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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 05-08-23
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Mergers: Commission approves joint venture between NYK Reefers and
Lauritzen
[02] Commission proposes new rules on the health of farmed fish
[03] Commission clears acquisition of Leica MS by Danaher
[04] EU Agriculture Commissioner at the Quint meeting in Australia: Joint
effort needed for Doha success
[05] EU fact-finding mission departs for Moldova/Ukraine border
[06] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express of 2005-08-23
Reference: MEX/05/0823
Date: 23/08/2005
EXME05 / 23.8
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
23 / 08 / 05
[01] Mergers: Commission approves joint venture between NYK Reefers and
Lauritzen
The European Commission has cleared under the EU Merger Regulation the
proposed creation of a joint venture LauritzenCool (LauCool) between NYK
Reefers and Lauritzen. Laucool, currently full subsidiary of Lauritzen,
operates and manages bulk refrigerated vessels used for the transport by
sea of perishable goods. The Commission found that although NYK Reefers was
also active in the transport by sea of perishable goods, the transaction
will not significantly impede effective competition in the European
Economic Area (EEA) or any substantial part of it.
[02] Commission proposes new rules on the health of farmed fish
The Commission has proposed new EU legislation on the health of farmed fish
and shellfish (molluscs) and the control of certain diseases in the
aquaculture sector. The proposed legislation aims to simplify and upgrade
existing legislation, in order to improve the general aquaculture health
situation across Europe. It also aims to better facilitate safe trade in
aquaculture animals and products, and to boost the competitiveness of this
important sector for the EU. A central aspect of the proposal is a shift in
focus to preventing disease occurrence at each point in the production
chain rather than dealing with it only when an outbreak occurs.
[03] Commission clears acquisition of Leica MS by Danaher
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger
Regulation to the acquisition of sole control of Leica Microsystmes AG
(Leica MS) of Germany by Danaher Corporation (Danaher) of the US. Danaher
is the ultimate holding company of a corporate group that is active in
professional instruments (e.g. water disinfection; electronic test tools;
dental hand pieces), industrial technologies (robotics, electric vehicles;
identification and scanning of products) and mechanics’ hand tools. Leica
MS manufactures high precision optical instruments and provides solutions
for the analysis of micro-structures. In particular, it provides light
microscopy systems, pathology diagnostics products, surgical microscopes,
microelectronic inspection equipment and lithography systems for the
semiconductor industry. The operation was examined under the simplified
merger review procedure.
[04] EU Agriculture Commissioner at the Quint meeting in Australia: Joint
effort needed for Doha success
All countries must make an effort and work towards a common and workable
solution, said the European Union’s chief agricultural negotiator, if
there is to be greater progress on agriculture in the WTO Doha Development
Round (DDA). In Queensland to attend the Quint meeting of Agriculture
Ministers, the EU’s Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development,
Mariann Fischer Boel, said the EU had already shown leadership through its
reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and by putting its export
subsidies on the negotiating table. “All parties now have to be prepared
to move,” said the Commissioner. The Quint Ministerial provides an
informal forum for Agriculture Ministers from the EU, Australia, Japan,
Canada and the US to meet and discuss current issues in world agriculture.
With negotiations in the Doha Development Agenda (DDA) to reach a crucial
point at the WTO Ministerial in Hong Kong in December, the Quint has
provided the Ministers with a valuable forum for discussion. “The DDA is
about development and building a system whereby developing countries can
better participate in the world market,” said the Commissioner. “The EU
is already the largest importer of agricultural products from the
developing world, and imports more than the US, Canada, Japan and Australia
combined. “We all realise what is at stake and now all sides have to
contribute to keeping this train on track, making sure there is movement in
all three agricultural pillars – export subsidies, domestic support and
market access. Together, we have to find a way to reach common ground.”
Commissioner Fischer Boel said it was also important that agriculture be
considered in the wider context of the DDA negotiations. “Hong Kong
cannot just be about agriculture,” she said. Given the crucial importance
of the rural population in Europe, the Commissioner also gave a
presentation to the Quint on EU policy for rural development. “Future EU
policy will focus on diversifying the rural economy and society in rural
areas, as well as increasing the competitiveness of the farming and
forestry industries and enhancing modes of land management,” said the
Commissioner. “The aim is a healthy balance between environmental, social
and economic factors, while still encouraging entrepreneurialism in the
regions and the input of young people into the process.”
[05] EU fact-finding mission departs for Moldova/Ukraine border
Following a joint request of the Presidents of Moldova and Ukraine, an EU
fact-finding mission leaves today for the Moldova-Ukraine border. Its aim
is to assess the possibilities for EU assistance for capacity building in
overall border and customs management and the creation of an effective
international customs control arrangement and border monitoring mechanism
on the Moldova - Ukraine state border. This mission, led by the EU Special
Representative for Moldova, Amb. Jacobovits de Szeged, has been dispatched
by the Council and Commission. The mission will maintain close contact with
the OSCE mission in Moldova and will discuss with the Moldovan and
Ukrainian authorities all aspects related to the possible deployment of an
EU mission on the Moldova-Ukraine state border. The assessment mission will
take place 23-29 August.
Benita Ferrero-Waldner, European Commissioner for External Relations, said
“The EU stands ready to help in whatever way it can with the settlement
of the conflict in Transnistria. Effective control of the border and
customs control could be an important element of such a settlement, which
is why we are sending a mission at this time. I am intending to visit the
region in the near future to discuss with the authorities how best the
Commission can help.”
[06] Autre matériel diffusé
Commission proposes new rules on the health of farmed fish
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
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