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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 01-06-19
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 19/06/2001
[01] Fiscalité : la Commission propose de renforcer la coopération contre
la fraude en matière de TVA
La Commission européenne a proposé un règlement pour renforcer la
coopération entre les administrations fiscales des Etats membres pour
combattre la fraude en matière de taxe sur la valeur ajoutée (TVA), en
supprimant les obstacles qui entravent encore l'échange d'informations. Le
règlement proposé a trois objectifs principaux : établir des règles plus
claires et contraignantes pour l'échange d'information, assurer des
contacts plus directs entre les services nationaux de lutte contre la
fraude et intensifier les échanges d'information. La proposition vise ainsi
à remédier aux faiblesses identifiées dans le rapport de la Commission
concernant la fraude à la TVA (voir IP/00/115). Elle s'inscrit également
dans le cadre de la nouvelle stratégie pour la TVA (voir IP/00/615). En
outre, la Commission propose un amendement à la directive concernant
l'assistance mutuelle dans le domaine des impôts directs - 77/799 - pour
permettre aux Etats membres d'échanger des informations sur certaines taxes
sur les primes d'assurance.
[02] Fonds structurels : la Commission approuve un programme d'aide d'un
montant de 47,535 millions d'euros en faveur de la ville de Vienne
La Commission européenne a approuvé le plan de développement régional de la
ville de Vienne pour la période 2000-2006. Le programme soutiendra la
revitalisation de zones urbaines en difficulté, situées dans les
arrondissements de Brigittenau et de Leopoldstadt, et bénéficiera d'une
aide financière de l'Union de 18,075 millions d'euros. Le concours
financier européen attirera en outre 29,460 millions d'euros
d'investissement des secteurs public et privé, pour une dépense totale de
47,535 millions d'euros. Le programme vise essentiellement à améliorer
l'attrait de la Ville pour les habitants et pour les investisseurs
potentiels. Il devrait permettre la création de 100 nouveaux emplois et le
maintien à moyen terme de 300 emplois.
[03] Pre-accession farm aid : go-ahead for euro 12.1 million payments to
Estonia
The European Commission has given the go-ahead to the Estonian authorities
to take over the management of euro 12.1 million in aid to help farmers
adjust to the challenges of EU membership. Estonia will now be able to
begin the implementation of this so-called "SAPARD" programme. Today's
decisions covers measures to boost investment in agricultural holdings, to
improve the processing and marketing of agricultural and fisheries products,
to development and diversify agricultural activities and the improvement of
rural infrastructure. Under the scheme, Estonia will be entitled to euro
12.137 million annually. Payment of the first advance can now be made.
Estonia is the second candidate country to begin implementing the SAPARD
aid programme.
[04] Commission and Candidate Countries met in Ljubljana on 18-19 June to
discuss competition policy
Representatives of the thirteen Candidate Countries and the European
Commission, led by Competition Commissioner Mario Monti, have met in
Ljubljana, Slovenia, for their Seventh Annual Competition Conference. The
Conference came at a key moment in the accession negotiations. It focused
on the full and efficient enforcement of the competition rules and the
building up of a real competition culture.
[05] EU tables concrete proposals in WTO to clarify rules to facilitate
access to drugs for needy countries
On the eve of an important WTO meeting to address intellectual property and
access to medicines, the European Commission has tabled concrete proposals
designed to clarify existing rules in order to facilitate access to life-
saving drugs by needy countries. These plans will be presented to fellow
WTO members at the Council on Trade-Related Intellectual Property Rights
(TRIPs) on 20 June. Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy said : "I hope our
proposals will enrich the debate in the WTO in the run-up to Qatar on how
to ensure intellectual property rules are applied in the spirit in which
they were intended. We must ensure that needy countries are able to use the
flexibility these rules provide to access life-saving drugs at affordable
prices. Whilst we acknowledge that patents are essential to encourage
investment in the development of new medicines, we need to interpret and
apply the rules in such a way as to support developing countries in their
battle against killer diseases. These matters are too important to be left
to the whim of lawyers."
[06] La Commission met en place un Conseil consultatif pour la recherche
aéronautique européenne
A l'occasion du 44ème salon aéronautique de Paris, Le Bourget, le
Commissaire européen à la Recherche Philippe Busquin inaugurera la première
réunion du nouveau Conseil pour la recherche aéronautique en Europe
(ACARE). La création de ce conseil a été recommandée par un groupe de
personnalités de haut niveau du secteur aéronautique qui, à la demande de
M. Busquin, avait préparé un programme stratégique "Vision 2020" pour
l'aéronautique européenne. Présentée à Hambourg en janvier 2001, "Vision
2020" vise à faire de l'Europe un leader global dans le secteur de
l'aéronautique en développant un avion plus sûr, moins bruyant et moins
polluant. Le nouveau conseil consultatif aura pour mission de développer et
mettre en place une approche stratégique pour la construction de la
prochaine génération d'avions européens. Il définira un agenda pour une
coopération renforcée de la Commission, des Etats membres, de l'industrie
et de la communauté scientifique qui répond aux objectifs de l'Espace
européen de la recherche. Parmi les membres d'ACARE figurent Walter Kröll
(Président, DLR), François Lureau (Directeur Général du pôle Aéronautique,
Thales), Phil Ruffles (Directeur ingénierie et technologie, Rolls-Royce),
Joachim Szodruch (Directeur, EADS Airbus) et Victor Aguado (Directeur
Général, Eurocontrol).
[07] Debate on Agriculture and Food in Europe : Franz Fischler and David
Byrne speak at Public Hearing in the European Parliament
David Byrne, European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, and
Franz Fischler, Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural development and
Fisheries, will speak at a public hearing in the European Parliament on
"Quality Production and the Common Agriculture Policy." In early March this
year, Commissioners Fischler and Byrne launched a Union-wide debate on
Agriculture and Food in Europe. A review of agri-food production systems is
firmly on the European Union's agenda on the strength of the EU-wide debate
on Agriculture and food, which was discussed at the informal Agriculture
Council in Oestersund in April. The future of Agriculture and Food is as
well at the core of the Round Table discussions organised by the two
Commissioners in the Member States. Both Commissioners welcomed the
organisation of this hearing in the European Parliament and it's
contribution to the debate.
[08] Top officials from across Europe agree plans for on-line government
services
Senior civil servants from the public administrations of 28 European
countries have endorsed recommendations for the development of on-line
government services. Putting more government services on-line for citizens
and businesses across Europe is an important element of the Commission's
eEurope Action Plan. This happened at the joint Swedish Presidency and
European Commission conference "eGovernment in the service of European
citizens and enterprises what is required at the European level" held in
Sandhamn, Sweden, on the 13th 14th June 2001 within the overall framework
of the eEurope 2002 Action Plan.
[09] Commission publishes call for tender for information campaign to
prevent smoking among adolescents
The European Commission has published a call for tender concerning a
Community-wide communication campaign. It aims to prevent nicotine
addiction among adolescents aged roughly between 12 and 18 years. The
campaign will be financed from the Community Fund for tobacco research and
information. The annual budget for the communication campaign will be
around euro 6 million. The duration of the contract will be a maximum of
three years, consisting of a one year contract which can be renewed twice.
The campaign will be based on a multimedia approach (television, press,
internet, cinema etc.) and all Member States must be covered. To make sure
this campaign is set up with the best possible expertise, the Commission
intends to enlist the services of a company or body with substantial
experience in this field to design and implement the campaign. This will be
done in close cooperation with public health experts and national health
administrations. The invitation to tender is available at : http://europa.eu.int/comm/dgs/health_consumer/library/tenders/call28_en.pdf
[10] Autre matériel diffusé
Note sur les résultats du Conseil Pêche
Questions and answers on animal by-products
Discours de M. Vitorino : "The European Dimension of Immigration, Policing
and Crime" au Conseil Régional de Puglia
Discours de M. Lamy : "Accès aux médicaments et lutte contre les maladies
transmissibles" à la commission Industrie du PE (! embargo 16h00 !)
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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