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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 01-11-16
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 16/11/2001
[01] Romano Prodi to join live Internet chat (06/12)
European Commission President Romano Prodi will join a live Internet chat
on Thursday 6 December 2001 (from 18.00 to 20.00 CET), ahead of the
introduction of the euro notes and coins. This will be the first ever
Internet chat with a President of the European Commission. The event will
focus on the transition to the euro, and the current debate on the future
of the Union (due to be formally launched at the European Council in Laeken
14 December). Citizens will have the opportunity to converse with President
Prodi in any of the Union's 11 languages. For further practical information,
please see the EUROPA Internet site at the following address:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/chat/prodi/index_en.htm
[02] Immigration clandestine : la Commission propose une approche
équilibrée
La Commission européenne a approuvé hier une Communication sur une
politique commune en matière d'immigration clandestine. Elle démontre ainsi
qu'elle est prête à jouer son rôle de catalyseur pour que le débat au sein
de l'Europe sur cette composante aux aspects humains souvent dramatiques du
plus ample phénomène migratoire puisse amener à l'identification
d'instruments concrets et cohérents dans les délais prévus par le traité
d'Amsterdam.
[03] October 2001 - Euro-zone annual inflation down to 2.4% ; EU15 down to
2.2%
(! embargo 12 am !) Euro-zone annual inflation fell from 2.5% in September
to 2.4% in October, Eurostat reports today. A year earlier the rate was
2.7%. EU15 annual inflation fell from 2.4% in September to 2.2% in October.
A year earlier the rate was 2.4%. Highest annual rates were in the
Netherlands (5.0%), Portugal (4.2%) and Ireland (3.8%) ; lowest rates were
in the United Kingdom (1.2%), Luxembourg (1.7%) and France (1.8%). Compared
with September 2001, annual inflation rose in two Member States, fell in
ten and was unchanged in three.
[04] Commission welcomes Parliament's support for proposal on cross-border
payments in euros
The European Commission has welcomed the European Parliament's endorsement
of the proposed Regulation according to which charges for transactions in
euros in the Internal Market should be the same across borders as within a
single Member State. The Parliament voted in favour of the proposal at its
15th November plenary session in Strasbourg. The amendments voted by the
Parliament were supported by the Commission.
[05] Successful Health Council on 15 November
Ministers at the Health Council meeting on 15 November reached political
agreement with unanimity on a proposed Directive on the safety and quality
of human blood. The Health Council also adopted unanimously a
Recommendation on the prudent use of anitbiotics and other antimicrobial
agents in human medicine. Council Conclusions on combating stress and
depression related problems were adopted unanimously as well as no
delegation opposed the Presidency Conclusions on the issue of bioterrorism
and emergency preparedness. The Conclusions give full backing to
initiatives already taken and they encourage Commission and Member States
to develop a global cooperation programme comprising inter alia emergency
management mechanism, information mechanism on laboratory capacities and
stocks, expert network for risk evaluation, management and communication,
promotion of the development of vaccines etc. Commissioner David Byrne
congratulated the Belgian Presidency and Minister Magda Aelvoet for staging
a very successful Council.
[06] Safety of human blood : David Byrne welcomes political agreement in
Health Council
European Commissioner David Byrne, responsible for Health and Consumer
Protection, yesterday welcomed the political agreement reached by EU Health
Ministers on a proposed Directive setting high quality and safety standards
for human blood and blood products throughout the European Uniony. The
measures as agreed would put in place comprehensive and legally binding
standards for blood and blood products from donor to patient and for
related medical applications. They aim to prevent blood contamination
scandals similar to those that have occurred in some EU countries in the
recent past. The measures include requirements for testing, labelling and
traceability of blood and blood products, for quality management systems in
laboratories and other establishments handling blood and an EU-wide
surveillance system. A qualified majority of ministers agreed a compromise
text put forward by the Belgian Council Presidency, including a new
provision which requires Member States to encourage voluntary and unpaid
blood donations as the preferred source for blood and blood components. The
proposed legislation is the first ever using the new Community competence
in public health policy making which was introduced in Article 152 of the
Amsterdam Treaty.
[07] Antimicrobial resistance : David Byrne welcomes adoption by Health
Council of Recommendation on prudent use of antibiotics in human medicine
The Health Council yesterday adopted a Recommendation on the prudent use of
antibiotics and other antimicrobial agents in human medicine. The
Recommendation asks national governments to take measures to contain the
spread of antimicrobial resistance by encouraging a more prudent use of
antibiotics. Member States are asked, inter alia, to raise awareness and
provide information to the general public, to use a precautionary "by
prescription only" approach and to improve monitoring of consumption of
these drugs. The proposed Recommendation represents the first attempt at
Community level to take action relative to human medicine and completes the
various actions under way with respect to veterinary and phytosanitary uses
of anti-microbial drugs. The Recommendation is one of the actions the
Commission proposed in June this year when it adopted a Community Strategy
to combat the threat to human, animal and plant health posed by
antimicrobial resistance. The strategy gives a comprehensive overview of
the ongoing actions on surveillance, prevention, research and product
development as well as international cooperation.
[08] Commission provides a further euro 15 million for victims of the
humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan
The EU Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) has released details of a further
humanitarian aid decision worth euro 15 million for victims of the crisis
in Afghanistan. This new funding decision will support the work of various
NGO and UN agency partners in catering for the basic needs of the affected
population. Resident populations and internally displaced people (IDPs) in
drought affected areas will be the main beneficiaries of this latest EU aid
decision. Poul Nielson, the European Commissioner responsible for
development and humanitarian aid, reiterated the EU's "solidarity with the
victims of this unfolding tragedy". He also highlighted the importance of
delivering relief inside Afghanistan. "This decision is a good illustration
of the effective partnership we have with tried and tested aid agencies
operating in the humanitarian front line. Working together, we are doing
our utmost to ensure that the relief gets through to those who need it
most."
[09] La Commission relance la coopération au développement avec le Burundi
avec 65 millions d'euros d'aide
Le Commissaire Poul Nielson, membre de la Commission européenne en charge
du Développement et de l'Aide humanitaire, a signé cette semaine le
Programme Indicatif National (PIN) en faveur du Burundi pour un montant de
65 millions d'euros. Ce programme établit le cadre de la coopération au
développement entre l'UE et le Burundi pour les trois ans à venir.
Suspendue depuis 1997, l'aide sera ciblée sur la réhabilitation physique et
politique du Burundi afin de contribuer à la mise en œuvre de l'Accord
d'Arusha pour la Paix et la Réconciliation au Burundi, signé en août 2000
grâce aux efforts de médiation de l'ancien Président sud-africain Nelson
Mandela. M. Nielson a déclaré : "La décision de signer témoigne des progrès
accomplis au Burundi dans la mise en application de l'Accord de Paix. Je
suis encouragé notamment par le démarrage de la transition vers la
démocratie. Je lance un appel à toutes les parties de poursuivre cette
voie. Toutefois, je reste très préoccupé face à la situation de violence
qui règne au Burundi. La Commission européenne reste prête à contribuer aux
initiatives visant la résolution pacifique du conflit par les parties
concernées qui s'engagent dans un processus de paix durable." Ce programme
a été contresigné aujourd'hui par l'Ambassadeur du Burundi en Belgique.
[10] EU troika to visit Middle East (16-19/11)
A European Union troika, led by Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt of Belgium
and the President of the European Commission Romano Prodi, will visit
several countries in the Middle East from 16th to 19th November. They will
be accompanied by the High Representative for Common Foreign and Security
Policy Javier Solana, Foreign Minister Louis Michel of Belgium and EU
Special Envoy Miguel Moratinos.
[11] Poul Nielson se rendra en visite en Bolivie du 19 au 23 novembre
Le Commissaire européen chargé du développement et de l'aide humanitaire,
M. Poul Nielson, effectuera une visite officielle en Bolivie du 19 au 23
novembre. Sur ces 4 jours, il en consacrera trois à se rendre sur les sites
de divers projets de l'UE dans tout le pays et achèvera son voyage à La Paz,
où il assistera à des réunions avec des membres du gouvernement et des
bailleurs de fonds internationaux. Le principal objectif de cette visite
est d'examiner la mise en œuvre de programmes communautaires sur le terrain,
en compagnie des ministres boliviens concernés. M. Nielson rencontrera
aussi des représentants des Etats membres de l'UE, d'autres donateurs
internationaux et d'organisations non gouvernementales (ONG). A la veille
de son départ, le Commissaire a déclaré : "La lutte contre la pauvreté est
au cœur de la coopération au développement de l'UE avec la Bolivie. Cette
coopération suit désormais une feuille de route précise, qui nous mènera
jusqu'en 2006, dans des secteurs comme les infrastructures, le
développement alternatif, l'approvisionnement en eau et les équipements
sanitaires. Je suis impatient de voir par moi-même les progrès réalisés et
de débattre des perspectives d'avenir."
[12] Poul Nielson meets humanitarian partners at ECHO Conference
With humanitarian issues taking centre stage as the crisis in Afghanistan
unfolds, more than 230 participants, representing more than 150
humanitarian organisations, are attending the sixth ECHOPartners' Annual
Conference being held in Brussels on 15-16 November 2001. Non-governmental
organisations (NGOs), reflecting the broad range of European civil society,
are ECHO's main partners in the delivery of humanitarian aid. They
currently channel 65%, or over €300 million, of ECHO funds per year. In his
address to the Conference, Poul Nielson, the European Commissioner
responsible for Development and Humanitarian Aid, as well as thanking
partners for their work in the field, reaffirms the importance he attaches
to the quality of the ECHO-NGO relationship. Commissioner Nielson also
underlines ECHO's specificity, based on the need to maintain impartiality
and neutrality in humanitarian aid. Costanza Adinolfi, Director of ECHO,
also addressed the conference and reiterated the Humanitarian Aid Office's
commitment to a constructive dialogue with its partners. The two-day
meeting is an important opportunity for ECHO's partners to meet and
exchange views with one another and ECHO officials. The conference is
debating a number of key issues including quality in humanitarian aid,
partnership and the links between relief, rehabilitation and development
(LRRD).
[13] Concours de création dans le domaine de l'environnement pour les
jeunes Européens
Créativité, don d'observation et vision du futur seront les maîtres mots
des jeunes Européens qui participeront aux quatre concours organisés par la
DG Environnement de la Commission européenne. Le concours commence
officiellement aujourd'hui, 16 novembre, et sera clos le 15 janvier 2002.
Les quatre catégories de concours sont ouvertes à différentes classes d'âge
: peinture pour les 6-10 ans, poésie pour les 11-14 ans, photographie pour
les 15-18 ans, rédaction de discours pour les 19-22 ans. La Commissaire à
l'Environnement, Margot Wallström, a déclaré : "La plupart des jeunes
Européens sont très sensibles aux défis en matière d'environnement ainsi
qu'à la nécessité d'une action concertée pour protéger celui-ci des dangers
de la pollution. Ces concours sont destinés à mettre en lumière l'opinion
des jeunes, futurs décideurs en matière d'environnement, sur l'état de
l'environnement et sur ce qu'il convient de faire pour sauvegarder l'avenir
de notre planète".
[14] Commission organises stakeholder conference on new GMOs rules
On 19-20 November the European Commission will organise a stakeholder
conference in the context of the new regulatory framework on GMOs
(Directive 2001/18/EC). The conference brings together 150 people
representing three main groups of stakeholders : regulators, producers and
suppliers, and environmental and consumer groups. The topics of the
workshop are implementation of the Directive, risks and benefits of GMOs
and challenges for the future and the aim is to provide a platform for an
open discussion and to stimulate debate on the implementation of the new
Directive. The conference will be opened by Environment Commissioner Margot
Wallström. It takes place at the Renaissance Brussels Hotel and starts at
10.30. The conference is open to journalists, please register in the
reception.
[15] Philippe Busquin favours integration of Hungarian science into the
European Research Area
On the occasion of a conference on "Science and European Integration : the
Belgian and Hungarian experience" taking place on Monday, 19th November,
European Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin will present his vision on
how best to integrate scientists from candidate countries into the new
research framework programme due to start at the beginning of 2003. In his
speech, Mr Busquin will underline his belief that the best answer to
globalisation in research is to combine forces of all EU Member States and
of all candidate countries to create the critical mass in funding and
expertise necessary to become a global player. The Commissioner is
convinced that this integration should be reinforced even before formal
accession of the candidate countries by enabling scientists from those
states to fully participate in all actions of the new framework programme.
He will also point out that the very high level of Hungarian research and
science should make this integration beneficial to the EU and Hungary
alike. Date and place : 19/11/01 from 9h30 onwards, Museum of Natural
Sciences, Rue Vautier 29, Brussels.
[16] Autre matériel diffusé
Speech by Pedro Solbes : "€-45 : working with the media for a successful
euro changeover" at the News World Annual Conference (Barcelona)
Speech by Erkki Liikanen : "Markets and public policy in the information
society" at the John Schram Lecture in International Business at the
University of Missouri-Columbia (! embargo 5 pm !)
EU Response to 11th September - European Commission action
Calendrier du 19 au 24 novembre
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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