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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 02-05-03
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Romano Prodi welcomes new international initiative for Mideast Peace
[02] La Commission propose la reconnaissance, dans toute l'UE, des
décisions rendues dans le domaine du droit de la famille afin de résoudre
le problème de l'enlèvement d'enfants
[03] La Commission lance une large consultation sur la loi applicable aux
obligations non-contractuelles ("Rome II")
[04] Commission clears ING and Piraeus joint control of Piraues AEE Life
and Piraeus Asset Management
[05] Commission clears German Edeka's control of AÖAG in daily consumer
goods wholesale and retail
[06] Commission clears joint venture between UK Post Office and First Rate
Enterprises of Ireland
[07] Avec plus de 20.000 "Europass" distribués, les parcours européens de
formation sont un succès
[08] April 2002 - The economic sentiment indicator increased in the EU
[09] April 2002 - The Business Climate Indicator remained almost stable
[10] Mars 2002 - Les prix à la production industrielle en hausse de 0,4%
dans la zone euro ; +0,3% dans l'UE15
[11] Further liberalisation of agricultural trade with Lithuania
[12] Energy G-8 in Detroit : Loyola de Palacio stresses the role of demand-
side policies and energy emergency preparedness
[13] Loyola de Palacio optimistic for a transatlantic common aviation area
[14] EU Ministers to debate measures to maximise benefits of European
tourism
[15] Anna Diamantopoulou at royal launch of ILO's global report on child
labour
[16] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express 03/05/2002
TXT: FR ENPDF:DOC:Midday Express 03/05/2002
[01] Romano Prodi welcomes new international initiative for Mideast Peace
Romano Prodi, President of the European Commission, welcomed the result of
the 'Quartet' meeting on the Mideast held in Washington DC yesterday. The
Quartet comprises the European Union, the United States, the Russian
Federation and the United Nations. It was agreed to work over the next few
weeks on a set of principles to form the basis of a meeting in the early
summer to resume the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians.
President Prodi said : "This is precisely the result I had called for in
all my contacts with the parties, Arab leaders and President Putin. At the
EU-US summit today, which preceded the quartet meeting, we agreed with
President George W. Bush on this way forward. The European Commission will
do its utmost to support these efforts to secure a lasting peace in the
Middle East."
[02] La Commission propose la reconnaissance, dans toute l'UE, des
décisions rendues dans le domaine du droit de la famille afin de résoudre
le problème de l'enlèvement d'enfants
La Commission européenne a adopté aujourd'hui une proposition visant à
compléter le cadre juridique de la reconnaissance mutuelle dans toute l'UE
des décisions en matière de divorce et de responsabilité parentale.
L'objectif de cette proposition est de décourager les enlèvements d'enfants
dans l'UE en établissant un mécanisme pour le retour des enfants enlevés
grâce à la coopération entre les tribunaux et les autorités des Etats
membres. L'enlèvement d'enfants intervenant dans le cadre de litiges
transfrontaliers sur le droit de garde est un problème croissant, source de
profonde détresse pour les enfants et les parents concernés.
[03] La Commission lance une large consultation sur la loi applicable aux
obligations non-contractuelles ("Rome II")
La Commission européenne a lancé aujourd'hui une consultation sur un avant-
projet de proposition de règlement qui vise à harmoniser les règles quant à
la loi applicable aux obligations non-contractuelles ("Rome II"). Cette
mesure s'inscrit dans le cadre des travaux en cours au sein de l'Union
européenne en vue de créer un véritable espace européen de liberté et de
justice. Il s'agit d'assurer que les tribunaux de tous les Etats membres
appliquent la même loi en cas de litige transfrontière portant sur une
obligation non contractuelle, facilitant ainsi la reconnaissance mutuelle
des décisions de justice dans l'UE.
[04] Commission clears ING and Piraeus joint control of Piraues AEE Life
and Piraeus Asset Management
The European Commission has cleared an operation under the Merger
Regulation whereby ING Continental Europe Holdings B.V., a subsidiary of
Dutch financial group ING, and Piraeus Bank S.A. of Greece, acquire joint
control of Piraeus AEE Life (Greece) and Piraeus Asset Management Company
(Greece) by purchase of shares. (The operation was examined under the
simplified merger review procedure).
[05] Commission clears German Edeka's control of AÖAG in daily consumer
goods wholesale and retail
The European Commission has cleared plans under the Merger Regulation by
Germany's Edeka-group, via its affiliates Edeka Chiemgau and Edeka
Handelsgesellschaft Südbayern, to acquire control of the whole of ADEG
Österreich Handelsaktiengesellschaft (AÖAG) by way of purchase of assets.
The companies are all active in wholesale and retail in daily consumer
goods. (The operation was examined under the simplified merger review
procedure)
[06] Commission clears joint venture between UK Post Office and First Rate
Enterprises of Ireland
The European Commission has granted clearance under the Merger Regulation
to plans by Post Office Limited, controlled by Consignia plc, and First
Rate Enterprises Limited, controlled by the Bank of Ireland, to create a
joint venture called FRTS to whole sale foreign currency and supply
traveller's cheques and car hire. (The operation was examined under the
simplified merger review procedure)
[07] Avec plus de 20.000 "Europass" distribués, les parcours européens de
formation sont un succès
La Commission européenne vient d'adopter un rapport faisant un premier
bilan de son initiative "Parcours européens de formation", entrée en
application au début de l'an 2000. Destinés à favoriser la mobilité des
personnes en formation, à améliorer les perspectives d'emploi des jeunes et
à augmenter la qualité et l'attrait de l'enseignement professionnel, les
parcours européens de formation permettent à une personne en formation en
alternance, dont l'apprentissage, de faire un séjour de formation dans un
autre Etat membre. Un document, "l'Europass Formation" certifie ce
parcours. 20.000 "Europass" ont été établis en deux ans pour des stages
dont la durée a varié de 3 à 15 semaines, concernant en grande majorité des
jeunes de moins de 23 ans.
[08] April 2002 - The economic sentiment indicator increased in the EU
The economic sentiment indicator went up again in the EU in April. It
increased by 0.3 percentage points to reach 100. However, for the euro area,
the economic sentiment indicator fell slightly (by 0.1 percentage points),
from 99.5 in March to 99.4 in April. The change in the economic sentiment
indicator between April and March was positive in Italy (0.1 percentage
points), Finland (0.1), Sweden (0.2), and, especially, in Denmark (0.4),
Spain (0.3) and the UK (0.7). The indicator remained stable in France and
Austria, but decreased in the Netherlands (0.3), Ireland (0.2), Portugal
(0.2) and to a much lesser extent (by 0.1 percentage points) in Belgium,
Germany, and Greece. Full document on : http://europa.eu.int/comm/economy_finance/indicators/businessandconsumersurveys_en.htm
[09] April 2002 - The Business Climate Indicator remained almost stable
The Business Climate Indicator (BCI) for the euro area remained almost
stable (a fall of 0.05 percentage points) between March and April, reaching
a value of -0.64. Such developments were mainly driven by the worsening in
opinions about production trends in the recent past, while production
expectations remained unchanged. Full document on : http://europa.eu.int/comm/economy_finance/indicators/businessclimate_en.htm
[10] Mars 2002 - Les prix à la production industrielle en hausse de 0,4%
dans la zone euro ; +0,3% dans l'UE15
Au mois de mars 2002, les prix à la production industrielle dans la zone
euro ont augmenté de 0,4% par rapport au mois précédent, selon les
estimations publiées aujourd'hui par Eurostat. Les prix dans l'UE15 ont
augmenté de 0,3%. En février 2002, les prix avaient été stables dans les
deux zones (0,0%). Au mois de mars 2002 et par rapport au mois de mars 2001,
les prix à la production industrielle ont baissé de 0,8% dans la zone euro
et de 0,7% dans l'UE15.
[11] Further liberalisation of agricultural trade with Lithuania
In the framework of the so-called "double profit" agreements between the EU
and candidate countries, the European Commission adopted today a proposal
for a Council Regulation in view of the additional liberalisation of
agricultural trade with Lithuania. The proposal foresees a total
liberalisation of most ad valorem duties (for example for fresh and
prepared fruit and vegetables, juices and processed meat). The proposal
also includes "double-profit agreements", i.e. the removal of export
refunds and the elimination within tariff quotas of the import duties for
wheat, rye and oats, beef and veal, sheep meat, dairy products and
molasses. Most other sectors - including pig meat, poultry meat, fats and
oils and a wide range of fruit and vegetables - were liberalised in 2000.
In parallel with this, the Lithuanian authorities are in the process of
implementing the concession agreed for EU exports to Lithuania. This will,
by and large, mirror the EU-concessions granted to Lithuania. The agreement
means in practise that trade in most agricultural products between the EU
and Lithuania will now be completely liberalised. Commenting on the
proposal, Agriculture Commissioner Franz Fischler said : "Facilitating
mutual farm trade prior to EU accession of the candidate countries is part
of the EU's strategy to prepare both sides for the enlargement of the
single market". The proposal has now to be adopted by the Council and will
enter into force on 1 July 2002.
[12] Energy G-8 in Detroit : Loyola de Palacio stresses the role of demand-
side policies and energy emergency preparedness
(! embargo 5.30 pm !) At the G-8 Ministerial meeting on Energy today in
Detroit, European Commission Vice President Loyola de Palacio underlined
the importance of curbing the growth in energy demand and enhancing the
security and stability of energy supplies. "Risks to energy supply can be
quickly and relatively cheaply addressed by curbing the growth in energy
demand. Curbing energy consumption and improving energy efficiencies will
preserve finite energy resources, mitigate supply difficulties and improve
the environmental impact of energy use", she declared.
[13] Loyola de Palacio optimistic for a transatlantic common aviation area
European Commission Vice-President Loyola de Palacio expressed her optimism
on the possibilities to reach agreements with the United States on the
bilateral relations in air transport. During her official trip in the
United States, where she met Michael P. Jackson, Deputy Secretary of
Transportation, she raised several crucial points on Air Transport and
pledged for a deeper cooperation between both sides of Atlantic. Asked on
the consequences of the long-awaited Court of justice ruling on open-skies
agreement, she declared : "The American Administration is well aware that
the court outcome shall mean that, in any case, there is a negotiation to
be made. I think they are really considering the possibility not only to
negotiate this EU-US open skies, but maybe to go a little bit forward."
[14] EU Ministers to debate measures to maximise benefits of European
tourism
Determination to press ahead with creating and consolidating effective
instruments for enhancing the competitiveness of the European tourism
industry, in line with EU sustainability goals, will be reiterated at an
informal meeting of EU Tourism Ministers in Santander (Spain) on 4 May.
This meeting will be followed on 5 May by an all-stakeholders seminar.
These events, both organised by the Spanish Presidency of the EU's Council
of Ministers will be used to review the situation of tourism in Europe
after the September 11 2001 attack on the World Trade Centre, and maximise
the benefits of cooperation among tourism stakeholders within an open EU
framework. They will build on proposals set out in a Commission
Communication of November 2001 on "Working together for the future of
European tourism" (see IP/01/1582), to which the European Parliament and
the Council have responded with draft resolutions, scheduled to be adopted
later in May. Current debate shows that in the absence of a common EU
policy on tourism, new political impetus is all the more necessary to kick-
start dialogue between the private and public sectors on how best to
enhance the sector's competitiveness.
[15] Anna Diamantopoulou at royal launch of ILO's global report on child
labour
Anna Diamantopoulou, European Commissioner for Employment and Social
Affairs, will participate in the launch of the International Labour
Organisation's (ILO) first global report on child labour next Monday 6 May
in Brussels. Her Royal Highness Princess Mathilde of Belgium will attend a
working lunch with Diamantopoulou, Deputy Prime Minister and Labour
Minister of Belgium Laurette Onkelinx, ex-ILO Director General Michel
Hansenne and ILO Director of the Infocus Programme for Eradicating Child
Labour (IPEC) Frans Roselaers. The report will reveal disturbing data : of
an estimated global total of 246 million child labourers aged 5-17 years,
nearly 180 million or 73% are now believed to be engaged in the worst forms
of child labour including hazardous work and even sexual exploitation,
slavery, trafficking and debt-bondage. Moreover, the report will point out
that child labour also exists in the EU, in the informal economy, the
agricultural and construction sectors. Anna Diamantopoulou will call for
urgent international measures to combat child labour, in particular through
moves to combat poverty, to promote education and to clamp down on
trafficking in human beings.
[16] Autre matériel diffusé
EU and US agree to launch positive economic agenda at EU-US Summit
Transcript of joint press conference with US President George W. Bush,
Spanish Prime Minister José Maria Aznar, and European Commission President
Romano Prodi, at the end of the EU-US Summit (02/05, Washington)
Speech by Erkki Liikanen : "Status of the Information Society in the EU and
future challenges" at the Biel's 1st Communication Days (02/05, Biel, CH)
Calendrier du 6 au 10 mai 2002
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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