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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 04-11-25

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] King Abdullah of Jordan visits Commission
  • [02] Customs : Commission welcomes Council agreement on new controls on drugs precursors
  • [03] €2.6 million to respond to strong demand for the EU-US and EU-Canada cooperation programmes in higher education and vocational training
  • [04] EU-Australia and EU-New Zealand education cooperation intensified through two pilot projects
  • [05] Official visit of Danuta Hübner to Finland
  • [06] Olli Rehn to visit Zagreb and Skopje
  • [07] Louis Michel starts mandate by visiting Sudan and Kenya
  • [08] China : conference highlights progress on EU exports
  • [09] Commission report highlights changing competition from China
  • [10] Commission welcomes conservation measures by International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT)
  • [11] Autre matériel diffusé Midday Express of 2004-11-25 Reference: MEX/04/1125 Date: 25/11/2004 EXME04 / 25.11

    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

    25/11/04


  • [01] King Abdullah of Jordan visits Commission

    The King of Jordan, Abdullah II bin al Hussein, will meet the European Commission President, José Manuel Barroso, Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy, Benita Ferrero Waldner, and Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson on Thursday 25 November at 17h30 in Brussels. The Commission and King Abdullah will discuss bilateral and regional matters including the enhancement of EU-Jordan relations through the implementation of the European Neighbourhood Policy, political reform in the Arab World, Iraq and the situation in the Middle East. The meeting will underline the excellent level of EU-Jordan relations. During the visit a financing agreement providing €30 million of EU support to poverty reduction and local development in Jordan will be signed. After the meeting, a VIP corner (in English) will take place in Berlaymont at around 18h20.

    [02] Customs : Commission welcomes Council agreement on new controls on drugs precursors

    The European Commission has welcomed the political agreement reached by the Council of Ministers on a proposal for a Regulation to strengthen controls on the import of the chemicals that are used to manufacture illicit narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, in particular ecstasy. The Regulation would introduce EU-wide procedures for individual import authorisations to allow the monitoring of consignments imported into the European Union. The existing legislation in this area must be modernised because in recent years the Community has become one of the world's leading ecstasy manufacturers and exporters, using imported drug precursors. One litre of some of these key drug precursor chemicals can produce drugs with a street value of more than €600,000.

    [03] €2.6 million to respond to strong demand for the EU-US and EU-Canada cooperation programmes in higher education and vocational training

    The European Commission has selected 19 new projects, involving 117Â institutions, to participate in the 9th edition of the EU/US and EU/Canada cooperation programmes in higher education and vocational education and training. These projects are funded jointly by the European Community and authorities in the United States and Canada for a total of three years. The objective is to set up institutional cooperation at graduate and post-graduate level, focussing on international curriculum development and student mobility.

    [04] EU-Australia and EU-New Zealand education cooperation intensified through two pilot projects

    Two pilot projects, which have started this autumn, will serve to enhance education cooperation between the EU and Australia and the EU and New Zealand. European students will have the opportunity to study high-level Interaction Design in New Zealand and cultural and natural heritage management in Australia thanks to these pilot projects selected in the new and intensified higher education exchange programmes.

    [05] Official visit of Danuta Hübner to Finland

    European Commissioner for Regional Policy, Ms Danuta Hübner, will pay an official visit to Finland from 25-26 november 2004. During her mission in Helsinki, the Commissioner will meet Prime Minister, Mr Matti Vanhanen, the Foreign Affairs minister Mr Erkki Tuomioja, and the Regional and Municipal Affairs minister, Mr Hannes Manninen. She will also have a meeting with the Grand Committee of the Finnish Parliament. Main topics of her meetings will be an exchange of views on the future of the regional policy as well as the Finnish position on Commission proposals for the next financial perspectives in the area of regional policy.

    [06] Olli Rehn to visit Zagreb and Skopje

    European Commissioner for Enlargement, Olli Rehn, will visit Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia on 25 and 26 November. On his first visit in his new capacity the Commissioner aims to establish as quickly as possible personal contact with the political leadership of these countries. Further visits to the region will follow in the coming weeks and months. He will bring the message of a clear European perspective for the countries of the Western Balkans, and will emphasis the importance of regional cooperation.

    [07] Louis Michel starts mandate by visiting Sudan and Kenya

    The newly appointed European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, Louis Michel, will begin his mandate with an official visit to Sudan and Kenya from 26-29 November. The purpose of the mission is to meet some of the key players in the Sudanese Peace Process as well as European Union humanitarian partners and visit some EU funded projects in the field.

    [08] China : conference highlights progress on EU exports

    A conference dedicated to certification practice in China was held on 24Â November in Brussels within the framework of the third plenary meeting of the EU-China Consultation Mechanism on Industrial products and WTO/TBT. The conference took stock of the practical application and implementation of the new Chinese certification system, reformed in August 2003 subsequent to the country's entry into the WTO, and recognised that the reform has made the import of EU products by China significantly easier. It also examined specific elements of the system applicable to electro-mechanical products, automotive products and medical devices.

    [09] Commission report highlights changing competition from China

    The European Commission has published its 2004 European Competitiveness Report. The European Competitiveness Report is an annual publication that covers topical issues for Europe's competitiveness. The 2004 Report focuses on three themes : China, the automotive industry, and the role of government policies in influencing competitiveness. The analysis of government policies includes specific studies of research policy and of efficiency concerns in healthcare provision.

    [10] Commission welcomes conservation measures by International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT)

    The European Commission has welcomed the conservation measures agreed at the 2004 ICCAT Annual Meeting, held in New Orleans (USA) last week. A number of these measures had been recommended by the European Union, in particular those relating to blue-fin tuna. This stock, of crucial importance to EU fisheries in the Mediterranean, is subject to a four- year management plan (2002-2006) but the EU considered that complementary measures were needed to reduce catches of under-sized fish and introduce additional requirements in relation to tuna fattening sites. Thus, the minimum landing size will go from 6.4 to 10 Kg in the Mediterranean and the 15% tolerance margin for landed undersized fish will be eliminated. A joint EU/Japan proposal on a multi annual (2005-2008) management plan for the big eye tropical tuna stock was also adopted. Regrettably there was no agreement on a proposal to regulate transhipment of catch at sea to curb illegal activities. Two other key measures – both EU proposals - were adopted, first, on regulating recreational fisheries (based on the Commission proposal for technical measures in the Mediterranean) and second, on the regulation of shark fining. The Commission welcomed the high level of co-operation with Japan and the US throughout, a factor which greatly contributed to the success of the meeting.

    [11] Autre matériel diffusé

    Speech by Mariann Fischer Boel : "Protecting our landscape – A contribution from Rural Development" at 10th anniversary of the European Environment Agency (! embargo 4.30 pm !)

    Discours de Louis Michel : "Une révision de la politique de développement s'impose pour en amplifier l'efficacité et les moyens" à l'Assemblée parlementaire paritaire ACP/UE (24/11, La Haye)

    Discours de M. Jacques Barrot : "La sécurité routière, une affaire de tous. Nos sociétés ne peuvent plus tolérer l'intolérable" à la Conférence ACEA - "Sharing the Road Safety" From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/


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