|
|
|
European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 96-07-08
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
08 / 07 / 1996
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Le Portugal reçoit 19 millions d'Ecus du Fonds de cohésion
[02] Commission takes Belgium and Germany to court for non-implementation
of the GMO Directive
[03] Commission sends Germany a reasoned opinion for incorrect transposal of
directive on public procurement review procedures
[04] Ritt Bjerregaard signs agreement on financial assistance to Bulgaria to
facilitate decommissioning at Kozloduy
[05] Humanitarian aid for Russia, Guinea, Peru and Senegal
[01] Le Portugal reçoit 19 millions d'Ecus du Fonds de cohésion
Le Fonds de Cohésion européen a accordé 19 millions d'Ecus à quatre projets
portugais dans le domaine de l'environnement et du transport. Les régions
bénéficiaires sont Matosinhos, Sotavento Algarvio, Setùbal, et Lisbonne. Les
actions envisagés concernent: réaménagement des quais de la Roche do Conde
de Obidos et d'Alcântara-Norte, VTS - contrôle et gestion du trafic maritime,
assainissement du Grand Porto/Sud ainsi que la collecte et le traitement des
eaux résiduaires de Loulé (Sotavento Algarvio). L'intervention du Fonds de
Cohésion est de 85% du coût total.
[02] Commission takes Belgium and Germany to court for non-implementation
of the GMO Directive
The European Commission has decided to lodge an application before the
European Court of Justice against Belgium and Germany for their failure to adopt
and communicate to the Commission legislation to comply with two directives on
the deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified organisms
(GMOs). The infringement concerns certain information required in notifications
concerning releases of genetically modified organisms which allows the
competent authorities to assess the risks related to those activities. It is therefore
of paramount importance to the European legislation concerning genetically
modified organisms.
[03] Commission sends Germany a reasoned opinion for incorrect transposal of
directive on public procurement review procedures
Germany has still to incorporate correctly into national law Directive 89/665/EEC,
under which Member States had to have in place by 21 December 1991 the
measures necessary to ensure that decisions taken by contracting authorities
may be reviewed effectively and rapidly. The Commission's main objections are
that no provision has been made for tenderers to assert their rights before the
German courts, as is required by the case-law of the European Court of Justice,
and that the review bodies set up are not sufficiently independent. Moreover, the
current German system merely provides for a once-only assessment of the facts
by a purely administrative body. The German Government has been unable to
demonstrate that its system of provisional measures is effective. Since the
response to its letter of formal notice sent in October 1995 had been
unsatisfactory, the Commission decided on 26 June to send a reasoned opinion.
[04] Ritt Bjerregaard signs agreement on financial assistance to Bulgaria to
facilitate decommissioning at Kozloduy
Environment Commissioner Ritt Bjerregaard and Minister of Trade and Foreign
Cooperation, Mr Atanas Paparizov, signed last Friday in Sofia a financial
memorandum on a programme for assistance of ECU 10 million to Bulgaria for
the procurement of alternative energy supplies. The money will come from the
Phare programme and will help Bulgaria in its present very difficult economic
situation to diversify its energy supply and improve energy efficiency in the
country. The assistance programme will - inter alia - help Bulgaria provide
sufficient supplies of coal for the coming winter to allow the government to go
ahead with the decommissioning of Unit 1 of Kozloduy nuclear energy plant,
which is of a particular concern in terms of nuclear safety.
[05] Humanitarian aid for Russia, Guinea, Peru and Senegal
The European Commission has approved humanitarian aid projects in the
Russian Federation (for the homeless in Moscow and St Petersburg), in Guinea
(for refugees from Liberia and Sierra Leone), in Peru (for displaced people) and
in Senegal (to combat cholera). The projects are worth a total of over ECU
2 million, and are channelled via the European Community Humanitarian Office
(ECHO). Independent international aid organisations are carrying out the work
in the field.
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://www.cec.lu/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
|
