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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 08-09-08

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

  • [01] Sport: la Commission renforce sa coopération avec le Comité paralympique européen pour promouvoir l’intégration sociale des personnes handicapées
  • [02] EU funds for Research: Lost in translation? New guide to help better use of European research, innovation and cohesion funding
  • [03] Hübner to see state-of-art impacts of EU investment in Greece
  • [04] African Union Commission and European Commission launch an ambitious Africa-EU Energy Partnership
  • [05] Commission proposes fishing opportunities for the Baltic Sea for 2009
  • [06] Joe Borg at an Artic conference in Greenland
  • [07] Commissioner Vassiliou visits Community Plant Variety Office in Angers
  • [08] Commission authorises GM soybean A2704-12
  • [09] Mr Janez POTOČNIK today in Zaragoza to participate in the European Water Research Day
  • [10] Forest fire in Bulgaria
  • [11] Autre matériel diffusé Midday Express of 2008-09-08 Reference: MEX/08/0908 Date: 08/09/2008 EXME08 / 08.09

    MIDDAY EXPRESS

    News from the Communication Directorate General's midday briefing

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

    08/09/08


  • [01] Sport: la Commission renforce sa coopération avec le Comité paralympique européen pour promouvoir l’intégration sociale des personnes handicapées

    À l’occasion de sa visite officielle Pékin en vue d’assister aux Jeux paralympiques, Ján Figel', le commissaire européen responsable des sports, a signé aujourd’hui une déclaration commune avec le président du Comité paralympique européen (EPC), M. Enrique Sánchez-Guijo. Cette déclaration célèbre l’attribution d’une aide financière l’EPC dans le cadre du programme «L'Europe pour les citoyens» de l’Union européenne. En accord avec les valeurs paralympiques défendues par l'EPC, cette aide financière marque la reconnaissance du rôle que joue le sport dans le renforcement de l’intégration sociale et dans la promotion d’une participation active de tous les citoyens la construction européenne.

    [02] EU funds for Research: Lost in translation? New guide to help better use of European research, innovation and cohesion funding

    The Commission today launched the 'Practical Guide to EU funding opportunities for Research and Innovation' to help all stakeholders to find their way into the different existing EU funding. Central to the realisation of the goals of the Lisbon Agenda is the need to promote the knowledge economy, in particular through research, technological development and innovation (RTDI). EU support for RTDI is provided mainly through the 7th Research Framework Programme, the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme and the Structural & Cohesion Funds. If their impact is to be maximised, it is essential that these sources of funding are used in a coherent way.

    [03] Hübner to see state-of-art impacts of EU investment in Greece

    Danuta Hübner, Commissioner for Regional Policy, will see projects showing state-of-the-art impacts of EU investment transforming Western Greece and Continental Greece on her visit to these regions 7-9 September. She will visit projects in transport infrastructure, tourism, environment and new technologies. On 8 September in Athens, she will take part in an informal ministerial working group on Economic integration of South-Eastern Europe along with ministers from Greece, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Romania and Slovenia. Entrepreneurship is the theme of a conference at which she will give a keynote speech in Athens on 9 September. The event, entitled 'Entrepreneurship with a human face', is the European Economic and Social Committee's biennial conference.

    [04] African Union Commission and European Commission launch an ambitious Africa-EU Energy Partnership

    Today high-level discussions on the implementation of the Africa-EU energy partnership took place at the premises of the African Union Commission in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to establish the Africa-EU Energy Partnership as part of the EU-Africa Joint Strategy. Dr. Elham Mahmoud Ahmed Ibrahim, African Union Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy, Louis Michel, European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid and Andris Piebalgs, European Commissioner for Energy signed a “Joint statement on the implementation of the first Action Plan of the Africa-EU Energy Partnership” and agreed on actions to be taken in order to speed up the implementation of the Partnership.

    [05] Commission proposes fishing opportunities for the Baltic Sea for 2009

    The European Commission has tabled its proposal on fishing possibilities for a number of fish stocks in the Baltic Sea for 2009. The proposal follows scientific advice that most stocks in the Baltic Sea should be subject to reduced catches in 2009. This is especially true of the Western cod stock, and of the Western herring stock, both of which require serious attention to prevent their further decline. In the case of the Western cod stock, the Commission is proposing a 15% reduction in fishing opportunities while in the case of Western herring stock, a 63% reduction is being proposed. For the Eastern cod stock however the Commission is proposing a 15% increase in the EU quota as the situation of this stock has improved in recent years. This increase is in line with the multi-annual recovery plan for cod in the Baltic Sea. The present proposal for fishing possibilities shall be discussed at the October Fisheries Council.

    [06] Joe Borg at an Artic conference in Greenland

    European Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Joe Borg will travel to Greenland tomorrow to participate in the Arctic conference hosted in Ilulissat by the Nordic Council of Ministers. Commissioner Borg will give a keynote speech at the meeting's opening session, alongside the Presidency of the European Union, and Dr Hans-Gert Pöttering, President of the European Parliament. In his address, the Commissioner will discuss the place of the Arctic region in European policy, with reference to both the 'Northern Dimension' policy and the EU's new integrated Maritime Policy. In this latter context, the Commission will be publishing a Communication on the Arctic later in 2008 which will examine issues ranging from climate change to governance. The aim of this communication is to assess how Europe can best contribute towards sustainable development of the region and the global economy while protecting the Arctic from environmental changes resulting from the increasing human activity that this development will entail. This Arctic Conference has been organised by the Swedish presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers in order to raise awareness of the new challenges and opportunities facing the Arctic region as a result of changing environmental, economic and social conditions. Conference participants will include ministers, politicians, senior representatives from EU bodies and member states of the EU, the Arctic Council, the Barents Euro-Arctic Council, the Nordic Council of Ministers and the partners of the Northern Dimension as well as experts on Arctic issues and representatives of indigenous peoples’ organisations and relevant NGOs.

    [07] Commissioner Vassiliou visits Community Plant Variety Office in Angers

    European Health Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou will make today her first visit to the Community Plant Variety Office (CPVO) in Angers (France), in order to meet the staff of the CPVO and be briefed by CPVO President Bart Kiewiet on the EU system for Community plant variety rights. The CPVO is the European agency responsible for implementing and applying the system for the protection of plant variety rights, as established under EU legislation (Regulation 2100/94). This system allows intellectual property rights, valid throughout the EU, to be granted for plant varieties. Since June 1995, the CPVO has processed more than 30.300 applications, resulting in over 21.500 plant variety rights being granted. The EU system for plant variety rights is now the largest in the world, and the scale of the work done by the EU agency reflects the value breeders place on having a solid system through which they can commercialize their varieties throughout the EU. For more information, see : <a href="http://www.cpvo.europa.eu/">http://www.cpvo.europa.eu/

    [08] Commission authorises GM soybean A2704-12

    The European Commission adopted today a Decision authorising GM soybean A2704-12 for feed and food uses and for import and processing. A2704-12 soybean received a positive safety assessment from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and underwent the full authorisation procedure set out in the EU legislation. Member States did not reach a qualified majority decision for or against this authorisation in the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health (SCoFCAH), and then in the Council, the dossier was sent back to the Commission for decision. The authorisation is valid for 10 years, and any products produced from this GM soybean will be subject to the EU's strict labelling and traceability rules. For more information, see: <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/food/food/biotechnology/index_en.htm">http://ec.europa.eu/food/food/biotechnology/index_en.htm

    [09] Mr Janez POTOČNIK today in Zaragoza to participate in the European Water Research Day

    Today, EU Science and Research Commission, Janez Potocnik, is attending the European Water Research Day at the Zaragoza EXPO 2008, an international exposition, open from 14 June to 14 September 2008, that is dedicated to "Water and Sustainable Development". He will discuss how science and research can contribute to address the growing global and regional pressures on water resources. EU-funded water research will be presented and its future perspectives will be discussed. About €800 million had been provided in the last 10 years by the European Union to fund research in water related projects, helping to manage and protect water resources, in the EU and abroad.

    [10] Forest fire in Bulgaria

    A forest fire started on Wednesday 3/9/2008 at 16:37 in the mountainous area of the national park “Rila” - region Blagoevgrad of Bulgaria, affecting an area of 130 hectares. National authorities did seek assistance through the European Union’s Community Mechanism for Civil Protection (MIC) on 6/09/2008.The European Union reacted within a few hours after this request for help. In response, France dispatched one forest fire fighting module composed of two fire-fighting aircraft (Canadairs) which arrived on site on Sunday 7/9. Fire-fighting operations are ongoing. Thanks to the rapid intervention by France the situation is rapidly improving and no further requests for assistance are expected. The Community Mechanism aims to facilitate reinforced cooperation in civil protection assistance interventions. It ensures the coordination of assistance intervention in order to provide prompt support and to assist a country - inside and outside the European Union - in need of help. The main objective is to provide the best possible response and preparedness when a major emergency situation arises.

    [11] Autre matériel diffusé

    • Memo on African Union Commission and European Commission launch ambitious Africa-EU Energy Partnership

    • Discours du Vice-Président Barrot 'Le futur de la politique d'asile européenne: Vers un véritable espace de protection', Paris

    • Speech by Commissioner Potočnik 'European Water Research Day – Making a bigger splash', Zaragoza From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/


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