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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 04-06-28
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Clean ships get into gear after years of slow steaming
[02] Commission clears acquisition of Dutch publisher PCM by APAX
[03] Network services : opening to competition improves performance, cuts
prices and ensures quality
[04] Les consommateurs européens sont certes favorables à la concurrence
mais ils veulent des garanties en ce qui concerne les services publics
[05] Invisible essential technologies : EU launches "ARTEMIS" drive to
become world leader in intelligent embedded systems
[06] GALILEO and GPS will navigate side by side : EU and US sign final
agreement
[07] Trans-Atlantic Business Dialogue continues efforts to promote EU-US
economic ties
[08] La Commission adopte le rapport Hong Kong 2003
[09] EU research fights killer viruses' stubborn resistance to drugs
[10] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express of 2004-06-28
Reference: MEX/04/0628
Date: 28/06/2004
EXME04 / 28.6
MIDDAY EXPRESS
News from the Press and Communication Directorate General's midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction Général Presse etb
Communication
28/06/04
[01] Clean ships get into gear after years of slow steaming
The European Union has today taken an important step towards decreasing
sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions from ships. SO2 is an air pollutant which
causes health problems and acidifies lake and forest ecosystems. Ships have
become the single biggest source of SO2 in the EU, because the maritime
sector has lagged behind land-based industry in terms of environmental
performance. In reaching a political agreement on the Commission's marine
fuel sulphur proposal, the Environment Council has agreed to reduce ships'
SO2 emissions in the EU by over 500,000 tonnes every year from 2007, to the
benefit of human health and the environment.
[02] Commission clears acquisition of Dutch publisher PCM by APAX
The European Commission has granted clearance under the Merger Regulation
to the acquisition of Dutch publisher PCM Uitgevers NV, currently
controlled by Stichting Democratie en Media, by the investment fund Apax
Europe V. (The operation, 26 May 2004, was examined under the simplified
merger review procedure).
[03] Network services : opening to competition improves performance, cuts
prices and ensures quality
The performance of network services of general economic interest (SGEI) in
terms of prices, employment, productivity, service quality, affordability,
accessibility and consumer satisfaction is good and improving, although
there are wide variations between sectors and between Member States,
according to a European Commission report. The report shows that the impact
of opening up SGEI to competition has been positive and has, in real terms,
reduced prices to end users, who generally support the introduction of
competition. However, in some Member States delays in market opening and in
removing legal and technical barriers to new entrants have held performance
back. Service providers are continuing to meet or exceed their universal
service obligations and access to services at affordable prices for the
less well off is also improving, albeit unevenly. The report covers
electricity, gas, telecommunications, postal services, air, road and rail
transport in the 15 "old" Member States. New Member States will be covered
in future reports starting in 2005.
[04] Les consommateurs européens sont certes favorables à la concurrence
mais ils veulent des garanties en ce qui concerne les services publics
Deux enquêtes publiées aujourd'hui fournissent, pour la première fois,
des données à la fois quantitatives et qualitatives sur la satisfaction
des consommateurs par rapport aux services d'intérêt général
(télécommunications, énergie, postes, eau, transports) dans l'Union
européenne élargie. Les résultats font ressortir un ensemble très
nuancé d'attitudes, selon les services et pays concernés. L'étude
qualitative menée dans les 25 Etats membres révèle que d'une manière
générale l'accès et la qualité sont jugés satisfaisants. Les
consommateurs se montrent moins satisfaits par rapport au prix de la
téléphonie fixe, des services postaux (à l'exception du courrier
ordinaire) et des transports ferroviaires interurbains. La concurrence
apparaît comme un outil permettant de faire baisser les prix et
d'améliorer la qualité des services. En dehors de la distribution d'eau
et des transports urbains, les consommateurs souhaitent voir s'instaurer
une concurrence véritable et ouverte qui engendre des avantages durables.
D'une manière générale, les consommateurs attendent des pouvoirs publics
qu'ils donnent des garanties en ce qui concerne certains aspects des
services et qu'ils jouent un rôle de supervision. L'enquête d'opinion des
consommateurs Eurobaromètre menée dans les dix nouveaux Etats membres de
l'UE fait apparaître une grande similitude d'attitudes avec les pays de
l'UE 15, sauf pour ce qui est de la téléphonie fixe et mobile qui obtient
une meilleure note dans l'UE 15. Les deux études figurent dans le rapport
de la Commission sur la performance des industries de réseaux fournissant
des services d'intérêt général, qui est également publié aujourd'hui
(voir IP/04/806).
[05] Invisible essential technologies : EU launches "ARTEMIS" drive to
become world leader in intelligent embedded systems
The European Commission and seventeen senior executives from the "embedded
systems" sector, which builds the tiny computer chips and software used to
make everything from car brakes to mobile phones to bank cards safer and
more user-friendly, today tabled plans to make the EU world leader in the
design, integration and supply of these systems. Central to the plans is a
private/public partnership, the European Technology Platform in Advanced
R&D on Embedded Intelligent Systems ("ARTEMIS"), to be set up by the end of
2004. Its task, outlined in the "Building Artemis" declaration today in
Rome, is to mobilise and coordinate the private and public resources needed
to meet business, technical and structural challenges. These challenges
include ensuring that systems developed by different vendors can
communicate and work with each other via industry standards. The technical
challenges include system design, seamless connectivity, reliability,
security and quality of service. Embedded technologies are the fastest
growing sector in IT today. Unlike the PC market, which is dominated by a
few players, Embedded Systems is still an open field with many business
opportunities.
[06] GALILEO and GPS will navigate side by side : EU and US sign final
agreement
The European Union and the United States concluded an agreement on GALILEO
and GPS at the end of the Summit held in Ireland on 26 June 2004. The
agreement on the promotion, provision and use of the two satellite-based
navigation systems and related applications that was signed by European
Commission Vice-President Loyola de Palacio and US Secretary of State Colin
Powell, will allow each system to work alongside the other without
interfering with its counterpart's signals and thus give a huge boost to
users worldwide. Loyola de Palacio said : "This agreement will allow the
European project GALILEO to become the world standard for civil and
commercial use of satellite navigation ; it will offer the best possible
level of services to all users".
[07] Trans-Atlantic Business Dialogue continues efforts to promote EU-US
economic ties
At its most recent meeting on Friday 25 June, the Trans-Atlantic Business
Dialogue (TABD) provided important recommendations to governments on its
four priority areas : Open Trade and Security, Intellectual Property Rights
and the Fight against Counterfeiting, Capital Markets and International
Accounting Standards, as well as the World Trade Organisation and the Doha
Development Round. European Commissioner Ján Figel expressed his support
for the process, commending the serious work carried out, and the efforts
of the TABD to promote closer transatlantic ties and eliminate barriers in
the transatlantic market. The European Commission and the US Government
have given considered replies to these TABD recommendations. In doing so,
they identified areas where there are good prospects of advancing the
transatlantic economic partnership. Dialogue was also held on a future work-
plan for the TABD.
[08] La Commission adopte le rapport Hong Kong 2003
Dans le rapport qu'elle vient d'adopter sur Hong Kong pour l'année 2003,
la Commission européenne considère que, de façon générale,
le gouvernement de la Région administrative spéciale a continué Ã
administrer Hong Kong en conformité avec la Loi fondamentale. Le rapport
souligne toutefois l'importance qu'a revêtue au cours de la période
couverte la question de la démocratisation du système politique de Hong
Kong et note l'aspiration de ses citoyens à une plus grande participation Ã
la vie publique et politique. La Commission rappelle l'attachement de
l'Union européenne à la préservation du statut spécifique reconnu à la
Région administrative spéciale de Hong Kong dans le cadre du principe "un
pays, deux systèmes" et au respect des droits de l'homme et des libertés
tels que consacrés par la Loi fondamentale. A cet égard, et à la
lumière de la récente décision du Comité Permanent du Congrès national
du Peuple sur l'architecture constitutionnelle de Hong Kong, elle exprime
le souhait que de rapides progrès soient accomplis en direction de
l'élection du Chef de l'Exécutif et du Conseil Législatif au suffrage
universel.
[09] EU research fights killer viruses' stubborn resistance to drugs
Viruses' growing resistance to drugs means diseases such as hepatitis B and
C are increasingly difficult to treat. New pandemics may arise with
unforeseeable consequences. The EU is therefore contributing €9 million
to the "Vigilance against Viral Resistance" (VIRGIL) project, to be
launched today in Lyon (France). It will start by addressing drug
resistance in viral hepatitis and influenza, but will broaden its scope to
other viruses. The network will be based on research and technological
platforms to monitor existing, and anticipate future, drug resistance. One
platform will monitor, test and improve the management of antiviral drug
resistance in patients while another will show how resistance occurs and
help understand patient-related (immune/genetic) factors causing viral
resistance. Other platforms for drugs and pharmacology and for innovation
and technology will allow anticipation of ways to rapidly overcome drug
resistance. Finally, a societal impact platform will assess the network's
benefit for medicine and patients' quality of life. VIRGIL, coordinated by
Lyon's INSERM research centre, will gather 55 key European field experts
from 12 countries, including 7 partners from industry.
[10] Autre matériel diffusé
Speech by Erkki Liikanen : "Embedded Systems - Vision and Challenges for
Europe" at Second High Level meeting for the Embedded Systems Technology
Platform (Rome)
China - Market economy status in trade defence investigations
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
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