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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 03-11-19
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Commission proceeds with excessive deficit procedure for Germany
[02] Droit des sociétés : la Commission propose une directive sur les
fusions transfrontalières
[03] La Commission adopte des propositions de réforme pour les secteurs du
tabac, de l'huile d'olive, du coton et du houblon en Europe
[04] Commission outlines ways to facilitate the work of the Competitiveness
Council
[05] Bosnia and Herzegovina : Commission approves Feasibility Study
[06] Karl-Johan Lönnroth appointed Director General of DG Translation
[07] Commission strengthens Internal Audit Service to meet additional
challenges
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[08] Lutter contre la contrefaçon et le piratage grâce à la recherche
européenne
[09] September 2003 : Euro-zone external trade surplus €8.5 billion ; €0.5
billion deficit for EU15
[10] Commission underlines success at 2003 ITU World Radiocommunications
Conference
[11] 20% testing requirement for imports of poultry meat from Thailand
lifted
[12] Poul Nielson to visit Kenya, Tanzania and Madagascar (20-30/11)
[13] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express 19/11/2003
TXT: FR ENPDF:DOC:Midday Express 19/11/2003[I] Résultats de la Commission
du 18 novembre 2003 - Outcome of Commission meeting of 18 November
[01] Commission proceeds with excessive deficit procedure for Germany
The European Commission has adopted today two recommendations for the
Council in relation to the excessive deficit procedure for Germany. The
first, under article 104(8) establishes that the action taken by Germany in
2003 is proving inadequate and as a result the excessive deficit will
persist in 2004. The second, under Article 104(9), requests Germany to take
new measures to reduce the budget deficit and remedy the situation by 2005
at the latest. In order to avoid the risk that the excessive deficit
continues for the fourth year in a row in 2005, the Commission considers
that the budgetary adjustment in 2004 should be larger than the one
contained in the draft Budget for 2004. It is recommended to reduce the
cyclically-adjusted deficit by 0.8% of GDP in 2004. Overall, budgetary
consolidation measures should secure a lasting improvement in the general
government balance. When drawing up the measures to be taken in order to
comply with these recommendations, Germany should take into account the
recommendations issued by the Council in the framework of the 2003-2005
Broad Economic Policy Guidelines. They highlight the need for structural
reforms as the main solution to the growth under-performance of the German
economy. This decision follows the Council Recommendation under Article
104(7) of the Treaty on 21 January 2003.
[02] Droit des sociétés : la Commission propose une directive sur les
fusions transfrontalières
La Commission européenne a présenté une proposition de directive visant à
faciliter les fusions transfrontalières, en supprimant les obstacles
inhérents à la coexistence de législations nationales différentes. Si elle
concerne toutes les sociétés de capitaux, cette directive servirait tout
particulièrement les intérêts des PME souhaitant opérer dans plusieurs
Etats membres, mais non dans toute l'Europe, et, partant, peu susceptibles
de demander le statut de société européenne. Ses dispositions établiraient
une procédure de fusion transfrontalière, selon laquelle ce type
d'opérations serait régi, dans chaque Etat membre, par les principes et
règles applicables aux fusions "nationales". La proposition de directive,
qui vise à combler une lacune importante du droit des sociétés, est la
première mesure présentée au titre du plan d'action de la Commission sur la
modernisation du droit des sociétés et le renforcement du gouvernement
d'entreprise dans l'Union européenne, publié en mai 2003 (voir IP/03/716 et
MEMO/03/112). Conformément à la procédure dite "de codécision", elle sera
soumise pour adoption au Conseil de l'Union européenne (qui doit la voter à
la majorité qualifiée) et au Parlement européen.
[03] La Commission adopte des propositions de réforme pour les secteurs du
tabac, de l'huile d'olive, du coton et du houblon en Europe
La Commission européenne a présenté des propositions visant à réformer les
règles de la politique agricole commune (PAC) concernant le tabac, l'huile
d'olive et les olives de table, le coton et le houblon, qui mettent
l'accent sur la compétitivité, une orientation plus nette sur le marché, un
respect accru de l'environnement, la stabilisation des revenus des
agriculteurs et une meilleure prise en compte de la situation des
producteurs dans les régions défavorisées. Ces propositions sous-tendront
la prochaine étape de la réforme de la PAC qui fera suite aux décisions de
réforme adoptées le 29 septembre 2003 par le Conseil des ministres de l'UE.
Pour les quatre secteurs concernés, une partie importante des paiements
actuellement liés à la production serait transférée vers le régime du
paiement unique découplé. Les subventions en faveur du houblon seraient
entièrement découplées, de même que l'aide au tabac, pour laquelle la
Commission envisage une approche progressive en trois étapes. Pour le coton
et l'huile d'olive, un paiement couplé spécifique serait maintenu. Ainsi,
la proposition tient compte de l'impact potentiel d'un découplage total des
aides dans ces secteurs, et notamment du risque que la production soit
abandonnée et que la compétitivité des zones rurales diminue. Ces
propositions font suite à la communication de la Commission de septembre
2003 (voir IP/03/1285 et IP/03/1314) sur la manière de parvenir à un modèle
d'agriculture durable dans ces quatre secteurs par le biais de la réforme
de la PAC. A la suite de consultations approfondies avec les Etats membres,
les régions concernées et les représentants des secteurs, la Commission a
introduit certaines modifications dans les textes juridiques relatifs au
tabac et à l'huile d'olive en ce qui concerne la communication. Les
réformes proposées entreraient en vigueur en 2005 et seraient soumises à
une révision à mi-parcours. Elles seraient neutres, sur le plan budgétaire,
par rapport aux dépenses passées.
[04] Commission outlines ways to facilitate the work of the Competitiveness
Council
The European Commission has launched a Communication that will facilitate
and guide the work of the Competitiveness Council to improve
competitiveness across the EU. With its Communication "Some key issues of
Europe's competitiveness towards an integrated approach", the Commission
aims to re-launch Europe's competitive drive. The Communication issues a
first reflection about the performance and future of EU industry, based on
an analysis of its current state of competitiveness. The Communication
pinpoints how exploiting synergies between different policies at EU and
national level such as Industrial Policy, Internal Market Strategy,
Research and Competition will pay off in increased competitiveness. It
urges all EU institutions and the Members States to play their part by
adopting and implementing legislation crucial for economic growth, but also
by taking full account of the competitiveness consequences of all their
decisions. This integrated approach, which responds to a request by the
Spring European Council, will be discussed with Member States at the
Competitiveness Council on 27 November.
[05] Bosnia and Herzegovina : Commission approves Feasibility Study
The European Commission has approved a Feasibility Study assessing the
readiness of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) to take its next steps towards
European Integration, by opening negotiations for a Stabilisation and
Association Agreement (SAA). The Commission concludes that it hopes to be
able to recommend the opening of SAA negotiations next year - on the
condition that BiH makes significant progress in a number of areas
identified as priorities for action : compliance with existing
conditionality and international obligations; more effective governance;
more effective public administration; European integration; effective human
rights provisions; effective judiciary; tackling crime, especially
organised crime; managing asylum and migration; customs and taxation
reform; budget legislation; budget practice; reliable statistics;
consistent trade policy; integrated energy market; BiH single economic
space and public broadcasting.
[06] Karl-Johan Lönnroth appointed Director General of DG Translation
The European Commission has appointed Mr Karl-Johan Lönnroth, Commission
official of Finnish nationality, Director General of DG Translation. Mr
Lönnroth will take over the DG, the Commission's largest, at a time when it
is going through a major restructuring and preparing for enlargement, which
will increase the number of official languages from 11 to 20.
[07] Commission strengthens Internal Audit Service to meet additional
challenges
The European Commission has approved measures to strengthen the Internal
Audit Service by splitting the current structure into two distinct
directorates, one focusing on carrying out audits and the other responsible
for resources, coordination and communication. It also cleared the way for
advertising, both internally and externally, the post of Director General
of the IAS, in order to find a replacement for Jules Muis, who steps down
at the end of March next year. The IAS was created in 2000 and has been
shown to play a crucial role in financial management and control at the
Commission. A number of new challenges, including the new Financial
Regulation and EU enlargement, justify further strengthening this vital
Directorate-General.
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[08] Lutter contre la contrefaçon et le piratage grâce à la recherche
européenne
Comment pouvez-vous être sûr que votre montre n'est pas une contrefaçon ?
Comment éviter le changement, ou la disparition, de la cargaison d'un
conteneur de fret entre son point de départ et son point d'arrivée ? Le
Centre commun de recherche de la Commission européenne (CCR) a mis au point
des dispositifs techniques d'aide à la lutte contre la contrefaçon et le
trafic illicite. A l'aide de techniques sophistiquées, conçues à l'origine
pour le secteur des garanties nucléaires, la Commission a inventé et testé
des prototypes et des applications qui serviront à identifier les montres
et à sceller les conteneurs de fret. On peut citer, par exemple, des
transpondeurs radio intégrés dans des montres, l'identification par
ultrasons de certaines marques faites sur des montres ou encore le
scellement électronique de cargaisons de fret au moyen de transpondeurs
radio multiples. La contrefaçon, le piratage et le trafic illicite touchent
entre 5% et 7% des échanges mondiaux. La contrefaçon représente un chiffre
d'affaires annuel de 450 millions d'€ sur le plan mondial, dont 60% est
réalisé dans des pays de l'UE. C'est le secteur des montres qui est le plus
touché (5%).
[09] September 2003 : Euro-zone external trade surplus €8.5 billion ; €0.5
billion deficit for EU15
According to Eurostat, the first estimate for euro-zone trade with the rest
of the world in September 2003 was a €8.5 billion surplus, compared with
+9.2 billion in September 2002. The August 2003 balance was +7.5 billion
compared with +8.5 billion in August 2002. In September 2003, exports and
imports, seasonally adjusted, decreased by 0.9% and 2.4% respectively
compared to August 2003. The first estimate for September 2003 extra-EU15
trade was a €0.5 billion deficit, against a €1.4 billion surplus in
September 2002. In August 2003, the balance was +1.8 billion, compared with
+1.3 billion in August 2002. In September 2003, exports and imports,
seasonally adjusted, decreased by 2.5% and 0.6% respectively compared to
August 2003.
[10] Commission underlines success at 2003 ITU World Radiocommunications
Conference
Today the European Commission adopted a Communication underlining the
successes achieved for Europe at the World Radiocommunications Conference,
which completed its work in July 2003 (the WRC-03). The Communication
provides an analysis of the impact of WRC decisions on underlying EU
policies and identifies necessary implementation actions, based on the
outcomes of this regulatory conference that agreed Radio Spectrum access at
a global level.
[11] 20% testing requirement for imports of poultry meat from Thailand
lifted
The Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health agreed on a
Commission proposal to lift the remaining 20% testing requirement of
poultry meat from Thailand. Since March 2002, all consignments of shrimps
and poultry from Thailand had to be tested for the presence of residues
since nitrofurans had been detected in imported products from this country
(see IP/02/436). The requirement to test all consignments of shrimps was
lifted on 24 June 2003 and the testing obligation for poultry meat was
reduced from 100% to 20% of the consignments on 28 July 2003. The results
of checks carried out by Member States are now favourable and the competent
authority of Thailand has provided all the appropriate guarantees, in
particular the guarantee of a systematic pre-shipment check to control the
presence of nitrofurans and other residues. The proposal will enter into
force after the formal adoption by the Commission, in the next few weeks.
[12] Poul Nielson to visit Kenya, Tanzania and Madagascar (20-30/11)
Mr Poul Nielson, European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid,
will visit Kenya, Tanzania and Madagascar, with a stop-over in Mauritius
between 20 and 30 November. The visit will provide an opportunity to build
on the EU's close partnership with these countries and to conduct in-depth
discussions on the progress of the EU's development assistance programmes.
It will also be an occasion to exchange views on issues relating to
regional security, integration and trade. Commissioner Nielson will also
use this opportunity to address the Nairobi 'Energy for Africa' Conference
and the International Investors Round Table Meeting in Tanzania.
[13] Autre matériel diffusé
Introductory remarks by Pedro Solbes to press conference on Commission
decision on Excessive Deficit Procedure for Germany (18/11, Strasbourg)
Proposition de directive sur les fusions transfrontalières présentée par la
Commission foire aux questions
Note sur la préparation du Conseil Télécoms (20/11)
Speech by Poul Nielson : "CAPs for 2004" at launch of the UN Consolidated
Inter-Agency Appeals (CAPs) for 2004
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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