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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 96-06-18
From: HR-Net 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 / 06 / 1996
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] European Union approves draft mandate to negotiate a common aviation
area with the United States
[02] Coopération entre la Commission européenne et le Portugal pour le
contrôle de l'utilisation des Fonds structurels
[03] First IDA Conference in Rome, 20-21 June: shaping the role of the public
administration of the future
[04] La Commission approuve la création d'une entreprise commune dans
l'industrie des briques
[05] Yves-Thibault de Silguy: "Les grandes orientations des politiques
économiques doivent être méticuleusement appliquées"
[06] Mario Monti: Why we need a Single European Market for Pension Funds
[07] Martin Bangemann: the projects for a competitive EU defence industry
[01] European Union approves draft mandate to negotiate a common aviation
area with the United States
The EU yesterday approved a draft mandate to negotiate an agreement with a
view to creating a common aviation area with the US. The Commission, in
coordination with national experts, will now begin fleshing out the exact details
of the draft already on the table. This draft mandate has been agreed by all
Member States except the UK, who nonetheless under the rules of qualified
majority voting will be bound by its provision. All issues, including market access,
will be on the table but in the first instance the Commission will confine itself to
a negotiation that encompasses issues such as competition rules and investment
possibilities. On the basis of progress in these areas and only on explicit
instruction from the Council will the negotiation be enlarged to include market
access.
[02] Coopération entre la Commission européenne et le Portugal pour le
contrôle de l'utilisation des Fonds structurels
L'Inspecteur général des Finances du Portugal et le Contrôleur financier de la
Commission européenne ont signé un protocole d'accord pour le contrôle de
l'utilisation des Fonds structurels. Ce protocole est le septième d'une série de
protocoles bilatéraux signés avec les autorités nationales, chargées des contrôles
dans les Etats membres. Le protocole a pour but de coordonner les efforts de
contrôle des différentes administrations nationales, sur la base d'une
méthodologie partagée.
[03] First IDA Conference in Rome, 20-21 June: shaping the role of the public
administration of the future
How can the Information Society bring government closer to the people? How
can public administrations show citizens that they are progressive and
service-oriented, and are giving them 'their money's worth'? How will industry
benefit from increasingly efficient and telematics-based administrations? These
and other questions relating to the role of public administrations in the Information
Society will be discussed during the first Conference on the European
Commission's IDA (Interchange of Data Between Administrations) Programme
held in Rome on June 20 and 21, 1996. The primary role of the IDA Programme
is to support the development of Europe's internal market by encouraging the
creation of trans-European telematics networks and services for the public sector.
IDA also acts as a facilitator, to help public administrations create links with their
counterparts in other European countries.
[04] La Commission approuve la création d'une entreprise commune dans
l'industrie des briques
La Commission européenne a approuvé une opération par laquelle Creditanstalt-Bankverein, une banque autrichienne, et Koramic Building Products NV, un
fabricant belge de matériaux de construction, créent une entreprise commune qui
acquerra les activités combinées de fabrication de briques de Koramic (à travers
sa filiale Terca Bricks) et de Wienerberger Baustoffindustrie AG, un fabricant
autrichien de matériaux de construction.
[05] Yves-Thibault de Silguy: "Les grandes orientations des politiques
économiques doivent être méticuleusement appliquées"
Lors du débat en plénière au Parlement européen à Strasbourg aujourd'hui,
Yves-Thibault de Silguy, Commissaire chargé des Affaires économiques,
financières et monétaires, a rappelé notamment que, d'après l'article 103, "les
Etats membres doivent coordonner leurs politiques économiques comme une
question d'intérêt commun". C'est la raison pour laquelle, afin de mieux
coordonner et surveiller leur application, la Commission recommande cette année
l'élaboration de programmes de convergence actualisés. "Les programmes
nationaux devront faire l'objet d'un engagement politique plus ferme. La
Commission demande, à cette fin, de les faire valider par le Conseil".
[06] Mario Monti: Why we need a Single European Market for Pension Funds
Addressing a Conference on pension funds in the single European market,
Internal Market Commissioner Mario Monti said that pensions are one of the
biggest political and economic challenges governments are having to face.
Publicly financed pension schemes cannot be maintained in their present form.
Pension funds have a part to play in tackling the challenge of ensuring retirement
provision in the European Union. A genuine Single Market will provide greater
freedom for pension by making funds available at lower cost for industry and
therefore improving the prospects for competitiveness and growth. The
Commission will proceed along two policy lines: the elimination of unjustified
investment restrictions forbidden by the Treaty's rules on free movement of
capital and wider action for the develoment of pension funds in the Single Market
covering a range of topics concerning pension funds and their impact on the
individual.
[07] Martin Bangemann: the projects for a competitive EU defence industry
In his opening address at the Conference "The future of Europe's defence
industry", Industry Commissioner Martin Bangemann said this morning: "If
European defence industry will not overcome its structural problems we may
loose the capacity either to compete efficiently or to co-operate on equal terms
with the USA. We will be challenged with technology gaps and a disappearance
of technological skills. On the industry side it is vital to achieve internal and
external restructuring. This will require industrial mergers at European level.
Cost reduction also involves a technological aspect. It is especially important for
governments to be more selective in funding research and technology. We
regard a range of available Community instruments as appropriate when being
adapted to the specificities of this industry. Important benefits could be derived
from applying European public procurement procedures. Standardisation and
technical harmonisation are vital for the sector's efficiency. A clear framework of
competition rules can facilitate the restructuring and co-operations between
companies. Europe's research and technological development activities could
help to improve the industry's technology base."
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://www.cec.lu/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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