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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 09-02-17Midday Express: News from the EU Commission Spokesman's Briefings Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>CONTENTS / CONTENU
MIDDAY EXPRESSNews from the Communication Directorate General's midday briefingNouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction Générale Communicationb17/02/09[01] Mergers: Commission approves proposed joint-venture between Rolls- Royce and MubadalaThe European Commission has approved under the EU Merger Regulation the proposed creation of a joint-venture between UK aircraft engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce and the United Arab Emirates-based investment fund Mubadala. The Commission concluded that the transaction would not significantly impede effective competition within the European Economic Area (EEA) or a substantial part of it.[02] State aid: Commission raises no objections to the change of ownership of Anglo Irish BankThe European Commission has raised no objections, under EC Treaty State aid rules, to the change of ownership of Anglo Irish Bank. The Irish authorities notified the taking into public ownership of Anglo Irish Bank for reasons of legal certainty. The Commission considers that the act of nationalisation as such involves no aid. Moreover, no further aid is being granted to Anglo Irish Bank beyond the guarantees already in place under the Irish guarantee scheme, approved by the European Commission on 13 October 2008 (see <a href="http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/08/1497&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en">IP/08/1497).The Irish Government has committed to notify any possible state aid measures that it may wish to grant in future.[03] Premier concours européen de journalisme dans le domaine de la santé à l’occasion de la campagne «L’Europe pour les patients»La Commission européenne lance aujourd’hui le premier concours européen de journalisme dans le domaine de la santé, un concours destiné aux journalistes de la presse écrite et de la presse électronique. Ce prix prestigieux est l’un des piliers de la campagne «L’Europe pour les patients», dont le lancement a eu lieu récemment ; il servira à distinguer et promouvoir un journalisme de santé de grande qualité d’un bout à l’autre de l’Europe, d’une part, et à stimuler et alimenter le débat autour des questions de santé européennes et, plus particulièrement, des initiatives relevant de la campagne «L’Europe pour les patients», d’autre part.[04] Euro area external trade deficit € 32.1 billionThe first estimate for the euro area (EA15) trade balance with the rest of the world in December 2008 gave a € 0.7 billion deficit, compared with € -3.9 billion in December 2007. The November 2008 balance was -5.8 bn, compared with € +2.3 billion in November 2007. In December 2008 compared with November 2008, seasonally adjusted exports fell by 0.9% and imports by 3.9%. The first estimate for the December 2008 extra-EU271 trade balance was a deficit of € 10.4 billion, compared with € -17.7 billion in December 2007. In November 2008, the balance was € -23.6 billion, compared with € -17.0 billin in November 2007. In December 2008 compared with November 2008, seasonally adjusted exports fell by 1.0% and imports by 6.0%. During 2008, euro area trade recorded a deficit of € 32.1 billion, compared with € +15.8 billion in 2007. The EU27 recorded a deficit of € 241.3 billion in 2008, compared with €-192.4 billion in 2007. These data are released by Eurostat.[05] Commission clears joint venture between Serendipity Investment and EurosportThe European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger Regulation to the proposed joint venture between Serendipity Investment SAS of France and Eurosport SA also of France. Serendipity Investment is a capital investment company investing in medium-sized undertakings and providing advice and services to corporate mergers and acquisitions. Eurosport broadcasts several TV sports channels, co-manages websites dedicated to sports news and holds shares in companies specialised in the production and management of sports competitions. The joint venture will develop on-line betting sites throughout Europe. The operation was examined under the simplified merger review procedure.[06] GMOs: Commission submitted proposals on safeguard measures to Standing Committee on Food Chain and Animal HealthOn 16 February 2009 the Standing Committee on Food Chain and Animal Health (SCFCAH) met to discuss two Commission proposals which ask Greece and France to repeal their safeguard measures against the cultivation of GM maize MON810. The Committee failed to reach a qualified majority in favour of or against the two proposals. For this reason the decision will be referred to the Council of Ministers. Greece adopted a prohibition on marketing MON810 seeds in January 2006, which was extended for 24 months in 2007, and also included the use of seeds for any purpose other than marketing. In April 2008 the Commission sent a mandate to EFSA requesting a scientific opinion on the evidence submitted by Greece. EFSA adopted an opinion on 3 July 2008 concluding that the available scientific evidence does not sustain the arguments provided by Greece and that cultivation of MON810 in Greece is unlikely to have any adverse effect on human and animal health and the environment. In February 2008 France prohibited the cultivation of MON810, and the Commission asked EFSA for a scientific opinion on the French evidence. EFSA adopted an opinion on 29 October 2008 concluding that it did not identify any new data subject to scientific scrutiny or scientific information that would change previous risk assessments conducted on MON810. In the light of the EFSA opinions, the Commission had therefore presented draft decisions to the Standing Committee requesting Greece and France to repeal their national prohibitions.[07] Internal Market Information (IMI) System Awareness Raising Conference: "The IMI Network and the Services Directive – Connecting administrations, building trust"On 25 February 2009 the European Commission will hold a conference on the Internal Market Information (IMI) system. IMI is an electronic information exchange network supporting day-to-day cooperation between public administrations in the EU Internal Market. The conference kicks off a pilot project whose aim is to help Member States implement the system by the time the Services Directive comes into force at the end of 2009. Under the title "Connecting administrations, building trust", the Commission will bring together more than 300 Member State officials with the aim of creating a good understanding of both the importance of effective administrative cooperation, to make the Services Directive work in practice and of the need to devote substantial resources and efforts to this end. The event is open to the press and participants can register through this link: <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/imi-net/imi_awareness_raising_conference_en.html">http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/imi- net/imi_awareness_raising_conference_en.htmlRediffusion [08] L'examen par l'UE du «programme de traque du financement du terrorisme» des États-Unis confirme l'existence de garanties de protection des données personnellesEn mars 2008, la Commission européenne avait annoncé qu'elle allait entreprendre au nom de l'Union européenne un examen des procédures appliquées par le département du Trésor américain au traitement, à l'utilisation et à la diffusion des enregistrements de transactions financières sur le réseau SWIFT qu'il obtenait à la suite d'injonctions délivrées dans le cadre de son "Programme de traque du financement du terrorisme (TFTP). Le juge Bruguière, que la Commission avait chargé de cet examen, a élaboré un premier rapport qu'il a remis au vice-président Barrot.[09] Autre matériel diffusé• Memo on the Monthly monitoring report on EU employment and social situation• Memo on the EU Health Prize for Journalists • Speech by Commissioner Hübner on "Regions for Economic Change: Networking for results", Brussels • Speech by Commissioner Kroes on 'The Road to Recovery', Paris - EMBARGO 15h00 CET - A disposition au secrétariat de Jonathan Todd (BERL 03/315): Notification préalable d'une opération de concentration : AIP/BBEIF/BBI Europe/Euroports Dexia Crédit Local / Dexia Kommunalkredit Bank CNP Assurances/CNP Unicredit Life
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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