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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 99-02-22
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
22/02/99
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] La Commission aide les détenteurs de capital-risque à investir dans
les jeunes entreprises innovantes
[02] Launching of a 3 million euro project on the application of the EU
acquis on asylum in Central and Eastern Europe
[03] Neil Kinnock visits Czech Republic
[01] La Commission aide les détenteurs de capital-risque à investir dans
les jeunes entreprises innovantes
Vingt-huit gestionnaires de fonds de capital-risque ont accepté d'investir,
au cours des trois prochaines années, plus de 490 millions d'euros dans des
petites et moyennes entreprises technologiquement innovantes. En échange,
la Commission européenne aidera les gestionnaires de fonds à acquérir une
plus grande expérience dans ce type d'investissements. A l'heure actuelle,
le manque d'expertise des investisseurs en capital-risque pénalise le
secteur technologique européen et, en particulier, les jeunes entreprises.
L'initiative s'inscrit dans le cadre du programme Innovation de la
Commission.
[02] Launching of a 3 million euro project on the application of the EU
acquis on asylum in Central and Eastern Europe
Today in Nürnberg, the European Commission and the German Federal Office
for the Recognition of Foreign Refugees (Bundesamt für die Anerkennung
ausländischer Flüchtlinge), together with the refugee offices of six other
Member States, are holding a launch conference for a new 3 million euro
project which aims to strengthen the capacity of Central and Eastern
European countries (CEECs) to apply the European Union (EU) acquis on
asylum and immigration as well as related standards and practices. Asylum
is an important part of the EU's agenda for the creation of an area of
freedom, security and justice; the evolving acquis in this field will be
transferred into EU competence under the Treaty of Amsterdam. The control
of external frontiers and respect for international norms in asylum, visa
and immigration brings a new challenge to the CEECs' preparation for
membership of the EU. It is essential that these countries develop the
material law and procedures which will enable them to give asylum-seekers
access to the same level of legal protection on the one hand and of
counselling and advice on the other as in the EU. The Commission sees this
project as an important contribution to the strengthening of legal and
constitutional reforms, the rule of law and democratic security in some of
its future member countries, as outlined in the Accession Partnerships.
[03] Neil Kinnock visits Czech Republic
Neil Kinnock, the European Commissioner responsible for Transport policy,
today begins a two-day visit to the Czech Republic. He will visit public
transport projects in Prague and talk to officials, including the Prime
Minister and Transport Minister, as to the country's progress in preparing
the transport sector for European Union (EU) membership - in particular the
restructuring of the rail sector. He will also visit a key Phare project
in Brno, the modernisation of the Brno-Vranovice railway which is the
single largest Phare project in the Czech Republic. Phare has contributed
34 million euro to the total cost of 37 million euro for upgrading an 18,5
km stretch of line to meet EU standards and carry trains at speeds of up to
160 kmh.
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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