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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 96-11-13
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
MIDDAY EXPRESS
News from the Spokesman's midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi du Porte-Paroleb
13/11/1996
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[I] Résultats de la Commission de ce jour - Outcome of today's Commission
meeting
[01] La Commission lance un plan d'action de 50 millions d'Ecus pour la
recherche sur l'ESB et les maladies à prions
[02] Commission will not admit genetically modified maize without
scientific advice
[03] Commission approves draft negotiating mandate for accession to a new-
look Eurocontrol
[04] Commission proposes strategy to remove technical barriers to trade for
European exporters
[05] La Commission a proposé de renouveler les enveloppes de prêts de la
BEI aux pays tiers
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[06] Phare and Tacis democracy programme 1996
[07] Conference on the role of the media in the peace process in ex-
Yugoslavia
[I] Résultats de la Commission de ce jour - Outcome of today's Commission
meeting
[01] La Commission lance un plan d'action de 50 millions d'Ecus pour la
recherche sur l'ESB et les maladies à prions
Face aux risques graves que fait peser le développement de l'encéphalopathie
spongiforme bovine (ESB) sur la santé humaine, un effort de recherche
déterminé, associant les meilleures équipes au niveau européen, apparaît
particulièrement urgent. C'est pourquoi la Commission européenne a décidé
de lancer un plan d'action de recherche sur l'ensemble des encéphalopathies
spongiformes transmissibles (EST), qui regroupent l'ESB et les autres
maladies à prions, dont la maladie de Creutzfeldt-Jakob. Reprenant les
priorités de recherche identifiées par le rapport du groupe Weissmann, ce
plan devrait être doté d'un budget de 50 millions d'Ecus, dont 35 issus
d'un complément financier au 4ème programme-cadre européen de recherche que
devront approuver le Conseil des Ministres et le Parlement européen.
[02] Commission will not admit genetically modified maize without
scientific advice
The European Commission postponed its decision on whether or not to
authorize the placing on the market of genetically modified maize awaiting
the opinions of three Scientific Committees: the Scientific Committee on
Food, the Scientific Committe on Animal Nutrition and the Scientific
Committee for Pesticides. The Scientific Committees were regrettably not
able to deliver their opinion in full before the Commission's meeting
today. In the light of the widespread public and political debate on the
issue the Commission maintains that it will not take any decision in this
field without a full scientific picture. The Commission expects to deal
with the question at one of its meetings in December.
[03] Commission approves draft negotiating mandate for accession to a new-
look Eurocontrol
The European Commission approved a draft negotiating mandate for the
Community's accession to the European Organisation for the Safety of Air
Navigation known as Eurocontrol. This approach by the Commission is the
logical follow-up to the White Paper on Air Traffic Management: "Freeing
Europe's Airspace", adopted in March. The organisation of air traffic
management is a major factor in flight delays and one of the cost-burdens
on air carriers that the Commission is pledged to reduce as part of its
commitment to the liberalisation of Europe's civil aviation sector.
However, the draft accession mandate, in line with institutional changes
already being discussed by ECAC - the European Civil Aviation Conference -
presupposes changes to Eurocontrol enabling it to implement decisions more
quickly.
[04] Commission proposes strategy to remove technical barriers to trade for
European exporters
In an effort to simplify the red tape that can stifle companies exporting
and investing outside the European Union, the European Commission is taking
a strategic overview of all the different worldwide standards, regulations
and approval regimes that exporters face when selling to foreign markets.
Sectors ranging from vehicles, foodstuffs, telecoms to pharmaceuticals face
a barrage of competing and often conflicting standards set by different
countries and bodies without sufficient coordination. In a Communication
to the Council, the Commission recommends that standard-setting be made a
high priority in upcoming negotiations in the World Trade Organisation
(WTO) at Singapore in December, as well as when China, Russia, Saudi Arabia
and other countries join the WTO. The Commission also lays out a forward
looking agenda for international harmonisation of regulations. And it also
suggests that Mutual Recognition Agreements of the kind being negotiated
between the European Union and the USA, which enable one country to export
without facing bursensome approval procedures at home and abroad, might
ultimately be negotiated among regions rather than just bilaterally.
[05] La Commission a proposé de renouveler les enveloppes de prêts de la
BEI aux pays tiers
La Commission européenne a adopté une proposition de renouvellement global
des mandats de la Banque Européenne d'Investissement (BEI) pour l'octroi de
prêts aux pays tiers pour la période 1997-1999 et pour un montant de 6.825
millions d'Ecus. Pour les régions concernées, cela représente une
augmentation globale d'environ 12,5% par rapport à la moyenne des prêts des
trois dernières années. Les propositions de la Commission portent sur les
garanties de prêts accordées par le budget communautaire pour les
enveloppes BEI dans les pays d'Europe centrale et orientale, les pays
méditerranéens et les pays d'Asie, d'Amérique latine et d'Afrique du Sud.
Les mandats de la Banque pour ces régions arrivaient à échéance dans les
prochains mois et pour la plupart fin 1996. La proposition de la
Commission repose sur l'hypothèse que ces prêts seront à l'avenir garantis
par le budget communautaire à hauteur de 65%. Cela tient compte des
conclusions du Conseil Ecofin du 14 octobre qui envisageait des garanties
comprises dans une fourchette de 65 à 75%. Les nouveaux mandats feront
l'objet d'une décision du Conseil selon l'article 235.
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[06] Phare and Tacis democracy programme 1996
The European Commission decided to grant aid to 50 projects submitted by
non-governmental organisations under the Phare and Tacis Democracy
Programme 1996: 20 projects in the Countries of Central and Eastern Europe,
25 projects in the New Independent States and Mongolia, and 5 inter-
regional projects are to receive a total of ECU 3,5 million from the Phare
budget and a total of ECU 3,7 million from the Tacis budget. The Democracy
Programme forms part of the European Democracy Initiative of the European
Parliament. It seeks to support the activities and efforts of non-
governmental bodies promoting a stable open society and good governance and
focuses support on the difficult or contentious aspects of political reform
and democratic practice, where local advocacy bodies are weak and where
professional expertise is particularly lacking.
[07] Conference on the role of the media in the peace process in ex-
Yugoslavia
On the initiative of External Relations Commissioner Hans van den Broek, a
conference on the role of the media in strengthening the peace process in
Ex-Yugoslavia will be organized in Brussels, Friday 29 November 1996. The
conference will be chaired by Mr Leo Tindemans, Member of the European
Parliament, and is organized with the support of the European Parliament,
the Council of Europe and the International Federation of Journalists.
Journalists from the countries which are signatory to the Dayton/Paris
peace agreements will be present as well as journalists and media experts
from EU Member States and other countries.
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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