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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 03-09-01
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] WTO Cancun: chat on-line with Pascal Lamy
[02] Accession of Saudi Arabia to the WTO: Conclusion of the EU-Saudi
Arabia bilateral market access deal
[03] EU strongly welcomes WTO deal on generic medicines
[04] European Commission paves the way for EC ratification of UN Convention
Against Transnational Organised Crime and its protocols on smuggling and
trafficking in human beings
[05] La Commission propose des mesures concrètes pour faciliter le « petit
trafic » aux frontières terrestres de l'Union
[06] Commissioner Busquin presents clinical trials programme to African
Health Ministers
[07] European Commission provides € 31 million for 51 Human Rights and
Democracy projects worldwide
[08] La Commission approuve l'acquisition de GrandVision par PAI
[09] Autre matériel diffusé:
[10] Europe et Afrique ensemble pour la lutte contre les maladies de la
pauvreté A disposition dans le bureau de Amelia Torres (BREY 6/80)
notification préalable d'une opération de concentration : Amcor/Amcor
Flexibles Europe
Midday Express 01/09/2003
TXT: FR ENPDF:DOC:Midday Express 01/09/2003
[01] WTO Cancun: chat on-line with Pascal Lamy
The WTO Cancún Ministerial Conference, 10-14 September, represents the half
way point in the work of the Doha Development Agenda, and is a key staging
post towards completion of this multilateral trade round by the end of
2004. It is the EU's number one trade priority. EU Trade Commissioner
Pascal Lamy said: «The successful outcome of this trade round will boost
global economic growth by further opening trade and investment and by the
dynamic economic gains that strengthened WTO rules will bring. But just as
important, it has to ensure that developing countries are truly part of the
world trade system»
[02] Accession of Saudi Arabia to the WTO: Conclusion of the EU-Saudi
Arabia bilateral market access deal
On Sunday 1 September EU Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy and the Saudi
Minister of Commerce and Industry, Dr. Hashim A. Yamani will sign in Jeddah
the agreement concluding the bilateral market access negotiations for the
accession of Saudi Arabia to the WTO. This signature comes after a month of
intense negotiations that have allowed the conclusion of an ambitious
agreement on the opening of the Saudi market to foreign goods and services.
Commissioner Lamy noted: "The conclusion of the bilateral deal with the EU
is an important step forward in the process of Saudi Arabia's accession to
the WTO. Saudi Arabia's decision, to be relatively ambitious in its trade
relations with its major partner, is a sign that should be welcomed by the
international community." He further noted: "We particularly value the
decision that Saudi Arabia has taken to comply with all WTO rules by the
time of accession and to eliminate a number of obstacles to international
trade like the bans on the importation of certain food products and the
dual-pricing of gas products. I am today confident that the completion of
the accession process is close, and that is another positive signal ahead
of Cancun."
[03] EU strongly welcomes WTO deal on generic medicines
The EU welcomes the long awaited endorsement today in the World Trade
Organisation of a deal to improve access to medicines for developing
countries. All WTO Members have now agreed to the compromise text brokered
last December to allow those countries without the capacity to produce
their own medicines to import generics. The compromise, known as the Perez
Motta text, is now accompanied by a statement aimed at giving comfort to
both developing countries and pharmaceutical companies that the deal is
seeks to protect public health and to ensure that access to generics in
these circumstances reach those in need. EU Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy
said: "This deal may have taken too many months to complete but finally it
shows the WTO can respond flexibly and pragmatically to the concerns of
developing countries and contribute to the fight to combat killer diseases.
But it also means transparency and certainty for countries with no capacity
to produce medicines, importing generics is now a right protected by the
WTO. With less than two weeks before we meet in Cancun, this is a crucial
demonstration that the Doha Development Agenda is more than just fine
words.”
[04] European Commission paves the way for EC ratification of UN Convention
Against Transnational Organised Crime and its protocols on smuggling and
trafficking in human beings
The European Commission has proposed to the Council the ratification, on
behalf of the Community, of the UN convention against transnational
organised crime (UNTOC), its supplementing Protocol to prevent, suppress
and punish trafficking in persons, especially women and children and its
supplementing Protocol against the smuggling of migrants by land, air and
sea. If the Council of Ministers agrees the European Union will join the 40
countries that have already ratified the convention, which will enter into
force on 29 September 2003.
[05] La Commission propose des mesures concrètes pour faciliter le « petit
trafic » aux frontières terrestres de l'Union
La Commission a adopté deux propositions de règlement sur le « petit trafic
frontalier », c'est à dire le passage de frontières par des ressortissants
de pays tiers résidant dans les zones frontalières et se rendant
régulièrement, pour des raisons légitimes, dans un pays de l'Union sans
représenter de menace pour la sécurité. Le premier projet de règlement a
pour but de faciliter la circulation locale aux frontières terrestres entre
les Etats membres et les pays tiers voisins, tandis que le deuxième étend
ces mécanismes aux frontières entre deux Etats membres qui n'ont pas encore
aboli les contrôles des personnes à leurs frontières communes. Les deux
propositions devront être adoptées par le Conseil après consultation du
Parlement européen, du Comité économique et social européen et du Comité
des régions.
[06] Commissioner Busquin presents clinical trials programme to African
Health Ministers
At the WHO conference in Johannesburg on 1 September, European Research
Commissioner Philippe Busquin will present the Europe-Developing Countries
Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) to the Ministers for Health of 46
African States. EDCTP aims to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis
with a €600 million budget to which the European Union has already
committed one third. Launched 2 years ago by European and African
scientists, it is a unique initiative based on close partnership between
African and European countries. In Johannesburg, Commissioner Busquin will
encourage African governments to mobilise around this important initiative
by making it a component of their national priorities and in particular by
facilitating training and supporting the careers of African medical and
pharmaceutical professionals, in an effort to build research capacity and
avoid brain drain.
[07] European Commission provides € 31 million for 51 Human Rights and
Democracy projects worldwide
On 7 August, the European Commission approved financing of € 31 million for
51 projects under the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights
(EIDHR) to support democracy, good governance, and the rule of law and to
promote the building of sound and durable democratic societies. This
substantial investment reaffirms the Commission's commitment to playing a
key role in this field in partnership with NGOs and other international
organisations. European Commissioner for External Relations Chris Patten
said: "Promoting human rights, democratisation and the rule of law fosters
international peace and stability. This is a sensible and constructive form
of pre-emption to which the EU can happily subscribe. I am impressed by the
high quality of projects to be carried out by NGOs. Their work and
dedication is essential in promoting this worthy ambition".
[08] La Commission approuve l'acquisition de GrandVision par PAI
La Commission européenne a donné son feu vert à un projet de concentration
par lequel la société de gestion de fonds d'investissements française PAI
Partners acquiert le contrôle de l'ensemble de la société française
GrandVision, spécialisée dans la distribution de détail de produits
d'optique. (L'opération, qui avait été notifiée le 31 juillet 2003, a été
examinée sous une procédure simplifiée).
[09] Autre matériel diffusé:
[10] Europe et Afrique ensemble pour la lutte contre les maladies de la
pauvreté A disposition dans le bureau de Amelia Torres (BREY 6/80)
notification préalable d'une opération de concentration : Amcor/Amcor
Flexibles Europe
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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