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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 08-09-26
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Environment: new EU legislation requiring collection and recycling of
spent batteries applies from today
[02] Politique de Cohésion: la coopération transfrontalière et
l'innovation sont les facteurs de dynamisme de la région Friuli Venezia
Giulia (Italie)
[03] Mandelson urges action to reverse sliding EU investment in China
[04] Commission welcomes Council support for plans to combat counterfeiting
and piracy more effectively
[05] An EU27 surplus in trade in goods with India of € 3.2 billion in
2007
[06] Message of Commission Vice-President Günter Verheugen: World Tourism
Day 2008
[07] Environment: Major disaster simulation exercise tests the response
capabilities of ten European countries
[08] Mergers: Commission approves proposed acquisition of Volkswagen
Ireland by Volkswagen AG
[09] Meet tomorrow's top researchers at EU Contest for Young Scientists!
[10] Mergers: Commission approves proposed acquisition of Siemens' Home and
Office Communication Devices business SHC by Arques
Midday Express of 2008-09-26
Reference: MEX/08/0926
Date: 26/09/2008
EXME08 / 26.09
MIDDAY EXPRESS
News from the Communication Directorate General's midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction Générale Communicationb
26/09/08
[01] Environment: new EU legislation requiring collection and recycling of
spent batteries applies from today
Revised EU legislation that aims to protect human health and the
environment by ensuring waste batteries are properly collected and recycled
applies from today. The directive also makes producers responsible for the
management of batteries once they become waste. Adopted by the European
Parliament and Council in 2006, the revised Batteries Directive should be
transposed by Member States into national law by today. So far seven Member
States have communicated to the Commission national legislation which fully
transposes the directive.
[02] Politique de Cohésion: la coopération transfrontalière et
l'innovation sont les facteurs de dynamisme de la région Friuli Venezia
Giulia (Italie)
Danuta Hübner, Commissaire européenne la politique régionale, poursuit
son déplacement officiel en Italie. Après sa visite hier en Vénétie
(IP/08/1400), située aux confins des Alpes, de la Mer Adriatique et des
Balkans. Le nouveau programme 2007-2013 conçu par la région dans le cadre
de la Politique de Cohésion, se concentre sur le développement de son
important potentiel en matière de recherche et d’innovation. Au total,
l’action du Fonds Européen de Développement Régional (FEDER)
représentera un investissement européen de 74 millions d’euros.
[03] Mandelson urges action to reverse sliding EU investment in China
EU Trade commissioner Peter Mandelson has today urged China to act to
reverse sliding EU investment rates in China. Noting that EU investment
rates in China had been falling since 2005 and that Russia and India had
both attracted more EU investment than China, Mandelson said China was
facing "tough competition for the world's most productive investment". He
urged Chinese authorities to tackle "outdated and unnecessary" restrictions
on EU direct investment. Mandelson argued that the EU and China should aim
to create an open investment market in green technologies and to use their
joint weight to shape the global investment environment that would emerge
from the current banking crisis. – EMBARGO 13h00
[04] Commission welcomes Council support for plans to combat counterfeiting
and piracy more effectively
The Competitiveness Council adopted a Resolution on a comprehensive EU anti-
counterfeiting plan. This Resolution adds momentum to existing Commission
plans to step up the fight against counterfeiting and piracy.
[05] An EU27 surplus in trade in goods with India of € 3.2 billion in
2007
Between 2000 and 2007, EU27 trade in goods with India more than doubled in
value: exports rose from €13.7 billion to € 29.5 billion, while imports
increased from €12.8 billion to € 26.3 billion. As a result, the EU27
surplus in trade with India increased from € 0.8 billion in 2000 to €
3.2 billion in 2007. This increased surplus was mainly due to a surplus in
manufactured goods, which rose from € 0.9 billion in 2000 to € 4.7
billion in 2007. India accounted in 2007 for 2.4% of EU27 exports and 1.8%
of EU27 imports, and was the EU27's 9th most important trading partner. On
the occasion of the European Union - India summit, which will take place on
29 September in Marseille in France, Eurostat issues data on trade and
investments between India and the EU.
[06] Message of Commission Vice-President Günter Verheugen: World Tourism
Day 2008
The success of tourist destinations is closely linked to the quality of
their natural environment, their cultural distinctiveness, the well-being
of local populations and their security conditions. If well understood,
tourism can act as a driving force for the conservation and environmentally
friendly development of territories, while creating welfare opportunities.
Building on this unique character of tourism, the Commission recently
presented an ‘Agenda for a sustainable and competitive European
tourism’. The Agenda calls on all tourism stakeholders: the industry, the
local population and authorities, and the tourists themselves, to embrace
sustainability principles. It recognizes that, in the long term, European
competitiveness and local jobs will largely depend on sustainability
patterns. One of the key challenges ahead lies in the risk of global
warming if mankind does not find ways to fight vigorously against it.
Tourism will inevitably be affected by climate change, but also contributes
to it. The tourism industry therefore also needs to find ways to reduce its
contribution to greenhouse gas emissions, while tourist destinations should
adapt to changes in the pattern of demand and in the types of tourism they
offer. Successfully fighting the risks of climate change requires joint
efforts and global action. The EU is committed to promote sustainable
tourism and to lead by example. We should demonstrate that successful
tourism is not in contradiction with ambitious environmental policies, but
to the contrary goes hand in hand with it. I am confident that we can make
this case and trigger similar action in other touristic places around the
world.
[07] Environment: Major disaster simulation exercise tests the response
capabilities of ten European countries
A major multi-disaster simulation exercise in Hungary and Romania will come
to a close today. EU-HUROMEX 2008, a five-day drill, is a series of
simulated incidents designed to test countries' response capacities to
disasters such as major floods and related accidents. The exercise, which
is being co-financed by the Community Civil Protection Mechanism
(Mechanism), started on 21 September. The simulation exercise has been
organised by Hungary in partnership with Romania. It involves civil
protection teams from no less than 10 European countries, including Austria,
Bulgaria, Croatia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia as
well as civil protection coordination and assessment experts from the Czech
Republic, Estonia, Germany, the Netherlands and Norway. The aim of this
exercise is to provide training opportunities for actors taking part in
international rescue operations during natural disasters such as major
floods and post-earthquake conditions. The Monitoring and Information
Centre (MIC), which is the central operating hub of the Mechanism and links
the civil protection authorities of 30 participating European countries,
has facilitated the coordination of the international teams as it does in
real emergencies. The European Commission finances 75% of the eligible
costs of the exercise. Since its launch in 2001, the Mechanism has
monitored close to 100 disasters and has been active in over 60. Boosting
Community cooperation when national emergencies arise, some of its most
important interventions include Greece's wildfires last year and more
recently, this year's cyclone in Myanmar as well as the China's devastating
earthquake. For more information: European civil protection – <a
href="http://ec.europa.eu/environment/civil/index.htm%20/">http://ec.europa.eu/environment/civil/index.htm
/ EU-HUROMEX 2008 – <a href="http://www.eu-huromex2008.eu/">http://www.eu-
huromex2008.eu/
Rediffusion
[08] Mergers: Commission approves proposed acquisition of Volkswagen
Ireland by Volkswagen AG
The European Commission has cleared under the EU Merger Regulation the
proposed acquisition of Volkswagen Group Ireland Limited, the exclusive
importer and wholesale distributor of Volkswagen, Audi and Skoda vehicles
in Ireland, by Volkswagen AG (VWAG) of Germany. After examining the
operation, the Commission concluded that the transaction would not
significantly impede effective competition in the European Economic Area
(EEA) or any substantial part of it.
[09] Meet tomorrow's top researchers at EU Contest for Young Scientists!
This year's EU contest for Young Scientists (EUCYS), which was held in
Copenhagen, Denmark, rewarded contestants aged 14 - 19 who shared the €
46.500 prize pot. Three projects received first prizes of 7.000 € each
shared by Magdalena Bojarska from Poland for “Hamiltonian cycles in
generalized Halin graphs", Martin Tkác from Slovakia for “Tilting of
bulk materials based on gravitation principle in cargo railway transport”,
and Elisabeth Muller from the United Kingdom for "From Microcosm to Magma
Oceans: A Lunar Meteorite Perspective". Other prize winners came from Czech
Republic, Germany, Ireland, Belarus, France and Latvia. For this 20th
anniversary of the EUCYS, the European Commission decided to award a Prize
for International Cooperation, for the best project from a Third Country
team. In doing so, the Commission underlined the importance of
international scientific cooperation in research. The prize, worth €
5.000, was won by Pipa Grierson from New Zealand for "Fighting Facial
Eczema".
[10] Mergers: Commission approves proposed acquisition of Siemens' Home and
Office Communication Devices business SHC by Arques
The European Commission has cleared under the EU Merger Regulation the
proposed acquisition of SHC, the Home and Office Communication Devices
business of Siemens of Germany, by Arques, also of Germany. SHC is active
in the consumer electronics sector. Arques is an investment company. The
Commission concluded that the proposed concentration would not
significantly impede effective competition in the European Economic Area
(EEA) or any substantial part of it.
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
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