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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 02-08-23
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] EU makes its safety assessments of GM products available for WHO
meeting in Harare
[02] Commission welcomes partial withdrawal of WTO illegal US steel
protective measures
[03] New humanitarian aid package worth €16.7 million for the Afghan
population
[04] Les allégements fiscaux en faveur des fondations bancaires n'exerçant
pas d'activités économiques ne constituent pas des aides d'État
[05] Commission approves acquisition of TRW's aerospace components
activities by Goodrich.
[06] EU Cereals Management Committee responds to flood crisis
[07] Des campagnes de promotion en faveur des produits agricoles de l'UE
[08] €443 million for restructuring and conversion of vineyards
[09] Commission clears JV between Finnish metals group Outokumpu and Lennox
[10] Commission clears Vivendi Environment buy of Southern Water
Midday Express 23/08/2002
TXT: FR ENPDF:DOC:Midday Express 23/08/2002
[01] EU makes its safety assessments of GM products available for WHO
meeting in Harare
Health ministers from Southern African countries will meet with senior
officials from the World Health Organisation next Monday in Harare,
Zimbabwe, to discuss responses to the famine in the region, including the
reluctance or refusal by some famine-hit countries to accept genetically
modified food (GM maize) which has been offered by the US as food aid. The
European Commission believes that food aid is welcome. It is clear that it
is up to beneficiary countries to make an informed decision on whether to
accept GM food or not. The Cartagena protocol of the Biodiversity
Convention, signed by 111 countries, gives countries the right to carry out
a scientific risk assessment prior to accepting import of GMOs. For the EU,
there is no reason to believe that GM food is inherently unsafe to human
health. EU Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner David Byrne has said
on a number of occasions that EU scientists have found the GM corn
varieties that they have looked at to be as safe as their conventional
counterparts. For example, seven genetically modified maize varieties used
in processed foods have undergone scientific risk assessment in the EU and
concluded to be as safe for human food use as their conventional
counterparts. The Commission will make the EU's scientific opinions on GM
products available to the participants of the Harare meeting. The European
Commission is responding to the humanitarian crisis with almost €150
million. Equivalent to around 300 000 tonnes of maize, it is Commission
policy to buy as much corn as possible from markets in the region (see also
IP/02/1199REV).
[02] Commission welcomes partial withdrawal of WTO illegal US steel
protective measures
The European Commission welcomes the latest batch of exclusion of steel
products of interest to the EU exporters from the US safeguard measures
which was announced yesterday by USTR. This will reduce the overall impact
of the US WTO illegal safeguard measures which will now exempt more than
50% of EU exports. Nevertheless, a considerable number of products will
still remain subject to prohibitive tariffs. The EU will therefore pursue
its WTO complaint in that respect. EU Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy said
:"This is at first sight a positive action and a signal to the world that
the US realises that protectionism has a cost, in terms of higher prices
for domestic users and in terms of American credibility in the WTO. The
decision to exclude many EU products from the US safeguard measures will
help both EU exports and those many industries in the US which need high
quality imports from Europe. Let us hope that the next step will be action
to restructure that part of the US steel industry which has traditionally
been behind the adoption of protectionist measures. "
[03] New humanitarian aid package worth €16.7 million for the Afghan
population
The European Commission has announced a further substantial package of
humanitarian aid for vulnerable Afghans living inside the country and as
refugees in neighbouring states. €16.724 million has been allocated to
support a series of actions including assistance for people returning home,
support for drought-affected populations and logistics. The funds are being
channelled through the Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) which comes under the
authority of Commissioner Poul Nielson. Commenting on the decision, Mr
Nielson emphasised the EU's "ongoing commitment to the people of
Afghanistan." He continued: "This was always going to be a long haul.
Hundreds of thousands of Afghans who have returned need help to re-
establish themselves and many others are still living in camps awaiting the
opportunity to go back to their home areas. Helping these people is not
just a moral imperative but also essential in consolidating the recovery
process."
[04] Les allégements fiscaux en faveur des fondations bancaires n'exerçant
pas d'activités économiques ne constituent pas des aides d'État
Par décision adoptée ce jour, la Commission européenne a jugé que les
mesures fiscales introduites par l'Italie en faveur des fondations
bancaires, en 1998 et en 1999, ne sont pas soumises aux règles
communautaires en matière d'aides d'État. En effet, la Commission considère
que l'activité de gestion de leur propre patrimoine et l'utilisation des
produits de cette gestion pour l'attribution de subventions à des
organismes à but non lucratif ne constituent pas une activité économique.
C'est pourquoi les fondations bancaires ne peuvent pas être qualifiées
d'entreprises au sens des règles communautaires. Il s'agit d'une décision
différente de celle prise en décembre 2001, dans laquelle la Commission
avait estimé que d'autres allégements fiscaux en faveur des banques
italiennes, octroyés par la même loi, étaient illégaux, et en avait ordonné
le remboursement.
[05] Commission approves acquisition of TRW's aerospace components
activities by Goodrich.
The European Commission has cleared the proposed acquisition of TRW
Aeronautical Systems Group (TRW ASG), the aerospace components unit of TRW
Inc of the United States, by Goodrich Corporation, another US company also
active in the aerospace sector. The Commission examined the operation
carefully and did not identify any serious threats to competition in any
parts of the European Union's territory.
[06] EU Cereals Management Committee responds to flood crisis
Under the authority of Commissioner Franz Fischler, responsible for
Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries, the Management Committee for
Cereals responded to the unprecedented situation in parts of Germany and
Austria following the disastrous flooding. The Committee approved some
initiatives designed to help affected farmers. "It is important that we act
quickly to help those farmers and people in rural areas which are most
affected by the floodings and in danger of loosing their livelihood",
Fischler said, "we continue to do what is within our possibilities to find
ways to help those who suddenly find themselves in such a disastrous
situation". The European Commission itself will meet on 28 August to
discuss further a comprehensive response in all relevant policy areas to
the disastrous situation that now exists not only in Germany and Austria
but also in many regions of Central and Eastern Europe.
[07] Des campagnes de promotion en faveur des produits agricoles de l'UE
La Commission européenne a approuvé aujourd'hui des programmes de diffusion
d'informations sur les produits agricoles et de promotion de ces produits
au sein de l'Union européenne (UE). Les États membres lui ont présenté 123
programmes de promotion et d'information. Quarante programmes, s'adressant
principalement aux consommateurs de l'UE, ont été acceptés pour
cofinancement. Les produits concernés sont les fruits et légumes, le
fromage et les produits laitiers, les fleurs et les plantes vertes ainsi
que le vin. On citera également des campagnes d'information sur les denrées
alimentaires issues de l'agriculture biologique. Cofinancées à 50 % par la
Commission, les dépenses prévues s'élèvent pour l'UE à 32,1 millions
d'euros, le coût des programmes atteignant 64,2 millions d'euros.
[08] €443 million for restructuring and conversion of vineyards
The European Commission has adopted two decisions on restructuring and
conversion of vineyards. The first makes an initial distribution of €443
million for action in the 2002/03 marketing year. The second reallocates
the amount left over from the 2001/02 marketing year (€42 million out of
the €422 million initially distributed) to Member States that have applied
for additional funding.
[09] Commission clears JV between Finnish metals group Outokumpu and Lennox
The Commission has cleared the creation of a joint venture called Heatcraft
between Outokumpu Copper Products Oy, a Finnish diversified metals group,
and Lennox International Inc., a US company active in the design,
manufacture and marketing of a broad range of products for heating,
ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration. Heatcraft will consist of
Outokumpu Heatcraft LLC (USA) and Outokumpu Heatcraft BV (Netherlands).
(The case, which was notified on July 19, was examined under the simplified
procedure).
[10] Commission clears Vivendi Environment buy of Southern Water
The European Commission has granted regulatory clearance to the proposed
acquisition of UK utility company Southern Water by Vivendi Water UK, a
subsidiary of Vivendi Environment (the operation was examined under the
simplified procedure).
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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