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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 97-11-28
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
28/11/97
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] La Commission approuve le projet d'acquisition par IFIL du contrôle
unique du groupe Worms & Cie
[02] La Commission définit sa position provisoire sur les contrats de
location de débits de boisson conclus par Inntrepreneur
[03] Mario Monti applauds Council agreements
[04] Rencontre européenne "Innovation, création d'entreprises et emploi"
[05] Report of expert group on banking charges for conversion to the euro
[06] Strong support for European Union legislation to combat late payments
[07] Entry into force of Partnership and Cooperation Agreement with Russia
[08] Hans van den Broek in Cyprus
[09] Franz Fischler welcomes "idea of Member States to further
decentralise rural development policy"
[10] Franz Fischler: "Further incentives for extensive cattle keeping can
help improve situation for both animals and environment"
[01] La Commission approuve le projet d'acquisition par IFIL du contrôle
unique du groupe Worms & Cie
La Commission européenne a approuvé le projet d'acquisition du contrôle
unique de Worms & Cie par IFIL à réaliser par voie d'offre publique d'achat
initiée par sa filiale Someal. Il ne résultera pas de l'opération de
concentration d'augmentation de parts de marché. En effet, le groupe IFIL
n'est pas actif sur les marchés sur lesquels sont présentes les filiales du
groupe Worms & Cie. Pour ces raisons, la Commission a décidé de ne pas
s'opposer à cette concentration.
[02] La Commission définit sa position provisoire sur les contrats de
location de débits de boisson conclus par Inntrepreneur
La Commission européenne se propose d'accorder une décision d'exemption aux
"nouveaux" contrats-type de location utilisés par Inntrepreneur Pub Company
Ltd. (Inntrepreneur) puisque ces accords contiennent des rabais
substantiels et d'autres avantages. Avant d'adopter une décision finale
concernant une telle exemption, la Commission invitera les tiers intéressé
à lui faire connaître leurs observations en publiant sa position initiale
dans l'une des prochaines éditions du Journal Officiel. La décision
prendrait effet à la date d'introduction des "nouveaux" accords (début
1997) jusqu'au 28 mars 1998.
[03] Mario Monti applauds Council agreements
Political agreement on Common Positions concerning the proposed Directives
on legal protection for biotechnological inventions and on a transparency
mechanism for Information Society services, reached at the 27 November
Internal Market Council, has been welcomed by Mario Monti, European
Commissioner for the Single Market. The Directive on biotechnological
inventions would harmonise national rules on the application of patent
protection to biotechnological inventions. The Directive would not allow
the patenting of "discoveries" (such as finding a substance present in
nature) and explicitly outlaw the cloning of human beings, together with
any form of manipulation of germ line genetic identity. The proposed
Directive on Information Society services would require draft national
rules that concern the free movement of such services to be notified to the
Commission, after which an initial 'standstill' period of 3 months would
allow the Commission, Member States and interested parties to comment on
the draft rules and if necessary propose amendments. The proposal's key
aim is to ensure that the Single Market is not fragmented and that no new
regulatory barriers appear.
[04] Rencontre européenne "Innovation, création d'entreprises et emploi"
La Commission européenne souhaite apporter des solutions concrètes au
paradoxe désormais connu par tous: la compétence scientifique et technique
de l'Union européenne ne se traduit qu'insuffisamment en succès industriels
et commerciaux. A l'initiative de Madame Edith Cresson, commissaire
européen chargée de la recherche, de l'innovation, de l'éducation, de la
formation et de la jeunesse, pour la première fois des acteurs majeurs de
l'innovation en Europe témoigneront et échangeront leurs expériences le 9
décembre prochain à Paris.
[05] Report of expert group on banking charges for conversion to the euro
The report of an expert group on banking charges for conversion to the euro
is being made publicly available on 28 November 1997 via the Internet
(http://europa.eu.int/comm/dg15/). To encourage "good practice" relating to
conversion without charge, the Group considers that the European Commission
should recommend a "standard of good practice for banks on conversion
without charge". The standard would be advisory rather than binding. The
Group was set up by the Commission following the May 1997 Round Table on
the practical aspects of the euro. Its terms of reference were to consider
whether banks are entitled to charge for conversion to the euro, whether
they intend to do so, whether any new rules are necessary at European Union
level and how to ensure the transparency of any conversion charges. The
Group consisted of experts drawn from banking, payment systems, enterprises
and consumer organisations and was assisted in its work by officials from
the Commission and the European Monetary Institute (EMI). The report, which
has been agreed by all members of the Group, is being submitted to the
Commission which will announce its position in the first months of 1998.
[06] Strong support for European Union legislation to combat late payments
Four out of five written responses in a consultation carried out by the
European Commission on the problem of late payments favour European Union
(EU) legislation. The Commission has consulted widely on the best way
forward to tackle the problem of late payments. 114 written responses have
been received, and the Commission organised a public hearing in Brussels on
7 October where more than 200 people were present. Of the written
responses, 91 (80%) were in favour of EU legislation. 23 (20%) were
broadly against EU legislation, although some of these favoured EU
legislation on specific subjects such as late payments by the public
sector.
[07] Entry into force of Partnership and Cooperation Agreement with Russia
The first ever Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) between the
European Union (EU) and the Russian Federation enters into force on 1
December 1997. This agreement provides an all-embracing framework covering
almost every aspect of cooperation between the two powers including trade,
human rights and democracy, science and technology, education and training,
customs issues, fight against crime, transport, energy and telecommunications,
environment and culture. It also institutionalises regular political
dialogue between the EU and Russia through the establishment of one common
set of Institutions at the level of Heads of Government, ministers and
parlamentarians. Russia is an important trading partner for the EU. In
1996, 40% of all Russian exports went to the EU (ECU 22,000 million), while
38% of EU exports went to Russia (ECU 19,000 million). Since 1991 the EU
has made available over ECU 1,000 million to Russia to help with its reform
process.
[08] Hans van den Broek in Cyprus
Foreign Affairs Commissioner Hans van den Broek will be visiting Cyprus on
1 and 2 December 1997 to hold talks with both Cypriot Community leaders,
Glafcos Clerides and Rauf Denktash. The main objective of this visit is to
discuss with both leaders the upcoming start of the accession negotiations
and the resuming of the United Nations-led peace talks. Mr van den Broek
will also address members of bi-communal groups at the Ledra Palace. These
will include business people, trade unionists, young political leaders,
women's groups and lawyers. He will also inaugurate the European Institute
of Cyprus, which has been established with European Union (EU) grants (ECU
1.3 million). Its purpose will be to disseminate information on the EU to
the Cypriot people and organise training courses and seminars to prepare
Cyprus for its future EU membership.
[09] Franz Fischler welcomes "idea of Member States to further
decentralise rural development policy"
In a speech to the International Press Institute in Brussels today,
Agriculture and Rural Development Commissioner Franz Fischler stated that
besides consequently continuing market and price reforms of the Common
Agricultural Policy started in 1992, rural development policy had to be
strengthened in order to support the environmental function of agriculture
and create job opportunities on the countryside. Mr Fischler therefore
proposed to concentrate, outside the objective 1 regions, agro-
environmental programs, retirement regulations, reforestation and job
creation programs in one program per region. The simplification of
bureaucracy and the improved coherence of the measures resulting from this
regrouping of programs would lead to increased flexibility and efficiency
at regional level. Mr Fischler welcomed the idea of a number of member
states to further decentralise rural development policy and finally noted
that the "compensatory allowance for less-favoured regions could become a
model for a stronger environmental orientation in the future", by acting as
a promoter and preserver of extensive production systems in the community.
[10] Franz Fischler: "Further incentives for extensive cattle keeping can
help improve situation for both animals and environment"
Speaking to the Annual Plenary Assembly of the Eurogroup for Animal Welfare
in Brussels today, Franz Fischler, Member of the European Commission
responsible for Agriculture and Rural Development said that "the
improvement of the welfare of animals had to be an important objective of
the European Union" since most agro-political decisions are made at
european level. Considering the abolition of the internal borders in the
community, Mr Fischler stressed that it was important to set up an adequate
animal welfare framework for the 700 million domestic animals in the Union.
Referring to the reform of the agricultural policy as foreseen in the
Agenda 2000, Mr Fischler noted that "improving the incentives for extensive
cattle keeping would not only be a contribution to the protection of the
environment, but it is also a way of keeping cattle which animal welfare
groups support." Mr Fischler concluded by saying that the future success of
agriculture will depend on how society views environmental and ethical
issues as being a feature of quality.
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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