|
|
|
European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 04-01-22
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] La Commission fixe des priorités pour relancer l'agenda de Lisbonne
[02] Joint Employment Report
[03] Rapport sur la mise en œuvre de la stratégie pour le marché intérieur
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[04] Commission clears acquisition by Bain Capital of Interfer and Brenntag
[05] Commission approves General Electric's purchase of diagnostic
pharmaceuticals maker Amersham
[06] Commission clears Koch's purchase of Invista from DuPont
[07] Pollution atmosphérique : la Commission entame de nouvelles actions en
justice à l'encontre de neuf Etats membres
[08] Internal Market : Commission refers eight Member States to the Court
over failure to implement EU insurance law
[09] Maritime safety and security : Commission and IMO look forward to
enhanced cooperation
[10] Commission focuses on human tissue engineering potential
[11] Chernobyl Shelter Fund : EU €18 million contribution for 2003
[12] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express 22/01/2004
TXT: FR ENPDF:DOC:Midday Express 22/01/2004[I] Résultats de la Commission
du 21 janvier 2004 - Outcome of Commission meeting of 21 January
(see also - voir aussi ME of 21/1)
[01] La Commission fixe des priorités pour relancer l'agenda de Lisbonne
La Commission européenne invite le Conseil européen de printemps à profiter
de la reprise économique et de la dynamique de l'élargissement pour donner
une nouvelle impulsion à la stratégie de Lisbonne. Trois priorités sont
définies : améliorer l'investissement dans les réseaux et la connaissance,
renforcer la compétitivité de l'industrie et des services et, enfin,
promouvoir la prolongation de la vie active. Après quatre années de mise en
œuvre de la stratégie de Lisbonne, les progrès réalisés par l'Union
demeurent insuffisants pour atteindre les objectifs que celle-ci s'est
fixés. En effet, malgré des progrès dans certains domaines importants, la
mise en œuvre des réformes par les Etats membres n'est pas à la hauteur des
enjeux. Plusieurs secteurs rencontrent même des difficultés importantes.
[02] Joint Employment Report
The European Commission has adopted a draft of the Joint Employment Report
to be presented to the Spring European Council. The Joint Employment Report
(JER) is an assessment of the progress in implementation of the new
European Employment Strategy that was adopted in 2003 (IP/03/508). It is
based on contributions from Member States in the form of National Action
Plans for Employment and Social Inclusion. The report shows that reforms
are continuing across the range of activities identified in the European
Employment Strategy, but more needs to be done to accelerate employment and
productivity growth. A broad approach is necessary, encompassing macro-
economic policies, investment policies, entrepreneurship, innovation,
structural reform, research and development, education and training and
social protection systems.
[03] Rapport sur la mise en œuvre de la stratégie pour le marché intérieur
Beaucoup trop d'industries européennes continuent d'exercer leurs activités
sur des marchés fragmentés en raison de la subsistance d'obstacles au
commerce et de différences dans les normes et réglementations, selon le
premier rapport de la Commission européenne sur la mise en œuvre de la
stratégie pour le marché intérieur 2003-2006 (voir IP/03/645). Ce rapport
fait partie du "Paquet Orientations", au même titre que les rapports sur la
mise en œuvre des grandes orientations de politique économique (GOPE) et
des lignes directrices pour l'emploi (LDE). Les trois rapports sont
présentés dans le cadre du rapport de la Commission au Conseil européen de
printemps 2004.
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[04] Commission clears acquisition by Bain Capital of Interfer and Brenntag
The European Commission has cleared under the Merger Regulation the
proposed acquisition of chemical distributor Interfer and of steel and
metal operator Brenntag by Bain Capital Investors.
[05] Commission approves General Electric's purchase of diagnostic
pharmaceuticals maker Amersham
The European Commission has decided to clear the proposed acquisition by
the US company General Electric Company (GE) of the UK diagnostic
pharmaceuticals and biosciences company Amersham Plc. In the absence of
overlaps between the companies' activities, the investigation focused on
whether GE would be able to foreclose its competitors, namely through the
bundling of its products with those of Amersham. But the Commission was
satisfied that such a strategy was unlikely to succeed and that European
hospitals will continue enjoying competition from a variety of suppliers.
[06] Commission clears Koch's purchase of Invista from DuPont
The European Commission has approved the acquisition of Invista, the former
interiors and textiles division of DuPont, by Koch, another US-based
company active in the energy and chemicals sectors among others. The
transaction does not raise any competition concerns even in the market for
man-made fibres for industrial applications where Invista and Koch are both
active.
[07] Pollution atmosphérique : la Commission entame de nouvelles actions en
justice à l'encontre de neuf Etats membres
La Commission européenne a décidé d'entamer plusieurs actions en justice
pour faire en sorte que les Etats membres respectent la législation de l'UE
destinée à améliorer la qualité de l'air dans l'Union européenne. Ces
actions concernent la Belgique, l'Italie, la Grèce, le Portugal, les Pays-
Bas, l'Allemagne, le Luxembourg, l'Autriche et l'Espagne. Les affaires ont
trait à sept instruments législatifs différents relatifs à la qualité de
l'air, qui visent tous à prévenir ou réduire les effets néfastes de la
pollution atmosphérique sur la santé publique et l'environnement. Les
procédures se justifient essentiellement par le fait que les Etats membres
n'ont pas adopté, dans les délais convenus, de mesures nationales
d'application de la législation européenne. La législation qui n'a pas été
mise en œuvre dans les délais porte sur l'incinération des déchets, les
valeurs limites pour le benzène et le monoxyde de carbone dans l'air
ambiant, les plafonds d'émission nationaux pour l'anhydride sulfureux, les
oxydes d'azote, les composés organiques volatils et l'ammoniac et les
grandes installations de combustion. La Commission a également entamé des
actions en justice pour faire respecter l'obligation de communiquer des
informations imposée par la législation de l'UE sur la pollution
atmosphérique ainsi que par le règlement qui vise à protéger la couche
d'ozone.
[08] Internal Market : Commission refers eight Member States to the Court
over failure to implement EU insurance law
The European Commission has decided to refer Belgium, Greece, France,
Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Finland, Sweden and the UK to the European
Court of Justice as they have not yet implemented Directive 2001/17/EC (see
IP/01/216), designed principally to guarantee consumer protection when
insurance companies are wound up. The deadline for writing the Directive
into national law was 20th April 2003.
[09] Maritime safety and security : Commission and IMO look forward to
enhanced cooperation
Following a meeting held yesterday 21 January 2004 between the European
Commission Vice-President Loyola de Palacio, responsible for Energy and
Transport, and the new Secretary-General of the International Maritime
Organization (IMO), Efthimios Mitropoulos, both institutions committed
themselves to strengthening their relationship. The Commission and the IMO
stressed the need to rapidly enhance the already existing cooperation
between the two bodies, so that maritime safety and security and
environmental protection are better served in the future.
[10] Commission focuses on human tissue engineering potential
The European Commission published a report today on prospects for
commercial and research activities in the field of human tissue engineering
(regeneration of tissues). Tissue engineering is an emerging,
multidisciplinary, biotechnology sector. It promises to change medical
practice profoundly, regenerating diseased tissues and organs instead of
just repairing them. The development of this novel biotechnology is
connected to new treatment possibilities, better quality of life of
patients and, not least, the ability to gradually overcome the constant
shortage of donor organs for transplantation. The first products include
artificial skin, cartilage and bone. The regulatory framework applied
differs across the EU, which presents an obstacle to the growth of tissue-
engineering markets in Europe. The Commission is currently seeking to
prepare legislation which will harmonise the authorisation procedures for
marketing products/processes from human tissue engineering.
[11] Chernobyl Shelter Fund : EU €18 million contribution for 2003
At the second pledging Conference held in Berlin in July 2000, the European
Union pledged €100 million to the Chernobyl Shelter Fund to be paid in four
instalments over the years 2001-2004. The European Commission has recently
approved payment of the third instalment of €18 million as the EU
contribution for 2003. The first two instalments were for €40 million
(2001) and €20 million (2002). Before 2000, the EU had already contributed
€90.5 million. The Chernobyl Shelter Fund, which is administered and
managed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), was
constituted at the end of 1997 in order to implement a project to transform
the existing sarcophagus into a safe and environmentally stable system.
[12] Autre matériel diffusé
Présentation par le Président Prodi du rapport de printemps 2004 à la
Conférence des Présidents du Parlement européen (21/01)
Speech by Franz Fischler : "The future of organic farming" at European
Hearing on Organic Food and Farming
Speech by Franz Fischler : "EU Enlargement: A future for European farmers"
at the 9th Carrefour on Animal Production (21/01, Gembloux)
Discours de M. Verheugen : "The Neighbourhood Policy of the European Union:
An opportunity for Tunisia" à l'Institut Arabe des Chefs d'Entreprises
(21/01, Tunis)
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
|
