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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 96-11-07

Midday Express: News from the EU Commission Spokesman's Briefings Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

07 / 11 / 1996


CONTENTS / CONTENU

  • [01] Launch of high level expert group on worker involvement
  • [02] ECU 29 million for Urban renewal in the United Kingdom
  • [03] L'Union européenne va conclure un accord de coopération douanière et d'assistance mutuelle en matière douanière avec les Etats-Unis
  • [04] Infractions Grèce: mesures d'application du régime fiscal TVA/accises
  • [05] Infractions France: mauvaise application du régime fiscal TVA
  • [06] Infraction Italie: restriction du droit à déduction de la TVA
  • [07] EU outlines priorities for key meeting with European and American businessmen in Chicago
  • [08] UE-Cambodge: paraphe de l'accord de coopération
  • [09] Commission takes senior European businessmen to Beijing
  • [10] Hans van den Broek takes part in troïka visit to Moscow
  • [11] Padraig Flynn says that the information society must be "inclusive and equitable"
  • [12] Sir Leon Brittan: time to work together for reform in Cuba
  • [13] Franz Fischler: Europe and its Rural Areas in the Year 2000: Integrated Rural Development as a Challenge for Policy Making
  • [14] Yves-Thibault de Silguy: "Le système monétaire international doit être équilibré"

  • [01] Launch of high level expert group on worker involvement

    Padraig Flynn and Mario Monti, European Commissioners respectively in charge of Social Affairs and Internal Market, have launched a High Level Expert Group on worker involvement, in an attempt to break the deadlock in the Council of Ministers on the European Company Statute. The Group will be chaired by Mr Etienne Davignon, former Vice-President of the European Commission and President of Société Générale de Belgique. The Group has been asked to submit its report quickly, i.e. within 3 or 4 months.

    [02] ECU 29 million for Urban renewal in the United Kingdom

    The cities of London, Birmingham and Swansea are to receive ECU 29.3 million from the EU‘s structural funds for the regeneration of urban areas. The aid comes under the Community Initiative URBAN and is designed to enhance the employment prospects and skills of local people and attract investment. Overall, the funding will help to create or preserve more than 1,800 jobs and contribute to the training or counselling of another 7,800 people. The URBAN-programmes approved for these cities complete the series of URBAN-programmes for Great Britain and bring the total EU-financing for urban regeneration in the United Kingdom to ECU 79.3 million.

    [03] L'Union européenne va conclure un accord de coopération douanière et d'assistance mutuelle en matière douanière avec les Etats-Unis

    Ce jeudi 7 novembre 1996, à Washington, un accord de coopération douanière et d'assistance mutuelle en matière douanière entre l'Union européenne et les Etats-Unis a été paraphé par M. Alfred Komaz, Directeur au sein de la Commission européenne, et M. Douglas Browning, Assistant Commissioner des douanes américaines.

    [04] Infractions Grèce: mesures d'application du régime fiscal TVA/accises

    *

    La Commission européenne vient de décider d'émettre un avis motivé dans le cadre d‘une procédure d‘infraction au droit communautaire engagée à l'encontre de la République hellénique concernant la TVA sur les entreprises de taxis. L‘administration grecque perçoit, sur l‘activité exercée par les entreprises de taxis, un montant forfaitaire de TVA de 40.000 à 60.000 drachmes. Ce montant correspond à des recettes considérablement inférieures aux recettes réelles. Cette méthode de taxation, non seulement s‘avère incompatible avec les dispositions régissant le fonctionnement du régime normal de la TVA et ses régimes particuliers, mais est aussi susceptible d‘entraîner une incidence négative sur les ressources propres de la Communauté. *

    En outre, la Commission a décidé d'adresser à la République hellénique un avis motivé dans le cadre d'une procédure d'infraction concernant l'application de la directive relative aux accices sur les tabacs manufacturés. La législation hellénique laisse au Ministre des Finances la compétence de déterminer le prix minimum des tabacs manufacturés. Or, la directive concernée (72/464/CEE) prévoit expressément que le prix maximal de vente au détail est à fixer librement par les fabricants ou importateurs de ces produits.

    [05] Infractions France: mauvaise application du régime fiscal TVA

    *

    La Commission européenne a décidé de saisir la Cour de Justice à l‘encontre de la France pour violation de l‘art. 2 de la 8ème directive du 6 décembre 1969, relative au remboursement de la TVA aux assujettis établis dans un autre Etat membre. La France refuse de rembourser la TVA à ces assujettis lorsque ceux-ci, en tant que titulaires d‘un contrat d‘élimination de déchets, ont sous-traité une partie de leur travail à un assujetti établi en France. *

    En outre, la Commission a décidé d‘adresser un avis motivé à la France au sujet du régime de TVA appliqué aux échantillons. La France maintient un plafond de 200 francs français pour l‘exonération de l'impôt des échantillons à l‘intérieur du pays et provenant d‘autres Etats membres, contrairement à l‘article 5, paragraphe 6 de la 6ème directive TVA, qui ne prévoit pas l'exonération sans fixer de valeur maximale.

    [06] Infraction Italie: restriction du droit à déduction de la TVA

    La Commission européenne a décidé de saisir la Cour de Justice à l‘encontre de l‘Italie pour violation de la 6ème directive relative au système commun de taxe sur la valeur ajoutée, notamment l‘art. 17-2-a concernant le droit à déduction. En Italie, l‘assujetti n‘est pas autorisé à déduire la TVA ayant grevé l‘acquisition d‘immeubles lorsque cette acquisition a été effectuée en communauté avec des non-assujettis, tels que le conjoint.

    [07] EU outlines priorities for key meeting with European and American businessmen in Chicago

    European Commissioners Martin Bangemann (Industry) and Sir Leon Brittan (External Relations) travel to Chicago tomorrow for the two-day Transatlantic Business Dialogue Conference (TABD). The TABD gives European and American business people the chance to influence policy-makers on the future of transatlantic relations. The European Commission intends to use the TABD to spur on developments in several key areas: it is determined to reach ambitious Mutual Recognition Agreements covering pharmaceuticals and medical devices as well as telecoms and Telecoms and Information Technology products. Furthermore, an Information Technology Agreement, itself an initiative of the TABD, should be completed in time for the Ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Singapore on 9-13 December 1996. Finally, US and the EU business communities are united in condemning the Helms-Burton and D'Amato acts and this message will be transmitted to the US administration.

    [08] UE-Cambodge: paraphe de l'accord de coopération

    Le 7 novembre 1996, les représentants de la Commission européenne et du Royaume du Cambodge ont procédé au paraphe d'un accord-cadre de coopération portant sur la coopération au développement, la coopération commerciale et la coopération économique. Il s'agit du premier accord entre l'Union européenne et le Royaume du Cambodge.

    [09] Commission takes senior European businessmen to Beijing

    On the eve of a visit by Sir Leon Brittan to Beijing with a top-level delegation of European businessmen, the European Commission has unveiled four new programmes in China, one to promote electoral practices in Chinese villages, one to train young EU managers to do business in China, one to boost investment in China and the fourth one to smooth over technical barriers to trade. While in Beijing Sir Leon will attend the annual EU-China Ministerial meeting. The aim of the trip is to promote ties, improve prospects for Chinese membership of the WTO and present the case for the removal or trade and investment barriers that hinder European access to the Chinese market.

    [10] Hans van den Broek takes part in troïka visit to Moscow

    External Relations Commissioner Hans van den Broek will take part to the Troika mission to Moscow on 8-9 November. The EU delegation will meet the members of the Russian government and the Foreign Minister Yevgeni Primakov. EU-Russia relations will be discussed as well as European security matters. In addition to this Troika programme, Mr van den Broek will have an encounter with Mr Anatoly Chubais, the Head of the Presidential Administration to discuss i.a. the implementation of the TACIS programme.

    [11] Padraig Flynn says that the information society must be "inclusive and equitable"

    Speaking today in Copenhagen at a Conference entitled "An Information Society for Everybody," Social Affairs Commissioner Padraig Flynn said that we must ensure that everyone has access to the jobs that the Information Society creates and the benefits it provides. The Commissioner said that "we have to be aware of the impact of the new technologies in all areas of our lives, and ensure that it has a positive, not negative effect. The Internet, for example, with 50 million users world-wide, offers us amazing possibilities. But it is also open to abuse. In the same way, the connection of individual households to computer networks could be a blessing or a curse. The advent of shopping via a home computer link could mean, if we let it, people having less and less personal contact with the outside world. On the other hand, the electronic linking of homes, schools and universities could bring higher education into every home in the Union. This is a very important point. The same technology. Different impact. Its up to us. The Information and Communication Technologies offer us extraordinary opportunity. Opportunity for improved productivity and competitiveness, strong economic growth and the creation of jobs. Yet it will depend very much on how we go about it."

    [12] Sir Leon Brittan: time to work together for reform in Cuba

    The United States must understand two clear messages if transatlantic differences over Cuba are to be solved: firstly, Europe will never back away from its opposition to extraterritorial laws, and secondly Europe is every bit as determined as America to improve democracy and human rights in Cuba. Speaking in New York today, Sir Leon Brittan argues that the time is ripe for Europe and the US to begin working together to promote democratic reform and human rights in Cuba. The Helms-Burton law makes it harder for the EU, which cannot act under duress. But fortunately Europe's own independent policy towards Cuba has the same objective as that of the US, even if pursued by different means. If the Helms-Burton problem can be resolved then Europe and America can work together to achieve their shared objectives in Cuba.

    [13] Franz Fischler: Europe and its Rural Areas in the Year 2000: Integrated Rural Development as a Challenge for Policy Making

    Addressing the European Conference on Rural Development, "Rural Europe - Future Perspectives", in Cork today, Agriculture Commissioner Franz Fischler stressed the need to equip the EU's rural areas for the challenges of the next century. The indisputable importance of rural Europe - more than 80% of the area of the EU is rural, over a quarter of the EU's population lives and works in the countryside, and rural Europe provides a wide range of services to the economy, society and the environment - calls for an integrated, multisectoral approach to help rural areas find the strength and dynamism they need to sustain their role. At present, structural weaknesses are destroying the prospects of rural areas: they are dwindling away because of gaps in the infrastructure, too few jobs, inadequate services, and not enough opprtunitites for basic or further training. Mr Fischler stated: "We do not have the right to sit back and watch this happening.... It is no longer logical to restrict our rural development policy to a selected number of areas." The task of the gathering of specialists at Cork is to provide a future-oriented redefinition of a Community framework for an effective rural development policy.

    [14] Yves-Thibault de Silguy: "Le système monétaire international doit être équilibré"

    A l'occasion d'un colloque en l'honneur de Jacques Rueff à Paris, Yves-Thibault de Silguy, Commissaire européen chargé des affaires économiques, monétaires et financières, a lancé un appel de rééquilibrage du système monétaire international. Il a notamment déclaré : "le système monétaire international ne peut fonctionner de manière satisfaisante en asseyant ses bases sur la position hégémonique d'une monnaie". "Les grandes tendances financières naissent aux Etats-Unis. Nous vivons toujours dans un monde monétaire dominé par le dollar". "Le rééquilibrage du monde monétaire sera une incitation supplémentaire à la bonne gestion économique". Ceci "suppose une coopération étroite entre politiques macroéconomiques au niveau mondial". "La création de l'euro fournira l'opportunité d'approfondir cettre approche plus concertée".

    MIDDAY EXPRESS


    From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
    © ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996


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