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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 96-05-31
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
31 / 05 / 1996
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Jacques Santer: "Start to deliver on what is needed"
[02] State aid for research and development in agriculture
[03] UE/Palestine: 17.670.000 Ecus en faveur du secteur de l'éducation en
Cisjordanie et dans la bande de Gaza
[04] Action Jean Monnet: l'intégration européenne dans l'enseignement
universitaire
[05] Commission clears British Gas Network Code
[06] The Xth information technology world congress
[07] Sir Leon Brittan calls for stronger EU ties with Hong Kong after handover
to China
[01] Jacques Santer: "Start to deliver on what is needed"
Addressing the Irish Institute of European Affairs, in Dublin, Jacques Santer said
yesterday : "Impressive growth, strong stability, low inflation, small budget deficit,
substantially declined debt ratio, stable exchange policy - this excellent
performance puts Ireland right on track towards the single currency". "Ireland can
do a lot to dispel the fear that the pursuit of open competitiveness, or sticking to
a policy of sound money, such as the Maastricht convergence criteria, is a real
risk to jobs" the President said. Concerning the European Pact of Confidence for
Employment, he said : "No more ceremonial signings and publication of
proposals. Instead we should start to deliver on what is needed."
[02] State aid for research and development in agriculture
The Commission clarified and re-defined its policy on state aid for research and
development in agriculture allowing aid of up to 100%. This initiative was taken
following publication in February this year of a new framework for research and
development concerning all sectors, including agriculture (OJ C 45 of 17/02/96).
That framework made no provisions for R & D work to be aided at above 75%.
This 75% limitation constituted a more restrictive approach than had previously
been applied in agriculture.
[03] UE/Palestine: 17.670.000 Ecus en faveur du secteur de l'éducation en
Cisjordanie et dans la bande de Gaza
La Commission vient de décider un financement de 17.670.000 ECU en faveur
des populations palestiniennes de Cisjordanie et de la bande de Gaza. Les
crédits seront utilisés pour la fourniture d'infrastructures au secteur de l'éducation
primaire, secondaire et des universités.
[04] Action Jean Monnet: l'intégration européenne dans l'enseignement
universitaire
Un total de 455 candidatures ont été présentées dans le cadre de l'Action Jean
Monnet par les universités et les milieux universitaires de l'intérieur et de
l'extérieur de l'Union Européenne. La Commission a approuvé 170 parmi ces
candidatures sur la recommandation du Conseil Universitaire Européen pour
l'Action Jean Monnet conduisant à la mise en place dès la rentrée universitaire
1996-1997. L'Action Jean Monnet a été étendue cette année à la Pologne et à
la Hongrie. Deux Chaires pilotes ont été également constituées en droit
communautaire à la Harvard School of Law et en Intégration européenne à
l'Université de Montréal.
[05] Commission clears British Gas Network Code
The European Commission's services have cleared under the competition rules
of the Treaty the network code established by TransCo, the division of British Gas
responsible for the transportation and storage of gas, in collaboration with gas
shippers and the sector regulator in Great Britain, the Office of Gas Supply
(Ofgas).
[06] The Xth information technology world congress
On June 3-5th, the Xth Information Technology World Congress will take
place in Bilbao, Spain. The event aims to bring together top business leaders
and policy-makers to discuss the on-going development of information
technologies (IT). Discussions should focus on the opportunities IT
offer to businesses, the challenges they represent, and the impact of the
Information Society in general. The Congress will be opened by H.M. Juan
Carlos I of Spain. It is organised every two years under the auspices of the
World Information Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA). During the
opening session, Mr Martin Bangemann, European Commissioner responsible
for industry and telecommunications, will present a Information Society concept
and set the framework for discussion.
[07] Sir Leon Brittan calls for stronger EU ties with Hong Kong after handover
to China
Europe wants stronger, not weaker, relations with Hong Kong after 1997, Sir
Leon Brittan says in a speech there today. Repeating the EU's one-China policy,
he says "Our policy will underscore the autonomy and the market economy of the
Special Administrative Region. We are looking at all possibilities for
strengthening our links and are preparing the ground to take the necessary
initiatives in the early months of the SAR's existence". He adds that the
Commission is "giving active support to visa-free access for Hong Kongers to the
countries of the European Union". On WTO membership, Sir Leon assures that
"to get China into the WTO is a policy priority for the EU, but the WTO is a rules-based organisation and we cannot engineer Chinese membership on false terms,
although we are prepared to give appropriate recognition to the ract that China's
economy is still in a transitional phase of development".
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://www.cec.lu/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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