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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 06-09-11
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] 5th Anniversary of the terrorist attacks in the United States -
statement of President José Manuel Barroso on behalf of the European
Commission
[02] La Commission présente les résultats d'une consultation sur le
thème "alimentation saine et activité physique"
[03] Commission gives green light for veterinary vaccines against avian flu
[04] For the first time the National Parliaments will be directly informed
by the European Commission about all policy initiatives
[05] EU and the Republic of Korea seal their agreement on Galileo
[06] Commission approves proposed acquisition of ICA Meny by Nordic Capital
[07] Commission clears acquisition of Bamesa Otel by Arcelor FCSE and
Bamesa
[08] Commission clears joint venture between Egis Projects, Alpine and
Hochtief PPP
[09] Commission clears acquisition of Bipielle Net by Aviva, De Agostini
and SOPAF
[10] Labour Force Survey 2005 : employment rate in the EU25 was 63.8% in
2005 ; one in seven employees had a temporary job
[11] Joe Borg addresses maritime policy conference in Malta
[12] Sri-Lanka Co-Chairs meeting on 12 September
[13] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express of 2006-09-11
Reference: MEX/06/0911
Date: 11/09/2006
EXME06 / 11.9
MIDDAY EXPRESS
News from the Communication Directorate General's midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction Générale Communicationb
11/09/06
[01] 5th Anniversary of the terrorist attacks in the United States -
statement of President José Manuel Barroso on behalf of the European
Commission
"Five years have now passed since the terrible events of 11th September
2001. Today is a time to remember the victims and express our solidarity
with those left behind by this and all other terrorist attacks. The EU
response to the 11th September 2001 attacks in the United States was
immediate with increased cooperation with the United States on the fight
against terrorism. The European Commission will continue to deliver results
through the EU Counter-Terrorism Strategy. More remains to be done such as
fighting radicalisation and recruitment. We need effective policies to
prevent and detect the misuse of explosives, protect critical
infrastructure and ensure transport security. Vice-President Frattini has
written today to the U.S. Secretary for Homeland Security and the U.S.
Attorney General to underline the continued commitment of the European
Union to increased cooperation with the United States in this area. We are
more determined than ever to tackle the causes, and the consequences of
global terrorism. We have to tackle not just the methods used but also the
ideas of those that wage this campaign. Ignorance and mistrust are
essential to the terrorists' strategy. Our response must be to stand up for
our values, namely respect for human rights, which are the surest guarantee
of our future security."
[02] La Commission présente les résultats d'une consultation sur le
thème "alimentation saine et activité physique"
La Commission européenne présente aujourd’hui les résultats d'une
consultation publique sur la promotion d'une alimentation saine et de
l'activité physique, l'accent étant mis sur la prévention des surcharges
pondérales, de l'obésité et des maladies chroniques. Actuellement,
environ 14 millions d'enfants européens souffrent d'une surcharge
pondérale et plus de trois millions d’entre eux sont obèses. Cette
préoccupation de santé publique, qui a pris un caractère d'urgence,
nécessite une action coordonnée au niveau de l'UE ainsi qu'au sein des
différents Etats membres. La consultation a été lancée par la
publication, le 8 décembre 2005, d'un livre vert présentant plusieurs
options stratégiques sur lesquelles les parties prenantes de toute
l'Europe étaient invitées à se pencher. Plus de 260 réponses ont été
reçues. Elles émanent notamment des gouvernements des Etats membres, de
l'Islande, de la Norvège et de la Suisse, d'acteurs de la santé publique,
de représentants de l'industrie alimentaire, d'universités et du grand
public. Etant donné la complexité de la problématique, la plupart des
répondants plaident en faveur d'une approche plurisectorielle, ce qui
implique une action transversale et cohérente couvrant différentes
politiques communautaires. Un grand nombre d'entre eux demandent également
qu’une attention particulière soit accordée aux enfants et aux jeunes,
chez qui on observe une augmentation rapide de l'obésité. Certains
appellent de leurs vœux une meilleure information des consommateurs sur la
nutrition, une information qui soit claire, cohérente et scientifiquement
fondée.
[03] Commission gives green light for veterinary vaccines against avian flu
The European Commission has given Community-wide authorisation to two avian
influenza vaccines. This should ensure that effective vaccines are
available for use throughout the EU during the autumn/winter, which is the
period of greatest risk of a bird flu epidemic. There are no outbreaks of
avian influenza in domestic or wild birds in the EU at the moment, but the
risk of the disease will increase in the coming weeks as the autumn
migration period begins. Both of the vaccines which have been approved
reduce mortality and virus excretion in vaccinated chickens exposed to
infection. The two vaccines concerned, Nobilis Influenza H5N2 and Poulvac
FluFend H5N3 RG, are inactivated, adjuvanted avian influenza vaccines for
administration by injection. Nobilis Influenza H5N2 is for use in chickens
and Poulvac FluFend H5N3 RG is for use in both chickens and Pekin ducks.
[04] For the first time the National Parliaments will be directly informed
by the European Commission about all policy initiatives
Margot Wallström, Vice-President of the European Commission, responsible
for Institutional Relations and Communication informed today in Helsinki
the Chairpersons meeting of COSAC (EU Affairs Parliamentary Committees)
about the Commission's decision to start the direct transmission of its
documents to the national parliaments. The Commission thereby fulfilled its
commitment announced on 10 May and subsequently endorsed by the June
European Council.
[05] EU and the Republic of Korea seal their agreement on Galileo
During the EU/South Korea summit held in Helsinki today, the two parties
formally signed an agreement on cooperation on the European satellite radio
navigation programme Galileo. The agreement provides for numerous areas of
cooperation, including cooperative activities in the areas of scientific
research and training, industrial cooperation, trade and market development,
standards, certification and regulatory measures.
[06] Commission approves proposed acquisition of ICA Meny by Nordic Capital
The European Commission has cleared under the EU Merger Regulation the
proposed acquisition of sole control of ICA Meny AB, a Swedish wholesaler
of consumer goods, by private equity fund Nordic Capital, by way of
purchase of shares. The Commission concluded that the transaction would not
significantly impede effective competition in the European Economic Area or
any substantial part of it.
[07] Commission clears acquisition of Bamesa Otel by Arcelor FCSE and
Bamesa
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger
Regulation to the acquisition of joint control of Bamesa Otel, S.A. of
Romania by. Arcelor Flat Carbon Steel Europe (Arcelor FCSE) of Luxembourg,
controlled by Arcelor S.A. of Luxembourg, and Bamesa Aceros, S.L. (Bamesa)
of Spain. Arcelor manufactures and sells steel products worldwide. Bamesa
is active in steel processing and distribution. Bamesa Otel, a newly
created company for this joint venture, will process and distribute steel
in Romania. The operation was examined under the simplified merger review
procedure.
[08] Commission clears joint venture between Egis Projects, Alpine and
Hochtief PPP
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger
Regulation to a joint venture for the construction and maintenance of a new
motorway in Austria (A5 Nord Autobahn) by Egis Projects S.A. of France,
Alpine Mayderer Bau GmbH (Alpine) of Austria) and Hochtief PPP Solutions
GmbH (Hochtief PPP) of Germany. The joint venture will operate under the
name of Bonaventura Straßenerhaltungs-GmbH. Egis Projects invests in
infrastructure projects and concession contracts and negotiates and manages
all financial, technical and operational stages of infrastructure projects.
Alpine is a construction company. Hochtief PPP provides services for
projects in the area of toll roads and public-sector construction. The
operation was examined under the simplified merger review procedure.
[09] Commission clears acquisition of Bipielle Net by Aviva, De Agostini
and SOPAF
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger
Regulation to the acquisition of joint control of Banca Bipielle Network
S.p.A. (Bipielle Net) of Italy by Aviva Italia Holding S.p.A. (Aviva) of
Italy, De Agostini Invest S.A. (DeA) of Luxembourg and SocietÃ
Partecipazioni Finanziarie S.p.A. (SOPAF) of Italy. Aviva is active in the
insurance sector in Italy on behalf of the Aviva group, UK. DeA manages
investment funds for the Italian-based De Agostini group. This group is
active in the media, publishing, financial and insurance sectors. SOPAF is
active in alternative asset management; investments and retail credit.
Bipielle Net provides banking services. The operation was examined under
the simplified merger review procedure.
[10] Labour Force Survey 2005 : employment rate in the EU25 was 63.8% in
2005 ; one in seven employees had a temporary job
In 2005, 197.5 million people aged 15 years or more had a job or a business
activity in the EU25. The total employment rate for people aged 15-64 was
63.8%, compared to 62.4% in 2000, and 63.3% in 2004. The employment rate
for women in 2005 was 56.3%, compared to 53.6% in 2000, while the rate for
older people, i.e. those aged 55-64, reached 42.5%, up from the 36.6%
registered in 2000. This information comes from a report published by
Eurostat, based on the results of the 2005 Labour Force Survey.
[11] Joe Borg addresses maritime policy conference in Malta
Today, Joe Borg, European Commissioner for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs,
will be in Malta where he will address a Forum on the Commission's Green
Paper on a future Integrated Maritime Policy organised by the magazine
"Malta Economic Update". The purpose of the Forum is to help launch the
consultation process in Malta, and the afternoon's debates will be chaired
by Dr Ann Fenech of the Malta Maritime Law Advisory Council. Mr Borg will
deliver the keynote speech on "A European vision for the oceans and seas:
giving citizens a stake in the creation of a Maritime Policy for Europe".
The Commissioner will use his talk to underline the importance of
consultation before formulating innovative cross-cutting policies in such a
wide and complex area. He will encourage participants to take part fully in
the process so as to make sure not only that their views are heard but also
that the Commission is able to benefit from their experience when it comes
to preparing concrete proposals.
[12] Sri-Lanka Co-Chairs meeting on 12 September
The Co-Chairs of the Tokyo Donor Conference (European Union, Japan, US,
Norway) will meet in Brussels on 12 September to assess developments in Sri
Lanka and discuss appropriate actions, in a situation where continued
violence is unravelling the ceasefire agreement and peace process. In their
latest statement issued on 11 August the Co-Chairs "called on the
Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam to cease
hostilities immediately and return to the negotiation table" and recalled
that "violence is not the way to resolve the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka".
The meeting will be followed by a VIP Corner at 14.15 in the Berlaymont.
[13] Autre matériel diffusé
Commission activities in the fight against terrorism
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
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