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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 01-02-02
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 Service Presse et Communicationb
Midday Express 02/02/2001
[01] Data protection : "Junk" e-mail costs internet users euro 10 billion a
year worldwide - Commission study
Internet subscribers world-wide are unwittingly paying an estimated euro 10
billion a year in connection costs just to receive "junk" e-mails,
according to a study undertaken for the European Commission. The study,
which provides detailed information on the junk mail (or "spam") phenomenon
in both the US and the European Union, forms part of the Commission's
ongoing efforts to ensure that the development of the internet and e-
commerce does not undermine Europe's rules on Internet privacy and data
protection. Unless consumers feel their privacy is adequately protected,
the on-line services that are so important to wealth and job creation in
Europe are unlikely to flourish. The study also compares the different
approaches adopted by EU Member States in implementing the EU Directives on
data protection into national law. The study will help the Commission's
work with Member States' data protection experts on assessing the
implementation of EU data protection Directives. The findings will also be
taken into account by the Commission when proposing updates to EU data
protection legislation.
[02] Douane : de nouvelles règles pour le transit
De nouvelles dispositions concernant les procédures douanières de transit
viennent d'être adopté par la Commission européenne et les commissions
mixtes "CE/AELE" (établies par deux conventions associant, pour le transit
et la simplification des formalités dans les échanges de marchandises,
l'Union européenne, les pays de l'Association Européenne de Libre Echange
(l'Islande, la Norvège et Liechtenstein) et les pays de Visegrad (la
Pologne, la Hongrie, la République tchèque et la Slovaquie). Cette réforme
vise à la fois à rendre les régimes de transit plus étanches à la fraude,
afin de mieux protéger les intérêts financiers des Etats membres et de l'UE,
et à simplifier les formalités administratives pour les opérateurs
économiques, de manière à faciliter les mouvements de marchandises en
Europe. Ainsi s'achève la réforme législative lancée en 1997 par le "Plan
d'action pour le transit en Europe" de la Commission, suite aux
recommandations de la commission d'enquête du Parlement européen sur le
transit communautaire. Les nouvelles dispositions seront applicables pour
l'essentiel à partir du 1er juillet 2001.
[03] Commission promises flexibility in EU aid for Wales in response to
Corus job losses
Michel Barnier, European Commissioner for regional aid, announced today
that the Commission is ready to refocus European aid for Wales in response
to the announcement of significant job losses in the UK steel industry.
Both the affected Welsh plants, Llanwern and Ebbw Vale, lie within areas
targeted by the European Union for economic development aid under the
Structural Funds. This EU aid currently amounts to just under euro 2
billion (around £1.23 billion) over a 7-year period. The Commission has
signalled its readiness to work with competent authorities to redirect
existing spending programmes to take account of the new situation.
[04] Business and Consumer Surveys - First results January 2001 - Economic
sentiment indicator decreases - first time service sector survey results
(! embargo 12 am !) The economic sentiment indicator went down in January
by 0.2 points in the EU, and by 0.3 points in the euro area according to
the business and consumer survey results in January 2001 published today by
the European Commission (Directorate General Economic & Financial Affairs).
The industrial confidence indicator decreased by 2 points in the EU and by
3 points in the euro area. Consumer confidence remained strong in the EU at
the same level as the previous month, while in the euro area there was a 1
point fall. The construction confidence indicator increased by 3 points in
the EU and by 2 points in the euro area. Industrial capacity utilisation in
January remained steady in the EU at 84%, which was the highest level
reached in the year 2000. The service sector survey results are published
for the first time. The service sector represents 67% of the EU GDP and the
significance of this survey will increase over time as data become more
reliable. These results confirm a level of confidence which was well above
average during the year 2000 and in January 2001. The document will be
available on the internet at the following address: http://europa.eu.int/comm/economy_finance/document/eesuppb/firstresults.htm
Please also see the following internet address: http://europa.eu.int/comm/economy_finance/indicators/index_en.htm
[05] Franz Fischler signs pre-accession financing agreement with Romania
The Romanian Multi-annual Financing Agreement that sets out the EU
management and control rules for implementing Sapard in the applicant
countries was signed today. Following the signature of these agreements by
other applicant countries last week, this is another move forwards to make
the pre-accession agriculture programmes effective. This is the first time
the European Commission has engaged in a large-scale decentralisation of
the management of external aid. Delighted with the progress being made by
the applicant countries, Franz Fischler, Commissioner for Agriculture,
Rural Development and Fisheries, said : "The process of preparing for the
implementation of the Sapard instrument has been a challenge both for the
Commission and for Romania. I am convinced that we can achieve the Sapard
objectives." The deadline for spending EU-funds earmarked for Sapard in the
2000 budget is 2002. Mr Fischler said he intends to explore the possible
justification and need for extending this deadline.
[06] Fusion approuvée selon la procédure simplifiée
ENI S.p.A. (IT) / Lasmo PLC
[07] Autre matériel diffusé
Discours de M. Lamy : "Harnessing globalisation : do we need cosmopolitics
?" à la London School of Economics (01/02)
Calendrier du 5 au 11 février
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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