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EU News Flashes and Events for 96-06-20
From: HR-Net News Distribution Manager <dist@hri.org>
CONTENTS
[01] Beef row cools, summit deal seen
[02] EU vets approve British BSE plan
[03] UK told to cooperate in beef row
[04] Commission paper on UK beef ban
[05] EU decisions taken without UK ?
[06] UK takes beef export ban to court
[07] Jobs should dominate summit
[08] EU states still differ on ERM 2
[09] Auto/Oil package adopted
[10] Greek veto on EU aid - Dini
[11] China must cut car import tariffs
[12] EU vows to get tough over Cuba
[13] No state aid for some industries
[14] Norway shipyard aid prolonged
[15] Sun Alliance/Royal Insurance deal
[16] Main EU events for June 20
[01] Beef row cools, summit deal seen
BRUSSELS - Europe's beef row cooled on Thursday after veterinary officials
approved Britain's plan to eradicate mad cow disease, raising hopes that EU
leaders might agree to phase out a ban on British beef at a weekend summit.
[02] EU vets approve British BSE plan
BRUSSELS - The European Union's Standing Veterinary Committee approved on
Wednesday a British programme to eradicate mad cow disease unanimously after
London agreed to slaughter more cows, a French official said.
[03] UK told to cooperate in beef row
STRASBOURG - European Commission President Jacques Santer said on Wednesday
there would be no end to the row over mad cow disease at the weekend European
Council in Florence unless Britain stops blocking EU business. He added that
beef exports to non-EU countries would only resume at the same time as exports
to EU member states under the Commission's framework plan.
[04] Commission paper on UK beef ban
BRUSSELS - The European Commission issued a position paper on Wednesday,
setting out a framework for a phased lifting of a worldwide ban on British
beef exports, which will be discussed at the EU summit in Florence this
weekend.
[05] EU decisions taken without UK ?
STRASBOURG - Italian Foreign Minister Lamberto Dini said on Wednesday that the
European Union summit in Florence this week would take decisions without
Britain if that proved necessary.
[06] UK takes beef export ban to court
LUXEMBOURG - The European Commission defended its ban on exports of British
beef at the European Court of Justice on Wednesday, saying public health
measures were necessary to ensure that the EU's internal market worked
properly.
[07] Jobs should dominate summit
BRUSSELS - Mad cow disease should not be allowed to distract European Union
leaders from addressing the bloc's real needs at the European Council in
Florence this week, EU officials said on Wednesday.
[08] EU states still differ on ERM 2
FRANKFURT - European Union states still differ on whether all EU countries
should eventually join ERM 2, the planned successor to the current EU currency
grid, European Monetary Institute President Alexandre Lamfalussy said on
Wednesday.
[09] Auto/Oil package adopted
BRUSSELS - The European Commission has proposed a package of standards for
fuel quality and limits on car exhaust gases intended to slash road transport
emissions by up to 70 percent by the year 2010.
[10] Greek veto on EU aid - Dini
STRASBOURG - Greece's continued opposition to a European Union agreement with
Mediterranean countries is threatening millions of dollars of aid from this
year's budget, the EU said on Wednesday.
[11] China must cut car import tariffs
BEIJING - China must slash tariffs on imported cars and loosen restrictions on
foreign-funded firms to build a competitive auto industry and win a place in
the World Trade Organisation, European officials said on Tuesday.
[12] EU vows to get tough over Cuba
BRUSSELS - The European Union made its strongest statement to date in
opposition to U.S. anti-Cuba laws on Wednesday, vowing to retaliate if
European business suffered.
[13] No state aid for some industries
BRUSSELS - The European Commission made it crystal clear on Wednesday that it
would not allow state subsidies to be paid to some sectors of industry even if
they were intended to preserve or create jobs.
[14] Norway shipyard aid prolonged
BRUSSELS - The European Free Trade Association surveillance authority decided
on Wednesday to authorise a prolongation of Norwegian aid schemes in support
of the shipbuilding industry.
[15] Sun Alliance/Royal Insurance deal
BRUSSELS - The European Commission said on Wednesday it had cleared the
merger of British insurance firms Sun Alliance Group Plc and Royal Insurance
Holdings Plc.
[16] Main EU events for June 20
STRASBOURG - European Parliament plenary session meets at 0800 GMT (fourth of
five days); agenda includes vote on situation in former Yugoslavia.
LUXEMBOURG - Special meeting of EU energy ministers begins at 0800 GMT;
discussion on the liberalisation of the electricity market.
BRUSSELS - Austrian Ministry for Economic Affairs Representative Heinz Handler
addresses the Centre for European Policy Studies seminar on "The Austrian
economy and the EU" at 1115 GMT.
FLORENCE, Italy - Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi addresses the European
University Institute on "The EU: a hard but successful venture" at 1400 GMT.
FLORENCE, Italy - Group of the Party of European Socialists summit begins at
1500 GMT; EU socialist leaders attend; discussions focus on employment, the
inter-governmental conference, British beef crisis; informal news conference
at 1730 GMT.
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://www.cec.lu/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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