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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 02-09-13Midday Express: News from the EU Commission Spokesman's Briefings Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>CONTENTS / CONTENU
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[01] Commission presents roadmap to increase investment in researchThe European Commission has presented its strategy to respond to the March 2002 Barcelona European Council's call to raise research spending to 3% of EU average Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Today Europe lags at 1.9%. The Communication "More research for Europe" looks into Europe's under- investment in science and technology and its harmful consequences for EU competitiveness, growth and employment. Research and development (R&D) investment (private and public) in the US now exceeds EU expenditure by more than €120 billion every year. Without prompt action, this knowledge gap will hamper Europe's innovative potential and its capacity to become the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world by 2010, a goal set by the Lisbon European Council in March 2000. The main challenge is to increase R&D business funding in Europe, which should be raised to two-thirds of R&D expenditure, a level already attained or exceeded in the USA, Japan and several Member States, instead of 55% on average today. Coordinated action at European, national and regional levels is therefore necessary to make Europe more attractive to business investment in R&D. Access to finance, better regulation, human resources, intellectual property rights, fiscal policies and other incentives have to be fine-tuned to R&D needs. The Commission will now launch a broad stakeholder consultation to identify a focused set of actions by early 2003.[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles[02] Commission clears gas supply contracts between German gas wholesaler WINGAS and EDF-TradingThe European Commission has cleared two agreements whereby UK-based EDF Trading will supply gas to German gas wholesale company Wingas for a period of 10 years extensible by five further years. Clearance took place after the companies agreed to modify the notified agreements so as not to impair other wholesalers from being supplied by EdF Trading at the German border. The decision shows that long-term gas supply contracts in the wholesale sector can be compatible with European competition law.[03] Le conseil d'administration de la nouvelle Autorité européenne de sécurité des aliments se réunira pour la première fois la semaine prochaineLa première réunion du conseil d'administration de la nouvelle Autorité européenne de sécurité des aliments (EFSA) se tiendra les 18 et 19 septembre prochains à Bruxelles. Elle sera principalement consacrée à l'approbation des règles de fonctionnement du conseil et à la nomination de ses président et vice-président. La mise en place de la nouvelle autorité contribuera grandement à garantir que les futures décisions de l'Union en matière de sécurité alimentaire reposent sur les données scientifiques les plus récentes et les plus fiables provenant d'Europe et du reste du monde. La tâche initiale la plus importante du conseil d'administration au cours des prochains mois consistera à nommer le directeur exécutif, qui sera responsable de la gestion quotidienne de l'autorité.[04] République du Congo (Brazzaville) : la Commission adopte le cadre de sa coopération pour 2002-2007La Commission européenne a adopté un programme de coopération avec la République du Congo (Brazzaville) pour la période 2002-2007. Le document de stratégie de coopération sert de cadre aux relations avec le Congo, couvrant tous les aspects de l'assistance à ce pays. Il a pour objectif la réalisation d'objectifs prioritaires tels que la lutte contre la pauvreté, la démocratisation et le renforcement de l'état de droit. Une enveloppe indicative de €50,4 millions a été allouée pour soutenir le programme pendant la période 2002-2007.[05] Anna Diamantopoulou says : "Ageing does not only affect the old"Anna Diamantopoulou, European Commissioner for Employment and Social Affairs, will today warn Europeans to take the effects of demographic ageing seriously saying that "ageing affects all generations, not just the old" and that "our window of opportunity for responding to ageing in Europe is limited". She will close the UNECE Ministerial Conference on Ageing in Berlin. She will add that : "Already older people in the EU out-number children. By 2050, unless something changes, one EU citizen in three will be at least 60 years old. One in ten will be over 80 - the vast majority of them being women". She will repeat that Europe must persist with its labour market reforms, in particular by bringing more women and older workers into employment.[06] Autre matériel diffuséSpeech by Romano Prodi at the occasion of the first anniversary of 11 September (11/09, EP)Speech by Romano Prodi : "The EU approach to sustainable development" at the Stakeholder Forum on Sustainable Development in the EU Discours de Mme de Palacio : "Action communautaire en faveur de la Sécurité routière" à la célébration de la Campagne européenne de Sécurité Routière organisée par la Croix Rouge Speech by David Byrne : "A comprehensive EU approach to combating FMD" at the Temporary Committee on Food and Mouth Disease of the European Parliament Summary of Mario Monti's talk on the fight against cartels at the Economic and Monetary Affairs committee of the European Parliament (11/09) "Perspektiven der GAP in einer erweiterten EU" au Parlement polonais (Varsovie) Note on Anna Diamantopoulou's visit to Israel From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
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