for the basic
guiding principle that employees in new types of flexible work should not be
discriminated against and that they should receive treatment which is comparable
to that given to permanent full-time employees. The aim of the second stage
consultation is to invite social partners to reflect on how to achieve these
objectives.
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[06] G7 Moscow nuclear Summit: EU reaffirms commitment to nuclear safety
On the eve of the Moscow G7 nuclear summit of 19 April 1996, Jacques Santer,
the President of the European Commission, has reaffirmed the European Union's
commitment to maintain its support for programmes designed to ensure the
safety of nuclear installations in Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC)
and the New Independent States (NIS). "The Union has led the way," he said,
"being by far the largest contributor to the general programme which was
originally recommended by the G7 at the Munich summit in 1992". Over the
period 1991 through 1995, the European Union has provided ECU 132 million to
the CEEC and ECU 423 million to the NIS, through its Phare and Tacis
programmes. Hans van den Broek, Commissioner responsible for relations with
the CEEC and NIS, stressed the importance of satisfactory nuclear liability
frameworks in these countries. "They should adhere to the Vienna Convention
and Joint Protocol, as well as implement the necessary national legislation. The
lack of a satisfactory regime is hindering progress, delaying the delivery of
sensitive data and equipment."
[07] Chernobyl's 10th anniversary: the EU will continue to assist ensuring
optimal safety
Before his departure for the G7 Moscow nuclear Summit, President Jacques
Santer said that it is clear on the 10th anniversary of the nuclear accident in
Chernobyl, that nuclear safety in the Eastern countries continues to be a concern
for the international community. For this reason we will continue our efforts to
assist our partners in correcting nuclear reactor design weaknesses and ensuring
optimal operational safety, under the auspices of the strong regulatory
frameworks which we are helping to establish in these countries. The EU has
been instrumental in finding and financing within the G7 a solution for the closure
of Chernobyl, decided by President Kuchma of Ukraine. The Memorandum of
Understanding on Chernobyl signed in December 1995 between the G7, the
Commission and Ukraine, is a commitment by both parties to work towards the
closure of Chernobyl for 2000; it will be implemented in connection with an overall
energy sector reform in Ukraine, currently supported by Tacis. The EU
contribution for this purpose, including support measures for the closing of
Chernobyl, was ECU 49.5 million for 1994, ECU 55.5 million for 1995. Technical
work is going on to assess the technical and financial implications of the decision
to close the plant. Financial resources will necessarily involve a combination of
grant financing, loan financing and domestic resources. The EU is committed
since the EU Council of Corfu in June 1994 to support the G7 Action Plan for
Ukraine with ECU 500 million (ECU 100 million grants from Tacis and ECU 400
million EURATOM loans).
[08] Ritt Bjerregaard en Hongrie
Lors de sa première visite officielle en Hongrie du 18 au 20 avril, Ritt Bjerregaard,
Commissaire chargé de l'Environnement, s'entretiendra avec le Premier Ministre,
M. Guyla Horn, le Ministre des Affaires étrangères, M. Làszlo Kavács, et le
Ministre de l'Environnement, M. Ferenc Baja. "Assurer une intégration effective
des considérations environnementales sera d'une importance majeure dans la
préparation de l'adhésion de la Hongrie à l'Union", a déclaré Ritt Bjerregaard à
cette occasion.
[09] Lebanon: emergency aid for displaced people
The European Commission has cleared emergency aid worth 600,000 ECU in a
first response to the needs of civilian victims (an estimated 400.000 have been
affected). Those fleeing have clustered around the cities of Saida and Beirut,
camping out or living in schools, mosques and churches. The grant will fund
emergency supplies including medical aid, logistics, food aid and drinking water.
[10] João de Deus Pinheiro calls on NGO's to promote human rights and prevent
conflicts in the third world
Development Commissioner João de Deus Pinheiro today stressed the special
role played by NGO's (Non Governmental Organisations) in implementing EU's
development aid policy. In addition to NGO's activities in the more traditional
fields of fight against poverty and development of civil society in third world
countries, Mr Pinheiro called on an NGO contribution to the prevention of conflicts
and the promotion of human rights and democracy. He was speaking at the
opening of the annual general assembly of european development NGO's in
Brussels.
[11] Edith Cresson à Euroformacão: Il faut passer aux actes concrets
!!! embargo 17h !!!
Il est urgent que les Etats membres traduisent en actes
concrets, dans leurs systèmes d'éducation et de formation professionnelle, la
nécessité d'une éducation et d'une formation tout au long de la vie. Tel est le
principal message que doit délivrer Edith Cresson, Commissaire à l'éducation, la
formation et la jeunesse, devant le Forum "Euroformação" organisé à Lisbonne
le 18 avril par l'Association Industrielle du Portugal et les ministères de
l'éducation et de l'emploi. !!! embargo 17h !!!
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://www.cec.lu/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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