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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 02-10-29
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] La Commission autorise le rachat par les groupes CVC et PAI de la part
détenue par Edison dans Provimi
[02] Commission closes probe into KLM/NorthWest and Lufthansa/SAS/United
Airlines transatlantic air alliances
[03] Radioactive waste management: Commission supports co-ordination of
European research
[04] Information Society Technologies Conference in Copenhagen - focus on
Europe's IT research priorities
[05] Recognition of professional qualifications: four Member States before
the Court
[06] Conservation in Zoos: Commission requests ten Member States to improve
standards
[07] Commission questions environmental impact assessment measures in
Portugal, Sweden and Greece
[08] European Commission adopts € 110 million co-operation agreement and
financing programme for the period 2002-2007 for the Kingdom of Lesotho
[09] Financial reporting: Commission welcomes IASB/FASB convergence
agreement
[10] Commission clears consumer credit JV between Sofinco and Commercial
Bank of Greece
[11] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express 29/10/2002
TXT: FR ENPDF:DOC:Midday Express 29/10/2002
[01] La Commission autorise le rachat par les groupes CVC et PAI de la part
détenue par Edison dans Provimi
La Commission européenne a autorisé le projet de rachat de la participation
majoritaire détenue par Edison dans Provimi, un fabricant d'aliments pour
animaux, par une holding contrôlée conjointement par le groupe CVC et le
groupe PAI. Cette opération ne soulève aucun problème de concurrence.
[02] Commission closes probe into KLM/NorthWest and Lufthansa/SAS/United
Airlines transatlantic air alliances
The European Commission has decided to close its investigations into the
alliances between KLM and NorthWest, on the one hand, and between Lufthansa,
SAS and United Airlines, on the other hand. In the latter case, the
airlines successfully addressed concerns about reduced competition on a
number of routes between the German airport of Frankfurt and US
destinations. In the case of KLM/NorthWest no remedies were held necessary.
"I am happy that we were able to bring these investigations to a successful
end. Airline alliances generally present benefits for the consumer, but
regulators must ensure that they do not result in the elimination of
competition on specific routes and we achieved that" European Competition
Commissioner, Mario Monti, said.
[03] Radioactive waste management: Commission supports co-ordination of
European research
Today the European Commission launched a project to create a network of
major radioactive waste management organisations across Europe. This
project aims to improve the co-operation on research for disposal of
radioactive waste. The project is of significance as it will see seven EU
Member States (Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Spain, Sweden and the
United Kingdom) and Switzerland working collaboratively in the Net.Excel
network. As a result, the participants will enhance the quality of research,
and be able to make more efficient and co-ordinated decisions in the field
of radioactive waste management. Sharing research in underground
laboratories in Europe will be an important component in the project. The
network will strengthen EU competence in dealing with the disposal of spent
fuel or high level radioactive waste.
[04] Information Society Technologies Conference in Copenhagen - focus on
Europe's IT research priorities
The Conference "IST 2002 Partnerships for the Future", which will take
place in Copenhagen on 4-6 November 2002, will attract more than 3000
delegates and will feature an exhibition of the best results of EU funded
research projects. The Conference will also provide for 43 networking
sessions proposed by European industrialists and researchers. Moreover, the
event will include three days of interactive conference workshops which
were all proposed and developed by Europe's IT research community. The IST
2002 Conference is co-organised by the European Commission and the Danish
Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation. Commissioners Erkki
Liikanen, responsible for Enterprise and Information Society and Philippe
Busquin, responsible for Research will be present at the Conference
together with the Danish Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation,
Helge Sander. Its aim is to build and strengthen R&D networks at a time
when the IT sector is going through difficulties, and when the EU's sixth
Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development is taking
off.
[05] Recognition of professional qualifications: four Member States before
the Court
The Commission has decided to bring proceedings before the Court of Justice
against Austria, Greece, Portugal and Finland in order to uphold European
law in the field of recognition of professional qualifications. In Austria,
the rules governing access to posts of sickness insurance fund doctors
favours candidates domiciled or resident in the geographical area of the
fund concerned. Again in Austria, three paramedical professions can be
exercised only by persons in paid employment. In Greece, the conditions
laid down for companies operating opticians' shops are too restrictive.
Finally, Greece, Portugal and Finland have not communicated the measures
transposing Directive 1999/42/EC on the recognition of professional
qualifications relating to certain industrial, commercial and craft
activities. The Commission decisions are intended to ensure that persons
who, according to European law, possess the qualifications and/or the
appropriate experience are not deprived of the right to exercise their
profession and to become established anywhere in the European Union.
Moreover, defending the free movement of qualified persons ensures that
undertakings and citizens in the host country really do have access to such
services, thereby promoting the dissemination of best practice and
innovative ideas.
[06] Conservation in Zoos: Commission requests ten Member States to improve
standards
The European Commission has formally requested that Germany, Italy, United
Kingdom, Ireland, Denmark, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Austria and Finland
implement EU legislation with regard to zoos into their national
legislation. The ten Member States cited have failed to meet an agreed
April 2002 deadline for adopting national legislation to implement an EU
law designed to improve the conservation role of zoos. This Directive was
adopted to ensure that the keeping of animals in zoos throughout the
European Union is done in a way that preserves wild species and respects
their welfare, while at the same time retaining a role of education of the
public and of scientific research. Under the Directive, zoos in the EU must
hold a licence to operate and are subject to strict inspections by national
competent authorities. The requests take the form of reasoned opinions, the
second stage of the infringement procedure laid down in Article 226 of the
EC Treaty. If the Member States concerned do not comply with the requests
within two months, the Commission may refer them to the Court of Justice
[07] Commission questions environmental impact assessment measures in
Portugal, Sweden and Greece
The European Commission has decided to refer Portugal to the European Court
of Justice for not correctly carrying out a prior environmental impact
assessment on the final section of the Lisbon to Algarve motorway. The
Commission is concerned that environmental impacts, especially those
affecting the habitat of the Iberian Lynx (Lynx pardinus), were not
properly assessed beforehand. The Iberian Lynx is one of the most
endangered cat species in the world. The Commission has also sent formal
requests to Greece and Sweden to ensure adequate impact assessment
measures. The request to Greece concerns the Mamidakis petrochemical plant
in Lesbos, which has been operating without a permit since 1997 on a site
that was nominated for the Natura 2000 network of protected sites under the
EU's Habitats Directive. No adequate prior environmental impact assessment
was carried out here either and the Commission is worried that the nature
conservation value of this sensitive area is being damaged. The request to
Sweden is to ensure that Swedish legislation is amended so as to require
adequate environmental impact assessments prior to the decommissioning and
dismantling of nuclear power plants and reactors. The formal requests to
Greece and Sweden take the form of so-called 'reasoned opinions', the
second stage of formal infringement procedures. If the Greek and Swedish
authorities do not comply within two months of receiving the reasoned
opinions, the Commission may decide to refer to cases to the Court of
Justice.
[08] European Commission adopts € 110 million co-operation agreement and
financing programme for the period 2002-2007 for the Kingdom of Lesotho
The European Commission has adopted a framework programme outlining its co-
operation strategy (Country Strategy Paper/CSP) and financial allocations
(Indicative Programme/IP) to Lesotho over the next six years. The EU-
Lesotho CSP defines the priority areas of assistance. The objective is to
support government's efforts to reduce poverty through sustainable economic
and social development. Main areas of intervention are the improvement of
living standards, the improvement of transport infrastructure, the support
for the government's macro-economic reform and support in the fight against
HIV/AIDS.
[09] Financial reporting: Commission welcomes IASB/FASB convergence
agreement
The European Commission has welcomed today's joint announcement by the
International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) and the US Financial
Accounting Standards Board (FASB) of their commitment to achieving real
convergence between their respective accounting standards by 2005, when
listed EU companies will required to apply IAS. The announcement is a major
step towards a global system of accounting standards and will in particular
help the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to accept financial
statements prepared by EU companies in accordance with IAS, without
reconciliation to US GAAP, for the purposes of listing on US markets.
[10] Commission clears consumer credit JV between Sofinco and Commercial
Bank of Greece
The European Commission has cleared plans by Credit Agricole's subsidiary
Sofinco SA and Commercial Bank of Greece to create a joint venture called
Emporiki Credicom Bank S.A., which will operate in the field of consumer
financing in Greece (The deal was notified to the Commision on September 26
under the simplifed merger review procedure)
[11] Autre matériel diffusé
Discours de M. Lamy "L'Union européenne et les Etats-Unis face à la
globalisation: un enjeu pour le monde"
Speech by M Byrne: "EU Health Policy on a World Stage"
Speech by M. Liikanen « SMEs, Internal Market, Entrepreneurs and their
importance to the vitality of the EU »
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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