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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 99-02-10
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
10/02/99
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Get Galileo to set the pace in satellite navigation, improve safety,
generate jobs, Commission says
[02] Commission adopts Communication on options regarding WTO decision on
EU hormones ban
[03] La Commission adopte deux décisions relatives aux redevances
d'atterrissage dans les aéroports portugais et finlandais
[04] Commission fines A.P. Møller for late notification and unlawful
implementation of three concentrations
[01] Get Galileo to set the pace in satellite navigation, improve safety,
generate jobs, Commission says
The European Commission called for governments of the European Union to
press ahead in the race to develop the next generation of satellite
technology. The Commission's proposal for the Galileo project, published
today, asks Member States to give their political and financial backing to
achieving a European-developed, state-of-the-art Global Navigation
Satellite System that should set the industry standard for the 21st
century. The development of a European system would avoid the problems
caused by our current dependence on US and Russian satellites over which
Europe has no control. Satellite signals are already directing
international air and sea movements but there is growing market potential
to help cut traffic congestion by routing cars and trucks more efficiently,
as well as for farming, fishing, fraud prevention (tracking and tracing)
as well as infrastructure planning, mineral exploration and land surveys.
[02] Commission adopts Communication on options regarding WTO decision on
EU hormones ban
The European Commission has adopted a Communication to the Council of
Ministers and the European Parliament outlining three different possible
options which could be introduced as interim measures pending the
finalisation of the additional scientific studies that were commissioned
last year. The World Trade Organisation (WTO) granted the European Union
(EU) a "reasonable period" which expires on 13 May 1999 to bring its
measures on beef hormones into conformity with the provisions of the
Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement (SPS). In response to the WTO
Appellate Body's ruling last February, the Commission initiated a
complementary risk assessment and commissioned a number of new scientific
studies. While some preliminary results are expected to become available
by the end of April or early May, the final results from most of these
studies are expected to become available only later in the year or in 2000.
The EU's final decision on the current prohibition can only be taken once
these studies have been completed. The purpose of this Communication is to
deal with the situation in which the EU now finds itself, in the run-up to
the 13 May deadline and during the subsequent interim period that is
necessary to complete the complementary risk assessment. It is against
this background that the Commission has put forward three options and
invites the Council and Parliament to urgently engage in a debate on the
matter to decide on the most appropriate EU strategy. The options are
paying compensation through trade concessions, transforming the ban on
inports into a temporary one on the basis of available pertinent evidence,
or lifting the ban on imports and applying labelling. The Commission will
initiate talks with the complaining parties (the US and Canada) in order to
evaluate the merits of these options and in particular to explore the
feasibility of compensation.
[03] La Commission adopte deux décisions relatives aux redevances
d'atterrissage dans les aéroports portugais et finlandais
La Commission européenne a demandé au Portugal de mettre fin au système de
rabais et de modulation des redevances d'atterrissage selon l'origine du
vol dans les aéroports de Lisbonne, Porto et Faro. La Commission a de même
demandé au gestionnaire des aéroports finlandais de mettre fin à son
système de modulation des redevances d'atterrissage selon l'origine du vol
dans les aéroports d'Helsinki, Vaasa, Turku, Pori et Tampere. L'article 86
du traité CE interdit que, pour un même service, les gestionnaires d'un
aéroport discriminent entre les différentes compagnies aériennes sans
justification objective. Or, le traitement d'un avion est le même qu'il
soit le premier ou le centième d'une compagnie aérienne ou qu'il vienne
d'un autre aéroport portugais, voire finlandais, ou d'un autre Etat membre.
[04] Commission fines A.P. Møller for late notification and unlawful
implementation of three concentrations
The European Commission has decided to impose a total fine of 219,000 euro
on the Danish company A.P. Møller for failing to notify and for putting
into effect three concentrations. In its decision the Commission has taken
into account in particular the fact that both infringements lasted for a
significant period, and that A.P. Møller should have been aware of its
obligation to notify the respective transactions under the Merger
Regulation. This is the second time that the Commission has imposed a fine
under the Merger Regulation since its entry into force in 1990.
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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