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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 05-02-28
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Compétitivité de l'industrie automobile de l'UE : la Commission
lance une consultation des parties prenantes
[02] Benita Ferrero-Waldner attends London meeting on the Palestinian
Authority, Quartet
[03] Olli Rehn to visit Romania
[04] February 2005 : Business Climate Indicator in the euro area declines
[05] February 2005 : economic sentiment declined in both the EU and the
euro area
[06] January 2005 : Euro-zone annual inflation down to 1.9% - EU25 down to
2.0%
[07] Strengthening Europe's defences against epidemics : ECDC Director
starts work
[08] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express of 2005-02-28
Reference: MEX/05/0228
Date: 28/02/2005
EXME05 / 28.2
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
28/02/05
[01] Compétitivité de l'industrie automobile de l'UE : la Commission
lance une consultation des parties prenantes
La Commission européenne a lancé une consultation des parties prenantes
dans le cadre de son initiative visant à renforcer la compétitivité de
l'industrie automobile européenne. Toutes les parties intéressées sont
invitées à donner leur avis sur le cadre réglementaire le plus approprié
pour assurer la compétitivité à long terme du secteur automobile
européen.
[02] Benita Ferrero-Waldner attends London meeting on the Palestinian
Authority, Quartet
The European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood
Policy Benita Ferrero-Waldner will attend the London Meeting on Supporting
the Palestinian Authority on 1 March and the meeting the same day of the
Quartet (EU, US, UN and Russia). She recently announced that the European
Commission expects to make up to €250 million available in 2005 to
support further steps towards the creation of a viable Palestinian state.
At the conference she will stress the Commission's readiness to continue
support for Palestinian reform, particularly to create a functioning
judiciary, support the forthcoming elections, and continuing efforts to
improve governance and financial transparency.
[03] Olli Rehn to visit Romania
The European Commissioner for Enlargement, Olli Rehn, will start a two day
visit to Bucharest on 28 February 2005. The visit comes at an important
moment in the relations between the EU and Romania : following the
conclusion of the accession negotiations and prior to the signature of the
Accession Treaty on 25 April 2005. During his first official visit to the
country as Commissioner for Enlargement he will be having discussions with
the Romanian authorities concerning the commitments made during the
accession negotiations and their fulfilment between now and the day of
Accession, scheduled for 1 January 2007.
[04] February 2005 : Business Climate Indicator in the euro area declines
The Business Climate Indicator (BCI) for the euro area decreased by 0.20
points in February. The indicator now stands at a value of 0.20, returning
to a level comparable to the one reached in April-May of last year. All
components of the BCI went down. The biggest fall in the industry managers'
opinions are recorded for the export and total order books and for the
production trend observed in the recent past. The assessments concerning
stocks of finished products and production expectations declined more
moderately.
[05] February 2005 : economic sentiment declined in both the EU and the
euro area
The economic sentiment indicator (ESI) for the EU fell by more than one
point in February, while in the euro area the indicator is now below its
long-term average. After a strong increase between March 2003 and September
2004, the ESI seems to be on a descending path since November 2004.
[06] January 2005 : Euro-zone annual inflation down to 1.9% - EU25 down to
2.0%
Euro-zone annual inflation fell from 2.4% in December 2004 to 1.9% in
January 2005, reports Eurostat. A year earlier the rate was also 1.9%.
Monthly inflation was -0.6% in January 2005. EU25 annual inflation was 2.0%
in January 2005, down from 2.4% in December 2004. A year earlier the rate
was 1.9%. Monthly inflation was -0.5% in January 2005. EICP annual
inflation was 2.0% in January 2005.
[07] Strengthening Europe's defences against epidemics : ECDC Director
starts work
The first Director of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and
Control (ECDC), Ms Zsuzanna Jakab, will take up office on Tuesday, 1 March.
Ms Jakab, formerly the senior civil servant at Hungary's Ministry of Health,
was nominated Director of the new EU agency in December 2004 (see
IP/04/1472). Following a successful hearing with the European Parliament's
Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee, Ms Jakab was
appointed by the ECDC Management Board in January. The ECDC's mission is to
help strengthen the EU's defences against infectious diseases, such as SARS,
HIV/AIDS and influenza. The Centre will have a major role in strengthening
the EU's existing systems of disease surveillance, pooling EU countries'
health expertise on infectious disease and assisting the Commission and
Member states in responding to new and emerging threats to public health.
Ms Jakab will now begin recruiting staff for the Stockholm-based ECDC,
which is due to start operating as from May 2005.
For further information about the ECDC see:
<a href="http://europa.eu.int/comm/health/ph_overview/strategy/ecdc/ecdc_en.htm">http://europa.eu.int/comm/health/ph_overview/strategy/ecdc/ecdc_en.htm
[08] Autre matériel diffusé
Speech by President Barroso : "Austria and Europe: past success and future
perspective" at 10th anniversary of Austria's accession to the EU (25/2,
Vienna)
Discours de Mme Reding : "MEDIA 2007: l'innovation au service de la
circulation des œuvres audiovisuelles européennes" au séminaire MEDIA de
la Présidence luxembourgeoise de l'UE (Luxembourg)
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
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