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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 04-06-30
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[I] Résultats de la Commission de ce jour - Outcome
of today's Commission meeting
[01] Blanchiment de capitaux : la Commission propose d'actualiser et de
moderniser la directive en vigueur
[02] Mobile broadband services : Commission tables blueprint for anytime,
anywhere access, to boost growth in business and public services
[03] La Commission simplifie la réglementation sur les aides d'Etat dans
le secteur de la pêche
[04] Commission authorises aid for AMA quality label and biolabel (Austria)
[05] Commission decides on the Swedish energy tax system 2002 to 2005
[06] Commission authorises State aid for the promotion of bio-fuels in the
Czech Republic
[07] Italy : Commission approves regional aid to restructure road haulage
and to develop combined transport
[08] La Commission donne son feu vert final à une série d'aides aux
entreprises belges de transport maritime en refusant néanmoins quelques-
unes de leurs dispositions
[09] La Commission nomme Stefano Manservisi directeur général du
développement
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[10] Chris Patten congratulates Javier Solana
[11] Commission clears acquisition of Leaseplan by VW and two financial
investment companies
[12] Commission launches in-depth investigation into Continental's
acquisition of Phoenix
[13] Commission proposes to ease restrictions on EU aid to Haiti as it
progresses towards democracy
[14] Estimation rapide - juin 2004 : l'inflation de la zone euro estimée Ã
2,4%
[15] June 2004 : the euro area Business Climate Indicator resumed its
upward trend
[16] June 2004 : economic sentiment deteriorates slightly in both the EU
and the euro area
[17] Mobilité des chercheurs : l'UE propose de nouvelles perspectives et
opportunités
[18] Making research careers more attractive : concrete steps leading to
brain-gain results
[19] Conférence sur la Charte européenne des petites entreprises :
apprendre à travers les bonnes pratiques
[20] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express of 2004-06-30
Reference: MEX/04/0630
Date: 30/06/2004
EXME04 / 30.6
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
30/06/04
[I] Résultats de la Commission de ce jour - Outcome
of today's Commission meeting
[01] Blanchiment de capitaux : la Commission propose d'actualiser et de
moderniser la directive en vigueur
La Commission européenne a présenté une proposition de directive visant
à renforcer les défenses de l'Union européenne contre le blanchiment de
capitaux et le financement du terrorisme. Cette proposition actualiserait
et améliorerait la directive antiblanchiment en vigueur. En particulier,
elle définit le blanchiment de capitaux comme le fait de masquer ou de
déguiser les produits d’un large éventail d'infractions graves. Elle
vise aussi à garantir l'application cohérente, dans tous les Etats membres,
des dernières recommandations du groupe d'action financière (GAFI), soit
l'organisme mondial de lutte antiblanchiment, qui, désormais, couvrent non
seulement le blanchiment des produits du crime, mais aussi le financement
du terrorisme. La proposition va être transmise au Parlement européen et
au Conseil de l'UE pour adoption au titre de la procédure dite "de
codécision".
[02] Mobile broadband services : Commission tables blueprint for anytime,
anywhere access, to boost growth in business and public services
Accessing everything you need at head office from a computer in the field
is fast becoming vital to the efficiency of both private enterprise and
public services. A policy blueprint to ensure that data can be accessed
anytime, anywhere across the EU, and that the EU retains its lead in this
area, is set out in "Mobile broadband services", a Commission Communication
issued today. The challenges ahead include ensuring that services can be
supplied seamlessly to a variety of devices, making the technologies and
networks that carry them interoperable, and providing adequate intellectual
property protection for services with high value-added content. These
challenges call for targeted R&D, both on basic research and to accelerate
technical innovation.
[03] La Commission simplifie la réglementation sur les aides d'Etat dans
le secteur de la pêche
La Commission européenne a adopté une série de nouvelles règles
concernant les aides d'Etat dans le secteur de la pêche. Ces règles
alignent la politique en matière d'aides d'Etat sur la politique commune
de la pêche réformée adoptée en décembre 2002. Elles simplifient
également l'octroi des aides par les Etats membres lorsque celles-ci ne
risquent pas de mettre en péril la conservation des stocks ou d'entraîner
des distorsions de concurrence. La nouvelle réglementation prévoit une
"exemption par catégories" pour certains types d'aides qui n'auront plus Ã
être notifiées à la Commission et approuvées par elle avant
d'être mises en œuvre par les Etats membres. Les aides ne relevant pas de
cette exemption continueront à faire l'objet d'une notification obligatoire
et d'une évaluation de la part de la Commission conformément aux lignes
directrices également adoptées aujourd'hui. La nouvelle réglementation
correspond aux conditions régissant l'octroi des aides communautaires au
titre de l'instrument financier d'orientation de la pêche (IFOP). Elle
sera applicable à compter du 1er novembre 2004.
[04] Commission authorises aid for AMA quality label and biolabel (Austria)
The European Commission has authorised Austria to pay aid worth a total of
€4.9 million per year for costs linked to the quality label and biolabel
issued by Agrarmarkt Austria (AMA). The quality label may be awarded to
agricultural products of significantly higher quality than regular
products. The biolabel may be awarded only to organic products. Access to
the two labels is open for all enterprises in the European Union, as long
as they comply with the programme requirements regarding the quality of the
labelled products.
[05] Commission decides on the Swedish energy tax system 2002 to 2005
The European Commission has decided in two separate decisions that the
energy tax reliefs granted by Sweden to the manufacturing industry from
2002 to 2005 constitutes State aid. For the period 1 January 2002 to 30
June 2004, the Commission considered the scheme to be incompatible with the
common market. The Commission considers, however, that the amount of aid to
be recovered should be limited. First, recovery should be equal to the
minimum tax burden established by the new energy tax directive. Second, the
period of recovery should run from 9 August 2003 to 30 June 2004. For the
period 1 July 2004 to 31Â December 2005, the Commission found that the
scheme is compatible with the common market.
[06] Commission authorises State aid for the promotion of bio-fuels in the
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic intends to reduce the excise duty levied on blended
diesel/bio-diesel. This reduction is granted in order to enhance the use of
environmentally friendly fuels that contribute toward the reduction of
greenhouse gases. The envisaged reduction should cover the difference
between the costs of producing energy from a renewable energy source (in
the present case diesel/bio-diesel) and the market price of the alternative
fossil fuel. As the envisaged aid is limited to covering the additional
cost of producing blended diesel/bio-diesel, it is the strict minimum
necessary to promote the use of environmentally friendly fuels and is
therefore is in line with the EU guidelines on environmental aid.
[07] Italy : Commission approves regional aid to restructure road haulage
and to develop combined transport
The European Commission has authorised the package of aid measures for the
restructuring of road haulage and the development of combined transport
notified by the Italian Region of Marche.
[08] La Commission donne son feu vert final à une série d'aides aux
entreprises belges de transport maritime en refusant néanmoins quelques-
unes de leurs dispositions
La Commission européenne a décidé de donner son accord à des mesures du
régime d'imposition forfaitaire sur la base du tonnage ou Tonnage Tax,
ainsi qu'Ã d'autres mesures fiscales en faveur de la marine marchande. Elle
a cependant refusé certains aspects des mesures à l'égard desquelles elle
avait ouvert une procédure d'examen, en considérant qu'ils étaient
susceptibles de créer des distorsions de concurrence. Le régime
d'imposition forfaitaire permet de remplacer l'impôt traditionnel sur les
sociétés par un impôt forfaitaire - d'une faible intensité -
déterminé à partir du tonnage de la flotte concernée.
[09] La Commission nomme Stefano Manservisi directeur général du
développement
La Commission européenne a nommé M. Stefano Manservisi au poste de
directeur général du développement, où il assistera le commissaire
chargé du développement et de l'aide humanitaire pour lui permettre
d'élaborer la politique communautaire d'aide au développement dans le
monde entier, et où il supervisera la programmation de l'aide
communautaire au développement dans les 78 pays partenaires de l'Union
européenne en Afrique, aux Antilles et dans le Pacifique, ainsi que dans
les 20 pays et territoires d'outre mer.
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[10] Chris Patten congratulates Javier Solana
On 29 June, the European Commissioner for External Relations Chris Patten
congratulated HR/SG Javier Solana, following the decision by EU Heads of
State and Government, that he should be appointed as Union Minister for
Foreign Affairs, when the new Constitutions enters into force. "I am
delighted that Javier Solana is to be appointed as Europe's first Foreign
Minister. I'm sure he will do it outstandingly well. I have greatly enjoyed
working with him over the last five years, and I probably have more reason
than anyone to know what a superb job he will make of developing further
Europe's nascent Common Foreign and Security Policy".
[11] Commission clears acquisition of Leaseplan by VW and two financial
investment companies
The European Commission has authorised the acquisition of the Dutch vehicle
leasing and fleet management company Leaseplan by Volkswagen Financial
Services (VWFS), part of the Volkswagen Group, and two middle-Eastern
financial investment companies, Offset and Crescent. Both VWFS and
Leaseplan are active in the market for fleet leasing and associated
management services for corporate customers, and in the short-term car
rental sector. But the Commission's investigation has shown that there will
continue to be sufficient competition in the European markets concerned.
[12] Commission launches in-depth investigation into Continental's
acquisition of Phoenix
The European Commission has decided to open an in-depth inquiry into the
proposed acquisition of Phoenix AG, a German producer of rubber products,
by rival company Continental AG. During the investigation the Commission
will examine whether the elimination of Phoenix as an independent
competitor could create or strengthen a dominant position of Continental in
the field of air spring suspension and conveyor belt products. The opening
of a detailed merger review does not prejudge the final outcome.
[13] Commission proposes to ease restrictions on EU aid to Haiti as it
progresses towards democracy
The European Commission has adopted a proposal to ease restrictions imposed
on EU development aid to Haiti since January 2001. Following the departure
of President Aristide in January 2004, an interim government lead by Gerard
LaTortue was sworn in on March 2004. The interim government has taken a
number of concrete commitments on the return to democracy, including the
conduct of free and fair elections within 18 months. Against these
commitments and in view of accompanying the return to full democratic rule
the Commission is proposing to : (i) widen the scope of activities that can
be financed with funds already available to Haiti from the European
Development Fund (EDF) to cater for short and medium term priorities
identified in the recently concluded needs assessment which has been
conducted by the interim government of Haiti in close cooperation with
international donors. The result of the assessment will be presented at a
pledging conference in July to be co-chaired by European Commissioner Joe
Borg ; (ii) notify funds to Haiti from the 9th EDF ; (iii) prepare a
Country Strategy Paper and National Indicative Programme for the
orientation of future development aid to Haiti to be signed with the newly
elected government after a successful end to the current transition phase.
The current proposal has been transmitted to the EU Council of ministers
for adoption.
[14] Estimation rapide - juin 2004 : l'inflation de la zone euro estimée Ã
2,4%
Selon une estimation rapide publiée aujourd'hui par Eurostat, le taux
d'inflation annuel de la zone euro s'établirait à 2,4% en juin 2004. En
mai 2004, le taux était de 2,5%.
[15] June 2004 : the euro area Business Climate Indicator resumed its
upward trend
Following the large increase of April and the small setback in May, the
Business Climate Indicator for the euro area increased by 0.14 of a point
in June. The value is now at 0.43 which is the highest value in more than
three years. This favourable development in the BCI was mainly driven by a
more positive assessment made by managers in industry on questions
concerning export and total order books. The question related to production
trend in the recent past also influenced the BCI positively but, to a
lesser extent. Only stocks of finished products had a marginal negative
impact. Opinions on production expectations remained stable.
[16] June 2004 : economic sentiment deteriorates slightly in both the EU
and the euro area
The economic sentiment indicator (ESI) for the EU edged down by 0.5 points
in June, reaching a level of 102.8. The small setback confirms the
hesitancy in the improvement of economic sentiment during the first half of
2004 in comparison with its rapid recovery in 2003. The development of the
indicator was dominated by a deterioration of confidence in services and in
retail trade, which was all but offset by small improvements in consumer
and construction confidence, while industry confidence remained unchanged.
The euro area showed a similar picture although, due to a small improvement
of confidence in the industry sector, the deterioration in overall economic
sentiment was limited to 0.3 points.
[17] Mobilité des chercheurs : l'UE propose de nouvelles perspectives et
opportunités
A l'occasion du colloque "Fuite ou circulation des cerveaux : nouveaux
défis", qui s'est tenu aujourd'hui à Paris, le Commissaire européen à la
recherche Philippe Busquin a lancé le nouveau réseau européen des
centres de mobilité pour les chercheurs ERA-MORE. Rassemblant 200 centres
dans 33 pays, ce nouvel instrument, qui vient compléter le Portail
internet européen pour la mobilité des chercheurs, devrait contribuer Ã
améliorer l'information et l'assistance pratique aux chercheurs en Europe.
Cet évènement était l'un des moments forts de deux journées
(29-30 juin) consacrées à la mobilité des chercheurs, auxquelles
participaient M. François d'Aubert, ministre français délégué à la
Recherche, Mme Letizia Moratti, Ministre italien de l'Education, des
Universités et de la Recherche, ainsi que plus de 700 scientifiques et
représentants des autorités locales, des organismes de recherche, de
l'industrie et des médias. Hier soir la chaîne Arte a consacré une
soirée à la mobilité des chercheurs, diffusant les documentaires
"Profession : Chercheurs" et "Femmes de tête" co-produits par Arte et la
Commission européenne.
[18] Making research careers more attractive : concrete steps leading to
brain-gain results
In a knowledge-based economy, where new ideas and scientific knowledge are
central to innovation and growth, investment in human resources in science
& technology (S&T) is an essential factor to remain competitive. Europe is
top of the class as the world's biggest 'S&T brain factory' with graduate
numbers (2.14Â million in 2000) above that of the US (2.07 million) and
Japan (1.1 million). In fact, 26% of all graduates in Europe come from an
S&T field in comparison with 21% in Japan and 17% in the US. In addition,
the number of S&T graduates grew significantly faster in the EU during the
1990's than in the US & Japan. Keeping this pool of talent in Europe
remains a challenge and innovative measures are being implemented at
national and EU levels to enhance the attractiveness of research careers.
But how trustworthy are claims that Europe is suffering from a "brain
drain" ?
[19] Conférence sur la Charte européenne des petites entreprises :
apprendre à travers les bonnes pratiques
En association avec la Présidence irlandaise, la Commission européenne a
organisé à Dublin une conférence de deux jours sur la Charte européenne
des petites entreprises, qui s'est terminée aujourd'hui. Quelque 34 pays
qui souscrivent à la Charte se sont réunis afin d'échanger de bonnes
pratiques visant à améliorer l'environnement des petites entreprises. La
conférence a attiré quelque 250 participants, représentant des
administrations nationales, régionales et locales, des organisations
professionnelles et des prestataires de services aux entreprises des Etats
membres de l'UE, des pays candidats et des pays des Balkans occidentaux. La
conférence s'est concentrée sur trois domaines de la Charte
sélectionnés l'année dernière comme prioritaires : (1) l'accès au
financement, en particulier le capital risque et les micro-crédits, (2)
l'innovation et le transfert de technologie et (3) la consultation des
petites entreprises.
[20] Autre matériel diffusé
Discours de M. Philippe Busquin : "La mobilité des chercheurs : un défi
crucial pour réussir l'espace européen de la Recherche" à la Conférence
'Fuite ou circulation des cerveaux' (Paris)
Speech by Erkki Liikanen : "Corporate Social Responsibility: the way
forward" at EU Multi-Stakeholder Forum on CSR (29/06)
Speech by Antonio Vitorino : "What EU strategy for integrating migrants" at
European Policy Centre and King Baudouin Foundation Dialogue
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
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