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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 06-09-20

Midday Express: News from the EU Commission Spokesman's Briefings Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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] Réforme de la PAC : la Commission propose un nouveau régime pour le secteur de la banane
  • [02] Providing better training for safer food : Commission looks at options for the future
  • [03] La Commission soumet consultation une nouvelle proposition relative aux règles sur les subventions de minimis
  • [04] Commission fines copper fittings producers €314.7 million for price fixing cartel
  • [05] Commission sees the United Kingdom as just on track to correct its excessive deficit by end of the 2006/2007 financial year
  • [II] Other news - Autres nouvelles

  • [06] First meeting of Commission's Task Force on Migration produces a comprehensive overview of European activities to address immigration crises
  • [07] Commission will allow Member States to grant advance payments of direct aid to farmers
  • [08] La Commission approuve le projet de création d'une entreprise commune par Lactalis et Nestlé
  • [09] Commission clears Toshiba's planned acquisition of Westinghouse Electric UK and BNFL USA Group subject to conditions
  • [10] La Commission autorise le projet d'acquisition de Profilafroid et de Société Automatique de Profilage par voestalpine
  • [11] High Level Group on Multilingualism launched by Jan Figel'
  • [12] Une conférence de haut niveau sur l'avenir de la réglementation de l'aviation
  • [13] Commission welcomes the launch of the new hospitals' sectoral social dialogue committee
  • [14] Danuta Hübner rencontre les représentants économiques et sociaux des régions ultrapériphériques dans le cadre de partenariat de la Commission avec ces régions
  • [15] Joe Borg opens maritime policy conference in Kiel
  • [16] Where Science meets Art... UMBOT NORDUNG exhibition in the offices of the Commissioner for Science and Research
  • [17] Autre matériel diffusé Midday Express of 2006-09-20 Reference: MEX/06/0920 Date: 20/09/2006 EXME06 / 20.9

    MIDDAY EXPRESS

    News from the Communication Directorate General's midday briefing

    Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction Générale Communicationb

    20/09/06


  • [I] Résultats de la Commission de ce jour - Outcome of today's Commission meeting

    [01] Réforme de la PAC : la Commission propose un nouveau régime pour le secteur de la banane

    La Commission européenne a proposé une réforme en profondeur du régime d'aide aux producteurs de bananes. Cette réforme a pour objet d'adapter le système selon les grands principes des réformes menées dans les autres secteurs agricoles, tout en garantissant un niveau de vie équitable aux producteurs communautaires de bananes et en tenant compte des particularités des régions productrices. La proposition est le fruit d'un débat approfondi avec l'ensemble des parties intéressées et d'une évaluation détaillée des conséquences de la réforme. La Commission s'est prononcée sans ambiguïté pour l'abolition du régime actuel d'aide compensatoire aux producteurs de bananes et pour l’adoption de l'option "POSEI" : les fonds consacrés au soutien des producteurs de bananes viendraient s'ajouter la dotation du programme POSEI, programme d'aide la production agricole dans les régions ultrapériphériques de l'Union. En ce qui concerne les bananes produites en dehors de ces régions, les crédits seraient transférés vers le régime de paiement unique, mis en œuvre pour les produits agricoles visés par les précédentes réformes. La Commission souhaite que les nouvelles règles, une fois adoptées par le Conseil, s'appliquent compter de la campagne de commercialisation 2007.

    [02] Providing better training for safer food : Commission looks at options for the future

    The European Commission has adopted a Communication entitled "Better training for safer food", which addresses the issue of training EU and third country officials responsible for carrying out the necessary controls to ensure food safety and consumer protection in the EU. A solid body of food safety legislation is laid down at EU level, designed to protect human, animal and plant health, and allow the smooth operation of the internal market. The Commission is now focused on ensuring the full and proper implementation of these laws. This requires well-trained, competent authorities who fully understand the legislation and are capable of checking that it is being complied with. Training those responsible officials is therefore an essential aspect in maintaining the high standard of food safety that Europeans have come to expect. The Communication adopted today lays out options for the future organisation of this training and looks at how EU training programmes should be carried out in order to achieve optimal results.

    [03] La Commission soumet consultation une nouvelle proposition relative aux règles sur les subventions de minimis

    La Commission européenne a présenté une version modifiée de la nouvelle proposition concernant les règles "de minimis", qui envisage d'exempter les subventions de faible montant de l'obligation de notification prévue par les règles sur les aides d'Etat du traité CE. Cette nouvelle version tient compte des observations formulées au cours de la consultation publique sur la proposition initiale présentée en mars 2006 (voir IP/06/283). La Commission propose que l'on considère que les subventions d'un montant inférieur ou égal €200.000 ne constituent pas des aides d'Etat. Cette exemption se limite aux mesures pour lesquelles l'élément d'aide d'Etat peut être calculé l'avance, de façon précise. La proposition modifiée prévoit que les garanties seront couvertes pour autant que le montant du prêt sous-jacent n'excède pas €1,7 million. Les Etats membres et les autres acteurs intéressés auront présent une deuxième chance de s'exprimer sur cette proposition avant son adoption définitive par la Commission plus tard dans l'année. La révision des règles de minimis représente une des pierres angulaires du plan d'action dans le domaine des aides d'Etat (voir IP/05/680 et MEMO/05/195), qui vise simplifier les règles en la matière, affiner l'analyse économique des subventions et permettre la Commission de concentrer son action en matière d'application des règles sur les cas qui faussent le plus la concurrence.

    [04] Commission fines copper fittings producers €314.7 million for price fixing cartel

    The European Commission has fined 30 companies a total of €314.7 million for participating in a copper fittings cartel, in violation of the EC Treaty’s ban on restrictive business practices (Article 81). The 11 groups to which these companies belong are Aalberts, IMI, Delta, Advanced Fluid Connections, Legris, Frabo, Mueller, Tomkins, Flowflex, Viegener and Sanha Kaimer. Between 1988 and 2004, the companies fixed prices, discounts and rebates, agreed on mechanisms to coordinate price increases, allocated customers and exchanged commercially important and confidential information. Four of these groups, namely Aalberts, Delta, Advanced Fluid Connections and Legris had their fines increased by 60% because they continued their illegal arrangements after the Commission's initial inspections. Advanced Fluid Connections' fine was increased by a further 50% for providing the Commission with misleading information. Mueller received full immunity from fines under the Commission's leniency programme, as it was the first company to come forward with information about the cartel.

    [05] Commission sees the United Kingdom as just on track to correct its excessive deficit by end of the 2006/2007 financial year

    The United Kingdom seems just on track to correct its excessive deficit by the end of 2006/07, although the actual adjustment may fall short of that recommended by the Council. In its assessment of the follow-up to the January Council recommendation concluding that an excessive deficit exists in the UK, the European Commission notes that while GDP growth is expected to be better than originally envisaged, the deficit correction remains vulnerable to negative surprises, given the lack of a safety margin against exceeding the 3% reference value again. The Commission will continue to monitor the situation, particularly in the light of the significant risks surrounding the outlook for the public finances.

    [II] Other news - Autres nouvelles

    [06] First meeting of Commission's Task Force on Migration produces a comprehensive overview of European activities to address immigration crises

    Migration is a cross-border issue that requires a comprehensive, balanced and integrated approach involving various policy areas and all the affected regions (origin, transit and destination). The European Commission is working along such an approach for a few years now and has reinforced its efforts for coherence by deciding, on 30 August 2006, to establish a Commissioners' Task Force on Migration, under the coordination of Vice President Franco Frattini. This temporary Task Force brings together all European Commissioners with relevant responsibilities as regards migration, including Louis Michel (Development and Humanitarian Aid), Benita Ferrero- Waldner (External Relations), Vladimir Spidla (Employment), Jan Figel' (Education and training), Danuta Hübner (Regional policy), Joaquin Almunia (Economic and monetary issues) and Markos Kyprianou (Health and consumer protection).

    [07] Commission will allow Member States to grant advance payments of direct aid to farmers

    The management committee for direct payments backed on 19 September a European Commission draft Regulation allowing Member States to bring forward payments of direct aids to farmers to 16 October from the usual date of 1 December. The proposal followed requests from a number of Member States following the difficult weather conditions this summer. It will be up to the Member States themselves to decide whether or not to use this possibility, once the Commission has formally adopted the Regulation in the days to come. Advances paid between 16 October and 1 December may be up to 50 percent of the direct payments to be paid to the farmers in respect of the year 2006.

    [08] La Commission approuve le projet de création d'une entreprise commune par Lactalis et Nestlé

    La Commission européenne a autorisé, en vertu du règlement sur les concentrations de l'UE, le projet de création d'une entreprise commune par le groupe français Lactalis et le groupe suisse Nestlé. Après examen, la Commission est parvenue la conclusion que l'opération n'entraverait pas de manière significative une concurrence effective dans l'Espace économique européen ou une partie substantielle de celui-ci.

    [09] Commission clears Toshiba's planned acquisition of Westinghouse Electric UK and BNFL USA Group subject to conditions

    The European Commission has cleared under the EU Merger Regulation the proposed acquisition by the Japanese conglomerate Toshiba of Westinghouse Electric UK and the BNFL USA Group, both active in the nuclear sector. The Commission concluded that, subject to Toshiba's compliance with a commitment to modify its contractual arrangements with other shareholders in its joint venture Global Nuclear Fuels, the proposed transaction would not significantly impede competition in the European Economic Area or any substantial part of it.

    [10] La Commission autorise le projet d'acquisition de Profilafroid et de Société Automatique de Profilage par voestalpine

    La Commission européenne a autorisé, en vertu du règlement sur les concentrations de l'UE, le projet d'acquisition de Profilafroid et Société Automatique de Profilage, deux sociétés françaises actives dans la production de profilés froid en acier, par la société autrichienne voestalpine Profilform. L'enquête de la Commission a montré que l'opération n'entraverait pas de manière significative la concurrence effective dans l'Espace économique européen ou dans une partie substantielle de celui-ci.

    [11] High Level Group on Multilingualism launched by Jan Figel'

    Today, the European Commission adopted a decision to establish a High Level Group on Multilingualism. The Group, comprising 11 experts from across Europe, will meet formally for the first time on 3 October 2006. It has been set up in response to the 2005 Communication "A new framework strategy for multilingualism", which called for a high level group to advise the Commissioner for Education, Training, Culture and Multilingualism on the "development of initiatives, as well as fresh impetus and ideas for a comprehensive approach to multilingualism in the European Union".

    [12] Une conférence de haut niveau sur l'avenir de la réglementation de l'aviation

    Le système de réglementation de l'aviation reste confronté au problème de la fragmentation. Des représentants de haut niveau des administrations nationales de l'aviation civile, de l'industrie de l'aviation et de la Commission européenne se sont réunis aujourd'hui Bruxelles pour examiner les possibilités d'améliorer l'efficacité du système, de réduire les coûts et de combler les éventuelles lacunes en matière de sécurité. La conférence a rassemblé les cadres de plus haut rang des instances de réglementation et des parties concernées de l'industrie pour formuler des politiques nouvelles et plus efficaces.

    [13] Commission welcomes the launch of the new hospitals' sectoral social dialogue committee

    Workers' and employers' representatives from the hospital sector - the European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) and the European Hospital Employers' Association (HOSPEEM) - have launched the 33rd sectoral social dialogue committee with the backing of the European Commission. A growing number of sectors are involved in this partnership approach, contributing to better governance at European level. Over the past five years, EPSU and HOSPEEM have been working - with the support of the Commission - to formalise this sectoral social dialogue at European level. The new committee will monitor the social, economic and employment consequences of EU policies in the Health sector. It will also examine how demographic, technological and structural changes within hospitals in Europe affect employment. Concretely, it will enable the social partners to have a direct formal input to EU policies affecting the hospital sector, allowing them to contribute to consultations launched by the Commission on social policy. This could lead to European agreements, bringing real benefits to the 3,000,000 workers they represent. The social partners are committed to promoting quality hospital services based on values of social responsibility and realistic active ageing measures. At the inaugural meeting, they will adopt the rules of procedure of their committee and their first work programme for 2006-2007 which will cover the areas of recruitment and retention of personnel in the hospital sector, the age profile of the hospital workforce and the new skill requirements for the workforce in the sector.

    [14] Danuta Hübner rencontre les représentants économiques et sociaux des régions ultrapériphériques dans le cadre de partenariat de la Commission avec ces régions

    La Commissaire européenne en charge de la Politique régionale, Danuta Hübner, rencontre les représentants des secteurs économiques et sociaux des régions ultrapériphériques l'occasion de la réunion Bruxelles les 19 et 20 septembre par la Commission et l'association EURODOM dans le cadre du partenariat avec les régions ultrapériphériques (RUP).

    [15] Joe Borg opens maritime policy conference in Kiel

    This afternoon, Joe Borg, European Commissioner for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, travels to Kiel, Germany, where he will attend the Conference of the Baltic Sea Areas on the Commission's Green Paper on a future European Maritime Policy (IP/06/739). The event is being hosted by the Federal State of Schleswig-Holstein in conjunction with the City of Hamburg and the Baltic Sea States Sub-regional Cooperation (BSSSC), as part of the 2006 BSSSC annual conference which runs until Friday. Schleswig-Holstein is one of Europe's premier maritime regions, and a pioneer both in the adoption of a more integrated approach to the management of the oceans, and in international maritime cooperation. Tonight, Commissioner Borg will launch the conference proceedings by participating alongside experts from the region in an informal debate on the Green Paper. He will then join Minister for Science, Economy and Transport, Dietrich Austermann, for the inaugural ceremony of the newly-established Elisabeth Mann-Borgese Prize. Founded by Schleswig-Holstein, the prize honours individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the promotion of responsibility in dealings with the oceans and their resources. Tomorrow morning, the Commissioner will deliver a speech on "The Green Paper on Maritime Policy – the starting point for a new European Maritime Policy". Commissioner Borg will underline the importance of both regional subsidiarity and international collaboration in elaborating a truly holistic approach to Europe's oceans. He will encourage all those present to contribute to the fullest possible extent to the year-long consultation process on the Green Paper. After the morning's debates, Mr Borg will give a press conference, at 12h15, on board the MS Beaufort, along with Uwe Döring, Minister for Justice, Labour, and European Affairs.

    [16] Where Science meets Art... UMBOT NORDUNG exhibition in the offices of the Commissioner for Science and Research

    On Wednesday, 20 September the European Commissioner for Science and Research Janez Potočnik will open an exhibition entitled UMBOT NOORDUNG, by Dunja Zupančič and Dragan Živadinov in collaboration with Miha Turšič. The exhibition is dedicated to the astronautics pioneer, Slovene scientist Dr Herman Potočnik Noordung. This is the first of a series of events organised in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia and the Kapelica Gallery from Ljubljana. The objective of these presentations is to illustrate the links between science and art, and single out some renowned Slovene artists in this field. The artistic force and aspiration of such projects can often serve as an inspiring example for our own endeavours.

    [17] Autre matériel diffusé

    La réforme de l'organisation commune du marché de la banane

    POSEI : la voie privilégiée pour le secteur de la banane

    Speech by Mariann Fischer Boel : "A sustainable EU banana sector"

    Better Training for Safer Food - questions and answers

    Competition: Commission action against cartels - questions and answers From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/


    Midday Express: News from the EU Commission Spokesman's Briefings Directory - Previous Article - Next Article
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