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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 97-03-04
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
04/03/97
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Report of the Scientific Veterinary Committee on the risk analysis for
colostrum, milk and milk products
[02] Bulgaria: Commission grants emergency humanitarian aid of ECU 1.1
million
[03] Padraig Flynn speaks out against the "old lie" that cultural
differences are the cause of poverty and unemployment
[04] Excédent commercial de 14,4 milliards d'Ecus dans le commerce extra-UE
au troisième trimestre 1996
[01] Report of the Scientific Veterinary Committee on the risk analysis for
colostrum, milk and milk products
The safety of milk, with regard to BSE, has been discussed at the
scientific level following interim results from the cohort study in the UK
which suggested that maternal transmission did occur. The report was
adopted unanimously by the joint Public and Animal Health Sections of the
Scientific Veterinary Committee. The report concludes that bovine milk from
clinically healthy cows and products made from it can be safely consumed.
This supports the opinion of the WHO Expert Consultation of 3 April 1996.
[02] Bulgaria: Commission grants emergency humanitarian aid of ECU 1.1
million
The European Commission has approved emergency medical and food aid for an
amount of ECU 1.1 million in favour of Bulgaria. The medical aid granted
by ECHO (European Commission Humanitarian Office) is aimed at helping fill
the serious gaps which exist in the hospital sector of the country. The
constant rise in the amount of imported pharmaceutical products is a heavy
burden on the budget of the hospitals. The State, which up until now has
been intervening to cover the debts in this sector, is no longer in a
position to do so and health sector budgets have not been increased in line
with inflation.
[03] Padraig Flynn speaks out against the "old lie" that cultural
differences are the cause of poverty and unemployment
Speaking today in Berlin at the German launch of the European Year against
Racism, Padraig Flynn, European Commissioner with responsibility for
Employment and Social Affairs, stressed that cultural diversity has always
been Europe's strength: "I reject those arguments that say those
differences are the cause of economic problems, most notably poverty and
unemployment. That is an old lie: Difference is not a threat. It is a
resource." Referring to the situation in Germany, Mr Flynn said he was
pleased to see that "a growing number of young German politicians,
including within the government parties, have been underlining the need to
recognise that German society is a multi-ethnic society, one that is
constantly shaped and enriched by successive waves of immigrants... In
Germany, reunification has presented enormous challenges, as have changes
in neighbouring Eastern European countries. It is at times like this that
extreme attitudes surface. People start looking for scapegoats.
Insecurity about one's own identity results in a tendancy to focus on those
who are different, and a tendency to blame minorities for all social
problems."
[04] Excédent commercial de 14,4 milliards d'Ecus dans le commerce extra-UE
au troisième trimestre 1996
L'excédent commercial de l'UE avec les pays tiers a atteint 14,4 milliards
d'Ecus durant le troisième trimestre de l'année 1996, selon les estimations
publiées aujourd'hui par Eurostat, l'Office statistique des Communautés
européennes à Luxembourg. L'excédent a ainsi été porté à 24,8 milliards
pour les neuf premiers mois de l'année. L'accélération au troisième
trimestre est due essentiellement à la forte croissance des exportations,
une croissance estimée à 12,2% entre le troisième trimestre 1995 et le
troisième trimestre 1996.
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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