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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 05-09-01
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] EU and Mercosur meet at ministerial level, Brussels 2 September 2005
[02] Financing Development: Commission report shows options for airline
ticket contribution
[03] Improving the knowledge of the migratory phenomena in the EU: The
Commission proposes new legislation on migration and asylum statistics.
[04] Commission adopts major package of measures in the field of
immigration and asylum
[05] Juillet 2005 - Le chômage en baisse dans la zone euro et dans
l’UE25 8,6%
[06] Commission and WWF launch Flying over Natura 2000 campaign
[07] Commission clears acquisition of IMCD by ABN AMRO
[08] Commission clears acquisition of Deli XL by Bidvest
[09] Rédiffusion
[10] Jacques Barrot participe une réunion de l’industrie spatiale
européenne et française sur le programme Galileo
[11] COREPER Meeting on textiles
[12] Autre matériel diffusé
[13] Memorandum on Reduction of the financial assistance granted to a
Cohesion Fund project in Greece: Spata airport
[14] Memorandum on migration development
[15] Memorandum on Integration of Third country nationals
[16] Memorandum on Common standards on return
[17] Speech by Joe Borg on “Perspectives of a European Maritime Policy”
at the Congress In Water Tec 2005 in Kiel
[18] Speech by Louis Michel “Europe will make a difference” at the
Residence Palace
[19] Speech by President Barroso at the signing Ceremony for the Foundation
of the European Solidarity Centre in Gdansk
[20] Speech by Viviane Reding “The Media and Globalisation” at the
European Forum Alpbach (31/09)
Midday Express of 2005-09-01
Reference: MEX/05/0901
Date: 01/09/2005
EXME05 / 01.9
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
[01] EU and Mercosur meet at ministerial level, Brussels 2 September 2005
On 2 September, the Commission will meet Mercosur ministers to discuss the
further conduct of EU-Mercosur Association Agreement negotiations. The
Commission will be represented by EU Commissioners for External Relations
and European Neighbourhood Policy, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, Trade, Peter
Mandelson, and Agriculture and Rural Development, Mariann Fischer Boel.
Mercosur participants include Mr Reinaldo Gargano Ostuni, Uruguay’s
Foreign Minister and Mercosur’s pro-tempore Presidency, Mr Roberto
Lavagna, Argentina’s Economy Minister, Mr Celso Amorim and Mr Luiz
Fernando Furlan, Brazil’s Foreign Minister and Development Minister
respectively, and Ms Leila Rachid, Paraguay’s Foreign Minister.
[02] Financing Development: Commission report shows options for airline
ticket contribution
A European Commission staff working paper published today contains an
analysis of how a solidarity contribution on airline tickets might be used
by EU Member States as a source of development aid in order to help
achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The paper must be seen
in the context of the decisions to increase development aid and to deliver
better and faster, taken at the June European Council. Requested by the
Council of Economic and Finance Ministers in July, the staff working paper
contains a technical analysis of the two options which Finance Ministers
wish to consider further: mandatory or voluntary payment of a contribution
by passengers under a common EU scheme in which Member States could
voluntarily participate. A co-ordinated EU approach would deliver a
political message of European solidarity towards developing countries,
facilitate and clarify the operation of the measure for airline operators
and passengers and ensure that EC Treaty rules were respected.
[03] Improving the knowledge of the migratory phenomena in the EU: The
Commission proposes new legislation on migration and asylum statistics.
The development of common immigration and asylum policies has in recent
years increased the need for EU-wide comprehensive and comparable migratory
statistics. To this effect, the Commission has today tabled a proposal for
a Regulation on Community statistics on migration and international
protection. The Regulation will improve the statistical knowledge of
migration-related phenomena by specifying the data to be collected, the
timetables to be applied, the definitions and the quality standards. The
following statistics will be covered by the Regulation: international
migration, usually resident population, acquisition of citizenship,
international protection (including asylum), residence permits, returns and
measures related to the prevention of illegal entry and stay.
[04] Commission adopts major package of measures in the field of
immigration and asylum
The measures adopted today comprise the proposal for a Directive on common
standards on return and three Communications, on Integration, on Regional
Protection Programmes and on Migration and Development. This is an
important step towards the realisation of the objectives announced in the
Hague Action Plan adopted by the Council in June and the achievement of a
balanced approach in the migration and asylum field. .
[05] Juillet 2005 - Le chômage en baisse dans la zone euro et dans
l’UE25 8,6%
Le taux de chômage de la zone euro, corrigé des variations saisonnières,
s’est élevé 8,6% en juillet 2005, contre 8,7% en juin. Il était de 8,
9% en juillet 2004. Le taux de chômage de l’UE254 a été de 8,6%
en juillet 2005, contre 8,7% en juin. Il était de 9,0% en juillet 2004. En
juillet 2005, les taux les plus bas ont été enregistrés en Irlande (4,
3%), au Royaume-Uni (4,7% en mai), au Danemark (4,8% en juin), aux Pays-Bas
(4,8%), et en Autriche (5,1%). Les taux de chômage les plus élevés ont
été observés en Pologne (17,6%), en Slovaquie (15,2%), en Grèce (9,9%
en mars), en France (9,7%), en Espagne (9,4%), et en Allemagne5 (9,3%). Ces
chiffres sont publiés par Eurostat.
[06] Commission and WWF launch Flying over Natura 2000 campaign
The European Commission and WWF are launching a campaign to promote
awareness of the EU’s Natura 2000 network of protected areas, by
following by satellite the migration of 14 Black Storks from Europe to
their wintering grounds in Africa. The Natura 2000 network presently covers
15% of the total EU surface and provides necessary resting places for the
Black Storks on their way to Africa. The Storks have been equipped with
radio transmitters in eight EU Member States (Estonia, Latvia, the Czech
Republic, Hungary, Spain, Luxembourg, France and Belgium). They will be
monitored on a daily basis by WWF-Belgium, and their migration journey will
be displayed on the Internet. Every day over a period of twenty days, the
storks will also “send postcards” in the form of short TV clips to
television viewers. So far, fifteen television channels in twelve EU Member
States or accession countries, reaching out to millions of viewers, will be
following the storks’ journey and broadcast the clips. Director-General
of DG Environment Catherine Day, and Geoffroy De Schuetter of WWF-Belgium
will launch the campaign at a press briefing tomorrow, Friday 2 September,
12H15, in the Commission press room. WWF can supply interested TV channels
with 35 one-minute clips describing some of the Natura 2000 sites - with
their characteristics, biodiversity and ongoing human activity - which the
fourteen Black Storks will have flown over.
[07] Commission clears acquisition of IMCD by ABN AMRO
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger
Regulation to the acquisition of sole control of IMCD Group B.V. (IMCD) of
the Netherlands by ABN AMRO Capital BO Funds B.V (ABN AMRO); also of the
Netherlands. ABN AMRO is a subsidiary of the ABN AMRO group, which provides
global financial services. IMCD is a network of companies active in the
marketing, sales and distribution of speciality chemicals and food
ingredients through offices and warehouses in Europe, Australia, New
Zealand and Morocco. The operation was examined under the simplified merger
review procedure.
[08] Commission clears acquisition of Deli XL by Bidvest
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger
Regulation to the acquisition of sole control of Deli XL B.V. (Deli XL) of
the Netherlands by Bidvest Holding B.V. (Bidvest) of South Africa. Deli XL
is a food services wholesaler and provides a wide range of food and non-
food products for catering to hospitals, schools and other similar
institutions in The Netherlands and Belgium. Bidvest is part of the Bidvest
Group, a South-African investment holding company. The Bidvest Group holds
world-wide interests in a large number of companies in the services,
trading and distribution sectors. In Europe, the Bidvest Group is, inter
alia, active in the food services business in the United Kingdom, through
BFS Group Limited, a company active under the trade name “3663 First for
Food service”. The operation was examined under the simplified merger
review procedure..
[09] Rédiffusion
[10] Jacques Barrot participe une réunion de l’industrie spatiale
européenne et française sur le programme Galileo
Le 31 août 2005 Jacques Barrot, le commissaire européen chargé de la
politique de transport participera une réunion avec l’industrie
spatiale européenne et française sur le programme Galileo
l’initiative du gouvernement français. Cette rencontre fait partie
d’un dialogue permanent entre les institutions européennes,
l’industrie et les responsables des régions et des Etats membres qui
sont tous appelés collaborer dans ce grand projet européen. Galileo
repose sur un partenariat public-privé entre régions, Etats membres,
institutions européennes, agences spatiales et partenaires industriels de
toutes tailles. Il revient au Commissaire européen chargé de la politique
de transport d’animer, activer, et encourager le dialogue entre tous ces
partenaires et d’être leur écoute en permanence afin que GALILEO
puisse démarrer dans de bonnes conditions comme grand projet industriel
européen. Des étapes importantes sont prévues dès le rentrée. Ce 29
septembre le premier des 30 satellites, nécessaires pour créer le réseau
satellitaire GALILEO sera baptisé. Son lancement en orbite par une fusée
Soyouz est prévu pour début décembre. Vers la fin de l’année le
contrat avec le concessionnaire sera signé. Ce contrat déterminera le
partage des responsabilités entre les industries et les acteurs publiques.
Le Vice président Barrot a souligné: « Le dialogue entre les industries
et les acteurs publics européens est la clef de succès pour GALILEO. Etre
l’écoute des uns et des autres tout au long du déploiement et de la
mise en œuvre de GALILEO est pour moi une nécessité et une priorité. La
Commission européenne est dans son rôle d’impulsion et de médiation.
C’est dans cet esprit que j’ai noué le dialogue dès la prise de mon
mandat et que je profite de mes déplacements dans toute l’Europe pour
faire un point régulier sur l’avancement de ce grand projet."
[11] COREPER Meeting on textiles
This morning the Committee of Permanent Representations to the European
Union discussed the current situation regarding blocked Chinese textile
imports to the European Union. EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson
attended. The Commissioner briefed Member States on the current situation.
There was a discussion of the draft Commission proposal to unblock goods
currently without licenses. This discussion was at an exploratory and
technical level. There was a strong consensus among Member States that the
current situation needs to be resolved as rapidly as possible, and that
blocked goods need to be unblocked. There will be a meeting of the 133
Textiles Committee this afternoon (16.00), which will continue this
morning's discussions at a more technical level. The Commission will not
make any further comment on the substance of its proposals to Member States
until those proposals have been subject to a discussion in the College on
Thursday and formally transmitted to Member States for their response.
[12] Autre matériel diffusé
[13] Memorandum on Reduction of the financial assistance granted to a
Cohesion Fund project in Greece: Spata airport
[14] Memorandum on migration development
[15] Memorandum on Integration of Third country nationals
[16] Memorandum on Common standards on return
[17] Speech by Joe Borg on “Perspectives of a European Maritime Policy”
at the Congress In Water Tec 2005 in Kiel
[18] Speech by Louis Michel “Europe will make a difference” at the
Residence Palace
[19] Speech by President Barroso at the signing Ceremony for the Foundation
of the European Solidarity Centre in Gdansk
[20] Speech by Viviane Reding “The Media and Globalisation” at the
European Forum Alpbach (31/09)
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
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