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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 06-03-20
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Printemps de l'Europe 2006 : la jeunesse européenne appelée Ã
débattre de son avenir
[02] Political participation starts at school
[03] Mieux légiférer : la Commission consulte en vue de simplifier la
directive "Construction"
[04] Commission clears acquisition of Texas Instruments by Bain
[05] Benita Ferrero-Waldner meets Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora
[06] Benita Ferrero-Waldner meets Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka,
Mangala Samaraweera
[07] Kenya : la Commission accroît son aide humanitaire aux victimes de la
sécheresse
[08] Governments adopt international rules on trade in GMOs
[09] EU and Japan discuss globalisation's effects on jobs and workers
[10] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express of 2006-03-20
Reference: MEX/06/0320
Date: 20/03/2006
EXME06 / 20.3
MIDDAY EXPRESS
News from the Press and Communication Directorate General's midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction Générale Presse etb
Communication
20/03/06
[01] Printemps de l'Europe 2006 : la jeunesse européenne appelée Ã
débattre de son avenir
Pour la quatrième année consécutive, le réseau des ministères de
l'Education (European Schoolnet) organise, en collaboration avec la
Commission européenne, le "Printemps de l'Europe", événement de
sensibilisation des jeunes aux questions européennes. Entre le 21 mars et
le 9 mai 2006, des activités seront organisées simultanément dans les
établissements scolaires des Etats membres et des pays adhérents et
d'autres pays européens (Norvège, Bosnie-Herzégovine, Suisse,...) sur le
thème "Débattons de notre avenir".
[02] Political participation starts at school
School plays a key role in getting European youth involved in politics
according to a project on political participation of young Europeans funded
by the EU's Research Framework Programme. Political behaviour and attitudes
are also linked to family, the circle of friends and the type of media
young people use. The EUYOUPART project collected data from 8030 young
people (15-25) from 8 European countries (Austria, Italy, Slovakia, Germany,
Estonia, Finland, France and the UK) on the factors that motivate young
people to become active in politics. The project, which received €1.3
million of European funding, provides a useful insight into how young
Europeans understand politics and how they choose to participate. Its
findings show the importance of initiatives such as the European Spring Day,
which engage young Europeans in debate about their aspirations for the EU
and allow them to gain awareness of European issues.
[03] Mieux légiférer : la Commission consulte en vue de simplifier la
directive "Construction"
En vertu des dispositions actuelles, les normes et les approbations
techniques relatives à des produits de construction utilisés dans le cadre
de travaux présentent des lourdeurs et des éléments complexes. Au nombre
des "produits de construction" figurent plus de 40 familles de produits
tels que les portes, les produits d'isolation thermique, le ciment, les
produits nécessaires aux toitures ou aux façades, qui représentent plus
de 3% de l'ensemble du PIB européen. Pour simplifier et pour clarifier la
législation communautaire, la Commission européenne a lancé aujourd'hui
une consultation publique sur les modifications requises afin de rendre la
directive "Produits de construction" plus économique et plus facile Ã
comprendre pour les entreprises et les autorités. La directive 89/106/CEE
n'élimine que partiellement les barrières commerciales et ne crée pas de
conditions optimales pour la libre circulation et l'utilisation des
produits de construction. Cette consultation s'inscrit dans la continuité
de l’action annoncée en octobre 2005 par la Commission en vue de
moderniser le droit communautaire et de supprimer les lourdeurs
administratives et les excès de réglementation (cf. IP 05/1343), le
secteur de la construction étant identifié comme une priorité en
matière de simplification.
[04] Commission clears acquisition of Texas Instruments by Bain
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger
Regulation to the acquisition of sole control of the sensors and controls
businesses of Texas Instruments Inc. of the US by Bain Capital Investors
LLC (Bain), also of the US. Bain is a private equity investment company.
Texas Instruments provide innovative DSP and analogue technologies,
including semiconductor controls, sensors and controls and educational and
productivity solutions. The operation was examined under the simplified
merger review procedure.
[05] Benita Ferrero-Waldner meets Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora
The European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood
Policy, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, meets today Lebanese Prime Minister, Fouad
Siniora, in Brussels in the margins of the External Relations Council. The
Commission is committed to support Lebanon's own reform programme and to
lay the foundations for a closer relationship between the EU and Lebanon,
through the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP). This relationship will
deepen in the next weeks by the entering into force of the Association
Agreement on 1 April, the start of consultations for the Lebanon ENP Action
Plan the first week of April, and the holding of the first EU-Lebanon
Association Council on 11 April.
[06] Benita Ferrero-Waldner meets Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka,
Mangala Samaraweera
The European Commissioner for External Relations and Neighbourhood Policy
Benita Ferrero-Waldner will today meet the Minister of Foreign Affairs of
Sri Lanka, Mangala Samaraweera, in Brussels. The visit comes between two
rounds of talks on the Ceasefire Agreement implementation in Geneva between
the Sri Lanka government and the LTTE. The Commissioner and the Minister
will exchange views on the current process and discuss how the Commission
and the co-chairs can continue to support Norway's facilitating role.
During his first visit to Brussels, the Minister will also address the
Foreign Affairs Committee in the European Parliament from 17h30-18h30.
[07] Kenya : la Commission accroît son aide humanitaire aux victimes de la
sécheresse
La Commission européenne va consacrer €5,05 millions supplémentaires Ã
l'aide humanitaire d'urgence en faveur des victimes (estimées à six
millions) des sécheresses dans certaines régions de Somalie, d'Ethiopie
et du Kenya. Cette enveloppe porte ainsi l'aide totale affectée par la
Commission à la lutte contre la sécheresse dans la région à €78
millions, dont €17 millions pour les mesures d'urgence face à la crise.
Louis Michel, le commissaire chargé du développement et de l'aide
humanitaire, a annoncé ce nouveau financement lors du 11e sommet des chefs
d'Etat et de gouvernement de l'IGAD à Nairobi. L'IGAD, l'Autorité
intergouvernementale pour le développement, regroupe sept pays (Djibouti,
Erythrée, Ethiopie, Kenya, Somalie, Soudan et Ouganda) et s'occupe
notamment de la sécurité alimentaire.
[08] Governments adopt international rules on trade in GMOs
The third meeting of the 132 Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety
(MOP3) was concluded on 17 March in Curitiba, Brazil. It adopted a landmark
decision on detailed documentation requirements for genetically modified
organisms in the international trade of agricultural commodities. In the
final hours of negotiations, trade implications of documentation
requirements were the main focus of major players such as Mexico and
Brazil. The final compromise would have not been possible without the
political commitment of the Brazilian government to make MOP3 a success.
The European Commission negotiated on behalf of the EU and played an
important role in brokering the final compromise.
[09] EU and Japan discuss globalisation's effects on jobs and workers
Meeting the challenges globalisation presents to jobs and workers topped
the agenda at an EU-Japan meeting today. Representatives from the European
Commission, the Japanese government and social partners (trade unions and
employer representatives) discussed how EU and Japanese employment policies
and industrial relations can adapt to deal with globalisation's effect on
labour markets, restructuring trends and workers' employability.
[10] Autre matériel diffusé
The European response to the drought-related crisis at the Horn of Africa -
Humanitarian aid part
Speech by Louis Michel : "A regional strategy for peace, security and
development for the Horn of Africa" at IGAD Heads of State Summit (Nairobi)
Highly pathogenic avian influenza H5 confirmed in a game farm in Sweden:
Swedish authorities applying Community control measures (17/03)
Avian Influenza : import restrictions on Israeli poultry and poultry
products following confirmed outbreaks of H5N1 (17/03)
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
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