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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 03-11-24
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Commission statement on Georgia (23/11)
[02] High-Level Advisory Group stresses education, skills and media in
efforts to renew cultural dialogue
[03] Douanes : la contrefaçon et la piraterie s'attaquent de plus en plus
aux produits de grande consommation
[04] Financial Services : Action Plan to integrate EU financial markets
enters home straight
[05] Measuring attitudes and values : what Europeans think and feel
[06] Statement by European Commissioner Anna Diamantopoulou on the
International Day for Elimination of Violence against Women, 25 November
[07] Commission adopts five new humanitarian aid decisions worth over €11.5
million
[08] Fourth EC-Vietnam Joint Commission meeting Brussels (21/11)
[09] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express 24/11/2003
TXT: FR ENPDF:DOC:Midday Express 24/11/2003
[01] Commission statement on Georgia (23/11)
The decision of President Shevardnadze opens the way to restoration of
constitutional law and order in Georgia. The European Commission welcomes
the fact that all sides have refrained from violence and we are confident
that they will continue to do so. It is essential that developments will
give way to democratic elections according to international standards.
Georgians need to restore a climate of trust and confidence in their
country and their political system.
[02] High-Level Advisory Group stresses education, skills and media in
efforts to renew cultural dialogue
Today European Commission President Romano Prodi warmly welcomed the report
of the High-Level Advisory Group on Dialogue between Peoples and Cultures
in the Euro-Mediterranean Area. The fruit of several months' study and
reflection, the Group's report centres on around 20 proposals for practical
action aimed at using education, mobility and the media as means to promote
equality, diversity and mutual understanding. In the Group's view, the
projected Euro-Mediterranean Foundation for intercultural dialogue should
foster and guide the renewal of dialogue between cultures. It needs
unfettered independence and the ability to reflect the region's cultural
diversity if it is to succeed in giving coherence to all these measures
involving civil society. The coming Euro-Mediterranean Ministerial in
Naples on 2 December should be able to base its decision regarding the
establishment of the Foundation on these proposals.
[03] Douanes : la contrefaçon et la piraterie s'attaquent de plus en plus
aux produits de grande consommation
Durant 2002, près de 85 millions d'articles contrefaits ou piratés ont été
saisis aux frontières extérieures de l'UE par les douanes et 50 millions
pendant le premier semestre 2003, selon les statistiques sur les résultats
des saisies de douanes que la Commission européenne vient de publier.
D'ailleurs, la tendance se confirme en 2002 et 2003 que les marchandises
contrefaites ne se limitent plus aux produits de luxe, mais que ce trafic
s'attaque de plus en plus aux produits de grande consommation (produits
alimentaires, médicaments, téléphones mobiles, batteries, piles). Comme ces
produits contrefaits ne subissent pas de contrôle de sécurité, ils mettent
en danger la vie et la santé des consommateurs. Par ailleurs, les fraudeurs
adaptent rapidement leurs comportements illicites pour tirer profit de
toutes les opportunités qui se présentent : qu'il s'agisse du mode
d'acheminement (en 2002, la voie postale est de plus en plus utilisée), du
type de marque (de plus en plus de PME sont victimes de contrefaçons) ou de
la nature du produit (forte hausse du nombre de téléphones mobiles, chute
des contrefaçons de CD en 2002).
[04] Financial Services : Action Plan to integrate EU financial markets
enters home straight
The European Commission's latest (9th) progress report on the Financial
Services Action Plan (FSAP) concludes that the FSAP has been one of the
driving forces behind the developing European capital market, and so has
improved prospects for sustainable, investment-driven growth and
employment. Progress towards adopting the legislative measures of the FSAP
has been maintained. Nevertheless, the report argues that given the
European Parliament elections and EU Enlargement next year, it is crucially
important that the remaining major FSAP measures are agreed in the next
four months. It also outlines the initiatives taken by the Commission to
assess the current state of integration of European financial markets. The
full text of the Commission's progress report is available at :
http://europa.eu.int/comm/internal_market/en/finances/actionplan/index.htm
[05] Measuring attitudes and values : what Europeans think and feel
A comprehensive new survey to be presented tomorrow at a conference in
Brussels sheds light on major social trends in Europe. Involving 22
countries and their national research agencies, the European Social Survey
(ESS) is a definitive study on changing attitudes and values in Europe
which pulls together EU, international and national resources in a common
endeavour. Early findings of the study suggest that, as a group, Europeans
do not trust their politicians and institutions, electoral turnout is low,
active involvement in public life is limited, and the fabric of society is
weak. But the picture is not all bleak : by comparing countries within
Europe, we can see that some countries have managed to resist this decline
much better than others. Moreover, comparison with the USA shows that,
whereas a generation of disillusioned youngsters alienated from society
seems to be developing in the US, the youth of Europe are just as likely as
their older counterparts to be engaged in voluntary organisations. The new
European Social Survey will enable us to track these trends over time to
see to what extent they vary between different countries and indeed
continents.
[06] Statement by European Commissioner Anna Diamantopoulou on the
International Day for Elimination of Violence against Women, 25 November
"Violence against women has serious negative economic and social effects,
in the developed and developing world alike. It is a scourge on our society
at all levels, from local to global. It manifests itself in the form of
domestic violence, and also in conflict, where we see the use of sexual
violence as a weapon of war and repression. It is disappointing that the UN
General Assembly has been unable to agree a resolution condemning all forms
of gender-based violence. The elimination of violence against women must be
a political priority at the highest level. We must ensure that the victims
of this crime, which is so often suffered in silence, are given a voice."
[07] Commission adopts five new humanitarian aid decisions worth over €11.5
million
The European Commission has recently pledged to provide humanitarian aid
for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (€4.5 million), Georgia (€2.2
million), Timor Leste (€2 million), China (€2 million) and Pakistan (€1
million). The funds are managed by the Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) under
the responsibility of Commissioner Poul Nielson. Projects will be
implemented by humanitarian agencies operating in the target regions.
[08] Fourth EC-Vietnam Joint Commission meeting Brussels (21/11)
The EC-Vietnam Joint Commission met in Brussels on 21/11/2003 under the co-
chairmanship of Mr Nguyen Bich Dat, Vice-Minister, Ministry of Planning and
Investment and Mr Hervé Jouanjean, Deputy Director General for External
Relations of the European Commission. The meeting reviewed the status of
cooperation between EU and Vietnam and widened the dialogue into new areas,
such as into governance and human rights with the establishment of a new
Sub-group "Cooperation in Institution Building, Administrative Reform,
Governance and Human Rights" as an immediate step. Discussions covered
bilateral (EU-Vietnam cooperation programme; implementation of the Textiles
Agreement, initialled on 15 February 2003 and under provisional application
since 1st September 2003) and regional issues (ASEM summit 2004, ASEAN,
modernisation of EU-ASEAN relations). The Joint Commission approved reports
of the Working Groups Dialogue and Cooperation and Trade & Investment and
took note of the bilateral negotiations on Vietnam's accession to WTO,
which had taken place on 20/11/2003. The next session of the Joint
Commission will be held in Hanoi in 2005.
[09] Autre matériel diffusé
Note sur la préparation du Conseil Ecofin
Note sur la préparation du Conseil Budget
Speech by Anna Diamantopoulou : "The European model of integration and
governance - are EU-US comparisons valid and credible and to what extent ?"
at Harvard Univeristy (Boston, ! embargo 20h30 !)
Speech by David Byrne : "Small Food Producers and Rural Development" at
Small Food Producers Forum (Maynooth, IRL)
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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