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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 04-02-12

Midday Express: News from the EU Commission Spokesman's Briefings Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>


CONTENTS / CONTENU

  • [01] Mrs Diamantopoulou abstains from her duties to become a candidate in Greek elections
  • [02] European Union signs landmark tourism accord with China today in Beijing
  • [03] CO2 emissions from new cars in the EU down by more than 10% since 1995
  • [04] Professional qualifications: European Parliament's approval of proposed Directive brings simpler system nearer
  • [05] Developing countries: Commission adopts action plan to help developing countries fight agricultural commodity dependency and support the development of the cotton sector in Africa
  • [06] Rédiffusion de notes
  • [07] La Commission autorise, sous conditions, une concentration entre Air France et KLM
  • [08] Autre matériel diffusé Midday Express 12/02/2004 TXT: FR ENPDF:DOC:Midday Express 12/02/2004

  • [01] Mrs Diamantopoulou abstains from her duties to become a candidate in Greek elections

    Mrs Anna Diamantopoulou, the Commissioner for Employment and Social Affairs, has been asked by her political party to head PASOK's State Ballot List for the forthcoming Greek parliamentary elections. After having consulted the President of the Commission she has accepted to become a candidate and asked that she could abstain from her duties as a Commissioner for the duration of the electoral campaign. The President has given his consent. During the electoral campaign Mrs Diamantopoulou will not receive any pay or other form of remuneration from the Commission. The President has also decided that for this period of time she will be replaced by Mrs Margot Wallstrom, the Commissioner for the Environment.

    [02] European Union signs landmark tourism accord with China today in Beijing

    On 12 February 2004, the European Community and the China National Tourism Administration signed a landmark accord that will facilitate Chinese group tourism to Europe. Chinese tourists going through selected travel agencies will benefit from simplified and facilitated procedures to apply for tourist visas from the Member States of the European Union which have been granted "Approved Destination Status"(ADS) by China. The agreement also includes provisions allowing return of possible Chinese over-stayers. The new accord is expected to enter into force before the summer and will generate significant flows of Chinese visitors to Europe, thus boosting EU- China tourism exchanges and people-to-people contacts.

    [03] CO2 emissions from new cars in the EU down by more than 10% since 1995

    CO2 emissions from new passenger cars sold in the EU decreased by 10.8% between 1995 and 2002. The 4th Annual Report on CO2 Emissions from New Cars, adopted by the European Commission today, shows that the car industry has made progress in meeting its commitments from the voluntary agreements with the Commission to produce cars that emit less CO2. The EU's goal is to reach a 35% reduction by 2010 at the latest. While European and Japanese carmakers are on track in meeting their commitments, the Korean car industry is still somewhat lagging behind. Road transport generates more than one fifth of all CO2 emissions in the EU, with passenger cars being responsible for more than half of these emissions. As CO2 emissions are the main contributor to climate change, it is of major importance that the car industries stick to the target and keep reducing emissions.

    [04] Professional qualifications: European Parliament's approval of proposed Directive brings simpler system nearer

    The European Commission has welcomed the European Parliament's approval at first reading of the proposed Directive to clarify and simplify the rules on the free movement of qualified people between the Member States. The proposed Directive would cut red tape by replacing fifteen existing Directives in the field of the recognition of professional qualifications. The proposal constitutes the first comprehensive modernisation of the EU system since it was conceived over forty years ago. A number of changes are proposed compared with the existing rules, including greater liberalisation of the provision of services, more automatic recognition of qualifications, increased flexibility in the procedures for updating the Directive and more cooperation between the Commission and Member States in order to keep citizens better informed about their rights and to give them more help in getting their qualifications recognised. The Commission presented the proposal in March 2002 (see IP/02/393). The text as amended by the Parliament will now, under the EU's "co-decision procedure", be debated by the Council of Ministers, which is expected to adopt a Common Position in May 2004.

    [05] Developing countries: Commission adopts action plan to help developing countries fight agricultural commodity dependency and support the development of the cotton sector in Africa

    The European Commission has today taken a number of initiatives to help developing countries enhance their export performance and reduce their vulnerability from price fluctuations of major international agricultural commodities such as cotton and coffee. The key objectives of these initiatives are to improve the income of commodity producers in developing countries and reduce producers' and states' income vulnerability to price fluctuations. The initiatives involve a comprehensive EU action plan on agricultural commodity dependency and a wide-ranging strategy for the support to the cotton sector in Africa. The Commission also proposes to simplify the criteria to benefit from FLEX, the EU instrument to compensate African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries for short term fluctuations in export earnings.

    [06] Rédiffusion de notes

    [07] La Commission autorise, sous conditions, une concentration entre Air France et KLM

    La Commission européenne a autorisé l'opération de concentration entre Air France et KLM, après que les deux sociétés ont résolu les problèmes de concurrence, essentiellement entre Paris et Amsterdam et entre l'Europe et les États-Unis. Après avoir examiné la première grande concentration dans le transport aérien en Europe, la Commission a demandé la cession de 94 créneaux de décollage et d'atterrissage par jour. Cela permettra à des compagnies rivales de desservir des liaisons sur lesquelles la concurrence aurait été éliminée ou sensiblement réduite, et aux voyageurs européens d'avoir le choix entre plusieurs compagnies et de continuer à bénéficier de prix compétitifs. La Commission a également obtenu des gouvernements néerlandais et français l'assurance qu'ils accorderaient des droits de trafic à d'autres compagnies souhaitant faire escale à Amsterdam ou Paris sur des liaisons vers les États-Unis ou autres destinations non communautaires. Ils se sont également engagés à ne pas réglementer les prix sur les liaisons long-courrier sur lesquelles d'autres compagnies proposent des services indirects en concurrence avec Air France et KLM.

    [08] Autre matériel diffusé

    Discours de M. Liikanen - Reinforcing eDemocracy Discours de M. Patten Afghanistan, the road to Bonn Discours de M. Bolkestein (rédiff) Corporate governance and the supervision of financial services after the Parmalat case

    From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
    © ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996


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