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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 97-09-03

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

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

03/09/97


CONTENTS / CONTENU

[I] Résultats de la Commission du 3 septembre -

  • [01] Commission proposes to commit up to ECU 100 million to Chernobyl sarcophagus
  • [II] Other news - Autres nouvelles

  • [02] The Commission initiates second phase proceedings on VEBA/DEGUSSA merger
  • [03] Food safety - The view from Europe

  • [I] Résultats de la Commission du 3 septembre -

    Outcome of Commission's meeting of 3 September

    [01] Commission proposes to commit up to ECU 100 million to Chernobyl sarcophagus

    The European Commission today adopted a draft Council decision allocating up to ECU 100 million to the Chernobyl sarcophagus. This amount doubles the EU assistance to Ukraine for Chernobyl to date (1993/1994: ECU 25 million, 1995 and 1996: ECU 37.5 million each). The proposal follows the G7 decision in Denver in June 1997 to finance US$ 300 million of the overall US$ 750 million needed to make the sarcophagus safe. The sarcophagus covers Chernobyl Unit 4 which melted down in April 1986 and has been found by an international expert team to be in dire need of repairs in order to prevent radiation leakage. The money will come from the European Union's Tacis programme, which also financed the expert studies which led to the present technical proposal and which has allocated ECU 505 million on nuclear safety in the New Independent States (NIS) since its inception in 1991. The objectives of the Tacis nuclear safety programme include: improvement of the safety of the nuclear power plants in operation, strengthening of the regulatory authorities. For the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant the European Union (EU) provides also technical and financial assistance for the decommissioning of units 1-3 (including storage of radioactive waste that will result from decommissioning), for reducing the social impact of the closure of Chernobyl, which still employs 4,000 people, as well as for assisting in alleviating the consequences of the accident (involving 120 laboratories in Ukraine and 80 in the EU) and providing medical help to the victims of the accident (including treatment of thyroid cancer in children and rebuilding a children's hospital).

    (for more info. : IP/97/770 + MEMO 76 - L. van der Laan - tel: 295.30.69 - fax: 296.79.12)

    [II] Other news - Autres nouvelles

    [02] The Commission initiates second phase proceedings on VEBA/DEGUSSA merger

    The European Commission has decided to continue its investigations into the proposed merger by which VEBA AG (Veba) intends to acquire control over Degussa AG (Degussa). Both companies are active in a large variety of business fields. However, the only overlap in their activities is the area of chemical products. In this area, the Commission has competition concerns relating to different markets.

    (for more information : IP/97/771 - W. Hélin - tel: 295.75.22 - fax: 295.14.13)

    [03] Food safety - The view from Europe

    Addressing a Conference on Food Safety which is taking place in Westminster, the Commissioner of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Franz Fischler said that while respecting its' international obligations the European Union must have the right to take any action necessary to protect the health of our consumers. He went on to say that it is in the interest of primary producers, processors, distributors, retailers and final consumers that food safety rules and standards are consistent, coherent and transparent and announced that work on achieving this objective is already well advanced. In addition to good manufacturing practices, Mr Fischler said that action is also necessary at farm level to ensure micro-organisms are excluded from the food chain and added that a proper reporting system on food borne diseases be established so that food legislation can be adapted rapidly to the hazards occurring at any given time. Current official inspection systems at national level are often not adapted to the problems and risks of today but rather are focusing too much on problems which were common decades ago, and added that emerging hazards should be addressed by the development of efficient risk assessment techniques and inspection procedures adapted to current risks. Embargo: 3 Septembre 1997 - 12.30

    (for more information : SPEECH/97/167 - tel : 295.31.27 - fax: 296.42.84)

    MIDDAY EXPRESS


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


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