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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 05-07-13
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] Towards a European Consensus for Development : Commission approves a
proposal for an ambitious development policy
[02] Commission commends Hungarian efforts to correct 2005 budget deficit
but sees vulnerabilities
[03] Commission opens in-depth investigation into Blackstone's takeover of
Acetex
[04] Commission approves takeover of VA Tech by Siemens, subject to
conditions
[05] Personnel : la Commission nomme le Directeur Général adjoint pour le
Commerce
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[06] José Manuel Barroso visits China to deepen the strategic partnership
[07] Liberté d'établissement : la Commission demande à la France, Ã
l'Italie et à l'Espagne de modifier leurs législations en matière de
concessions hydroélectriques
[08] Copyright : infringement proceedings against France, Finland, Spain
and the Czech Republic for non-implementation of 2001 Copyright Directive
[09] Liberté d'établissement et libre circulation des services :
procédures d'infraction contre l'Italie, le Portugal, les Pays-Bas, le
Luxembourg, la Finlande et l'Espagne
[10] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express of 2005-07-13
Reference: MEX/05/0713
Date: 13/07/2005
EXME05 / 13.7
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
13/07/05
[I] Résultats de la Commission de ce jour - Outcome
of today's Commission meeting
[01] Towards a European Consensus for Development : Commission approves a
proposal for an ambitious development policy
The European Commission has adopted a proposal defining the new development
policy of the European Union. The policy aims at reducing poverty in line
with the Millennium Development Goals. The Communication is a proposal for
a joint statement by the Council, the European Parliament and the
Commission. This "European Consensus" would provide, for the first time in
50Â years of development cooperation, a common framework of objectives,
values and principles that the Union - all 25 Member States and the
Commission - supports and promotes as a global player and as a global
partner. The EU is the biggest aid donor in the world, accounting for 55%
of development assistance, 20% of which is managed by the Commission.
[02] Commission commends Hungarian efforts to correct 2005 budget deficit
but sees vulnerabilities
The European Commission has concluded that the Hungarian authorities had
taken effective action regarding the 2005 budget deficit, in line with the
new Council recommendations of March this year. But achieving the deficit
target of 3.6% of GDP in 2005 may require further action and important and
decisive adjustments will be needed to cut it further to 2.9% in 2006.
[03] Commission opens in-depth investigation into Blackstone's takeover of
Acetex
The European Commission has opened an in-depth investigation under the EU
Merger Regulation into the planned acquisition by the US-based merchant-
banking firm Blackstone of the Canadian chemicals company Acetex. One of
the companies controlled by Blackstone (Celanese) is active on the same
markets as Acetex. The Commission's initial market investigation has found
that the proposed acquisition may create significant competition problems
given the parties' horizontal overlaps in the markets of acetic acid, vinyl
acetate monomer (VAM) and acetic anhydride. The decision to open a detailed
inquiry does not prejudge the final result of the investigation. The
Commission now has four months to take a final decision on whether the
concentration would significantly impede effective competition within the
European Economic Area.
[04] Commission approves takeover of VA Tech by Siemens, subject to
conditions
The European Commission has approved under the EU Merger Regulation the
proposed takeover of the VA Tech group of Austria by Siemens of Germany,
subject to the condition that Siemens divests itself of VA Tech's hydro
power business and ensures the independence of metal plant builder SMS
Demag. The Commission decision follows an in-depth investigation into the
takeover (see IP/05/175). In light of the commitments given by Siemens, the
Commission has concluded that the transaction would not significantly
impede effective competition in the European Economic Area or a significant
part of it.
[05] Personnel : la Commission nomme le Directeur Général adjoint pour le
Commerce
M. Karl Friedrich Falkenberg a été nommé Directeur Général adjoint Ã
la Direction Générale du Commerce. M. Falkenberg aura la responsabilité
de superviser les services en charge des relations commerciales
bilatérales et de l'accès aux marchés pour tous les pays, à l'exception
de la Chine et du Japon. Il sera également en charge des questions
commerciales industrielles telles que l'acier, le charbon, la construction
navale et la chimie.
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[06] José Manuel Barroso visits China to deepen the strategic partnership
European Commission President José Manuel Barroso will visit Beijing,
Shanghai, Hong Kong and Macao from 14 to 18 July, at the invitation of
Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao. This is the first official visit of Mr
Barroso and the fourth visit to China by a President of the European
Commission. President Barroso will meet Chinese President Hu Jintao and
Prime Minister Wen to discuss ways to enhance the maturing partnership
between the EU and China, and with the Chief Executives of Hong Kong and
Macao Special Administrative Regions. He will also make three keynote
speeches in Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong.
[07] Liberté d'établissement : la Commission demande à la France, Ã
l'Italie et à l'Espagne de modifier leurs législations en matière de
concessions hydroélectriques
La Commission européenne a décidé de traduire la France devant la
Cour de Justice européenne pour sa législation qui accorde le droit de
préférence au concessionnaire sortant, lors du renouvellement des
concessions des ouvrages utilisant l'énergie hydraulique. La Commission
fera de même pour l'Italie en raison de sa législation nationale qui
accorde une préférence analogue au concessionnaire sortant et, dans la
Région Trentino-Alto Adige, aux entités publiques locales. Néanmoins,
cette décision concernant l'Italie est suspendue pendant une période de
quatre mois, puisque des modifications législatives visant à supprimer ces
préférences sont en préparation au niveau national. Enfin, la Commission
a demandé formellement à l'Espagne de modifier sa loi qui ne prévoit pas
de procédure de mise en concurrence aux fins de l'attribution des
concessions hydroélectriques. Cette demande prend la forme d'un avis
motivé, la deuxième étape de la procédure d'infraction prévue Ã
l'article 226 du traité CE : faute de réponse satisfaisante dans un
délai de deux mois, la Commission pourra saisir la Cour.
[08] Copyright : infringement proceedings against France, Finland, Spain
and the Czech Republic for non-implementation of 2001 Copyright Directive
The European Commission has taken action against three Member States and
initiated informal contact with another to ensure that they implement the
2001 Copyright Directive, which all Member States had agreed to do before
22Â December 2002. The Commission has decided, under Article 228 of the EC
Treaty, to send France and Finland further "reasoned opinions" requesting
them to comply immediately with the previous judgments of the European
Court of Justice on their non-implementation of the 2001 Copyright
Directive. If the Member States concerned do not comply, the Commission can
ultimately ask the Court to impose fines. In addition, the Commission has
sent the Czech Republic a letter of formal notice - the first stage of
infringement proceedings under Article 226 of the EC Treaty - asking it to
provide full information on its implementation of the 2001 Copyright
Directive. Finally, the Commission has also sent an informal letter to
Spain asking it about how it intends to comply with a previous judgment of
the European Court on its non-implementation of the 2001 Copyright
Directive.
[09] Liberté d'établissement et libre circulation des services :
procédures d'infraction contre l'Italie, le Portugal, les Pays-Bas, le
Luxembourg, la Finlande et l'Espagne
La Commission européenne est intervenue pour mettre fin à des obstacles Ã
la liberté d'établissement et à la libre circulation des services
dans six Etats membres. Tout d'abord, la Commission a décidé de saisir la
Cour européenne de justice à l'encontre de l'Italie, pour sa législation
relative à la prestation de services de sécurité privés. Dans un
contexte similaire, la Commission a décidé, au titre de l'article 228 du
traité CE, d'adresser au Portugal et aux Pays-Bas une lettre de mise en
demeure leur demandant des informations complètes relatives à leur
exécution d'arrêts de la Cour concernant également la prestation de
services de sécurité privés. Ensuite, la Commission a officiellement
enjoint quatre Etats membres de modifier leur législation : le Luxembourg
pour son système d'octroi de permis de travail aux étrangers non-UE ; la
Finlande pour sa réglementation sur la mobilité des patients ; l'Italie
pour sa réglementation en matière d'immatriculation de véhicules de
société ; et l'Espagne pour sa réglementation en matière de location
touristique de propriétés aux Îles Canaries. Ces injonctions ont été
formulées sous la forme d'avis motivés, la deuxième étape de la
procédure d'infraction énoncée à l'article 226 du traité CE. Faute de
réponse satisfaisante dans les deux mois, la Commission pourra porter
l'affaire devant la Cour. Enfin, la Commission a classé une action contre
l'Allemagne concernant les licences radio car l'Etat fédéral concerné a
introduit une nouvelle loi qui respecte le principe de liberté
d'établissement entériné à l'article 43 du traité CE.
[10] Autre matériel diffusé
Speech by President José Manuel Barroso : "Europe's response to
demographic change" at Conference on Demography (12/07)
Speech by Danuta Hübner : "The future of Cohesion policy after the
European Council" at Centre for European Policy Studies (12/07)
Speech by Olli Rehn : "EU enlargement under stress – the policy of
consolidation, conditionality and communication" at Institute for European
Policy (12/07, Berlin)
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
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