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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 97-04-18
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
18/04/97
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Kesko Oy fulfills Commission order to divest the daily consumer goods
business of Tuko Oy
[02] La Commission décide d'accorder une aide de 29 millions d'Ecus à des
projets de recherche dans le domaine du charbon
[03] Commission provides ECU 10 million to assist the town of Zwickau
[04] Deuxième réunion du Comité mixte Communauté européenne - Ukraine
[05] Soudan: la Commission approuve une aide humanitaire d'une valeur de 11,
8 millions d'Ecus
[06] Peru and Bolivia: Commission approves humanitarian aid worth ECU 4.2
million
[07] Visit of Commissioner Hans van den Broek to Washington, 21 and 22
April 1997
[08] Padraig Flynn gives his views on IGC issues as the Amsterdam Summit
approaches
[01] Kesko Oy fulfills Commission order to divest the daily consumer goods
business of Tuko Oy
Kesko - a Finnish group active in the sale of daily consumer goods - has
presented a proposal for the divestiture of the daily consumer goods
business of the Tuko group, which it acquired in May 1996. Following the
European Commission's finding in November 1996 that the combination of the
two groups would be incompatible with the common market, the Commission is
satisfied that the proposal allows for the restoration of effective
competition on the Finnish markets for retail and cash and carry sales of
such goods.
[02] La Commission décide d'accorder une aide de 29 millions d'Ecus à des
projets de recherche dans le domaine du charbon
La Commission européenne a décidé d'accorder une subvention de 29 millions
d'écus à 31 projets de recherche réalisés dans le cadre du programme de
recherche Charbon de la Communauté européenne du charbon et de l'acier
(CECA). Ces projets de recherche doivent contribuer à assurer une
protection efficace de l'environnement, à faire mieux comprendre le rôle du
charbon comme source énergétique à la population, à améliorer les
conditions sanitaires et la sécurité dans les mines, à renforcer la
position concurrentielle du charbon et à favoriser l'utilisation
rationnelle des ressources énergétiques de la Communauté.
[03] Commission provides ECU 10 million to assist the town of Zwickau
The European Commission is providing around ECU 10 million (around DM 18.5
million) for urban improvement measures in the "Zentrumsnahe Nordvorstadt"
[northern inner suburbs] district of the town of Zwickau. The funds
granted by the Commission come from the URBAN Community initiative, which
promotes the development of particularly run-down areas in selected towns.
Together with the funds provided by the Free State of Saxony and the
Zwickau municipal authorities and contributions from the private sector,
total investment in the programme is almost ECU 20 million (approximately
DM 38 million). The plans for the area receiving assistance were worked
out by the municipal authorities together with many institutions,
associations and private individuals with a sense of commitment to their
town. It involves 13 apartment blocks over an area of 18 ha with a
population of over 800 people.
[04] Deuxième réunion du Comité mixte Communauté européenne - Ukraine
La Communauté européenne et l'Ukraine tiennent les 17 et 18 avril 1997 à
Bruxelles la deuxième réunion annuelle du Comité mixte dans le cadre de
l'Accord intérimaire de partenariat entré en vigueur en février 1996, sous
la présidence de M. François Lamoureux, Directeur Général Adjoint de la
Commission européenne. La délégation ukrainienne est présidée par M. R.
Shpeck, Chef de l'Agence Nationale pour la Reconstruction et le
Développement. Les principaux thèmes des travaux sont: la mise en place
prochaine de l'Accord de Partenariat et de Coopération entre l'UE et
l'Ukraine, l'évolution des réformes économiques et la situation des
investissements étrangers en Ukraine, les échanges bilatéraux et la mise en
oeuvre de l'Accord de 1995 pour la fermeture de Tchernobyl.
[05] Soudan: la Commission approuve une aide humanitaire d'une valeur de 11,
8 millions d'Ecus
La Commission européenne a approuvé une aide humanitaire de 11,8 millions
d'Ecus pour le Soudan. L'aide, gérée par l'Office humanitaire de la
Communauté européenne (ECHO), permettra aux agences spécialisées des
Nations-Unies et aux organisations non-gouvernementales d'exécuter un
programme coordonné pour une période d'une année.
[06] Peru and Bolivia: Commission approves humanitarian aid worth ECU 4.2
million
The European Commission has approved humanitarian aid worth ECU 4.2 million
for Peru and Bolivia. The aid, managed by the European Community
Humanitarian Office (ECHO), will enable European Union non-governmental
organisations to carry out programmes over the next six to nine months. The
programmes are for displaced people and victims of violence in Peru (ECU
2.8 million) and for victims of flooding in Bolivia (ECU 1.4 million).
[07] Visit of Commissioner Hans van den Broek to Washington, 21 and 22
April 1997
Commissioner Hans van den Broek will be in Washington next week for talks
with Secretary of State, Mrs Madeleine Albright, and senior State
Department officials. Meetings are also foreseen at the National Security
Council, with Member of Congress and at the World Bank. On Tuesday, 22
April, Hans van den Broek will address over lunch the Mid-Atlantic Club in
Washington on the theme "the EU and European Security". Points to be
raised with his US interlocutors include topics such as the relations with
Russia, Belarus and Turkey. It will be an occasion to assess the peace
process in Bosnia Herzegovina, and also the situation in Albania and
developments in the FRY will be on the agenda. The exchange of views with
Mrs Albright will be an opportunity to inform the Secretary of State on the
state of play of the EU enlargement preparations. Furthermore, the
international efforts to broker a solution for the Cyprus issue will be
reviewed.
[08] Padraig Flynn gives his views on IGC issues as the Amsterdam Summit
approaches
(!!! embargo 4 pm !!!) Speaking in Dublin to the Institute of European
Affairs, Social Affairs Commissioner Padraig Flynn said that the IGC is a
window of opportunity through which the European Union can pass before it
plunges into EMU and enlargement. The Commissioner expressed his views on
the key issues under discussion - Institutional Reform, the Third Pillar,
Common Foreign and Security Policy, Flexibility and his own portfolio,
Social Policy. On the latter point, he said, "the European Commission
continues to want employment to be included in the Treaty as a key
objective of the Union" and that it is now looking like this may happen.
On the issue of equal treatment between men and women, "the Commission is
now pressing for this not to be just part of a general anti-discrimination
clause, but for equality between women and men to be an explicit task of
the Union. The Commission is also working hard to get the Social Protocol
fully integrated in the Treaty. We regard this as vital for establishing a
strong, single, coherent and effective legal framework for social policy in
years to come, a framework in which the social partners will play a full
part. And we are finding that there is a strong majority in favour." (!!!
embargo 4 pm !!!)
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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