|
|
|
European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 96-07-09
From: HR-Net News Distribution Manager <dist@hri.org>
MIDDAY EXPRESS
News from the Spokesman's midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi du Porte-Paroleb
09 / 07 / 1996
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] "The Information Society must put people first" - The first annual report of
the Information Society Forum
[02] La Commission approuve la création d'une entreprise commune entre IP
Groupe et Reuters
[03] Marché unique: procédures d'infraction pour non-transposition des
directives dans la loi nationale
[04] Commission takes Germany, France, Italy and Portugal to court for non-implementation of the Habitats Directive
[05] Commission takes Germany to Court for non-implementation of Directive on
dangerous substances discharges into water
[06] Franz Fischler on the challenges ahead for the agricultural policy
[07] Padraig Flynn: 1997 to be the "European year against racism"
[08] Monika Wulf-Mathies on cohesion policy and environment
[01] "The Information Society must put people first" - The first annual report of
the Information Society Forum
In its first annual report, the Information Society Forum presented its main
conclusions in the form of 12 proposals covering social, cultural, political and
economic issues. As well as insisting that the Information Society must become
the "Lifelong Learning Society," the proposals also emphasise that the new
technologies will eventually create more jobs than they destroy, that teleworking
will be the employment future for millions of people, that no one should be
excluded from the Information Society and that individual liberties must be
protected against the dangers of a "snooping society".
[02] La Commission approuve la création d'une entreprise commune entre IP
Groupe et Reuters
La Commission européenne a approuvé une opération par laquelle IP Groupe
(IP), filiale du groupe français Havas, et le groupe anglais Reuters créent une
entreprise commune (Adways) qui opèrera sur le marché des services
d'intermédiation dans le secteur des médias et de la publicité. Ce nouveau
système permettra aux acheteurs d'espace publicitaire d'obtenir directement sur
leur micro-ordinateur les conditions commerciales des vendeurs d'espaces
publicitaires, de négocier les tarifs et de conclure la transaction. Il s'agit d'une
activité qui a déjà été développée aux Etats-Unis mais qui n'existait pas jusqu'à
présent en Europe.
[03] Marché unique: procédures d'infraction pour non-transposition des
directives dans la loi nationale
La Commission européenne a décidé d'envoyer des avis motivés (seconde étape
de la procédure d'infraction prévue par l'article 169 du Traité) et de saisir la Cour
de justice dans 36 cas dans lesquels les Etats membres ont manqué à
l'obligation de transposer des directives marché unique dans les délais requis.
Il s'agit de directives dans les domaines des marchés publics, droits des citoyens,
reconnaissance des diplômes et services financiers. La Commission avait
rappelé aux Etats membres au Conseil Marché intérieur du 28 mai que l'écart est
encore trop important entre les déclarations des Etats membres et leurs actions
dans la pratique lorsqu'il s'agit d'appliquer les règles du Marché unique.
D'ailleurs, le Conseil européen de Florence a invité les Etats membres "à
accélérer la pleine application des directives concernant le marché intérieur" en
vue du "rôle essentiel du marché intérieur pour promouvoir la croissance et
l'emploi".
[04] Commission takes Germany, France, Italy and Portugal to court for non-implementation of the Habitats Directive
The European Commission has decided to lodge an application before the
European Court of Justice against a number of Member States for their failure to
adopt and communicate to the Commission the necessary national legislation to
give effect to the Habitats Directive. These Member States are: Germany,
France, Italy and Portugal. The step now decided by the Commission should be
seen in the context of a wider Commission strategy to ensure the Directive's
effective implementation. This strategy involves a combination of support and
awareness-raising measures and legal action.
[05] Commission takes Germany to Court for non-implementation of Directive on
dangerous substances discharges into water
The European Commission has decided to lodge an application before the
European Court of Justice against Germany for not having taken all measures
necessary to comply with Article 7 of Directive 76/464/EEC concerning discharges
of dangerous substances into waters. Article 7 of this directive obliges Member
States to establish programmes for reducing water pollution by certain
substances listed in the directive. These programmes shall include quality
objectives for surface and coastal waters which shall be taken as a basis for
granting authorizations by the competent authorities. Although the German
authorities have established quality objectives for some substances, the
Commission considers that the legal system in force is an infringement to the
directive.
[06] Franz Fischler on the challenges ahead for the agricultural policy
In his speech at the Agriclub meeting in Meise, Belgium, Agriculture and Rural
Development Commissioner Franz Fischler stated that there are three major
challenges the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) will have to face in the near
future: the continuation of its 1992-reform, the development of rural areas and the
enlargement towards the East. As the agricultural sector is a key factor for the
adhesion of new Member States, a detailed analysis of the countries concerned
was carried out and revealed institutional and structural difficulties. In order to
help the Central and Eastern European countries to adapt their agricultural
structures, institutions and policies to the CAP, the Union offers technical and
economic aid via programmes like Tacis and Phare. Commissioner Fischler also
puts particular emphasis on the fact that - in view of the 1999 GATT negotiations
- the CAP-reform has to be completed, simplified and extended. A modification
of the CAP also has to imply a reform of the policy of rural development in order
to maintain the standard of living for the population of rural areas.
[07] Padraig Flynn: 1997 to be the "European year against racism"
Speaking today in Brussels, Social Affairs Commissioner Padraig Flynn said that
the proclamation of 1997 as the European Year Against Racism will help bring
the European Community Institutions closer to the citizens by showing that "there
are ideals and values at stake in the European integration process and that
racism is diametrically opposed to everything Europe stands for". It will also raise
awareness of the contribution of the European Community Institutions to the
struggle against racism.
[08] Monika Wulf-Mathies on cohesion policy and environment
Monika Wulf-Mathies, Commissioner for Regional Policy and Cohesion, outlined
today the Commission's activities concerning its efforts to improve environmental
protection within Cohesion Policy during the last fifteen months. Addressing the
Environment Committee of the European Parliament, she said: "We must succeed
to make clear that high environmental standards do not necessarily only create
financial burdens but on the contrary open up possibilities; these are not only for
future generations, but already create the conditions for a sustainable economic
development and for increasing the attractivity of less favoured regions as
potential business locations." In addition she gave an overview concerning the
actual status of environmentally disputed projects, in particular the Tagus Bridge
in Lisbon.
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://www.cec.lu/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
|
