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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 97-10-28
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
MIDDAY EXPRESS
News from the Spokesman's midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi du Porte-Paroleb
28/10/97
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Commission reacts to UK position on EMU
[02] Le Portugal fait bon usage des Fonds structurels communautaires
[03] Christos Papoutsis: "BEST can play a key role in improving the
business environment"
[01] Commission reacts to UK position on EMU
Immediately after yesterday's statement by Gordon Brown, Chancellor of the
Exchequer, on his government's position towards EMU, European Commission
President Jacques Santer and Commissioner Yves-Thibault de Silguy gave the
following reaction: "The European Commission has always supported the
widest possible participation in the euro from 1 January 1999 of those
countries which meet the necessary conditions. This is in the interest of
the European Union and all its Member States. The Commission takes note of
the UK government's decision not to participate from the 1 January 1999.
At the same time, the Commission welcomes the overall positive UK attitude
towards the euro, and its determination to prepare intensively for the
introduction of the single currency. While stressing that the decision on
exercising the opt-out is for the UK, the Commission is of the opinion that
the sooner the UK joins, the better. The Commission also welcomes the
commitment by the UK government to do everything possible during their
Presidency of the Council of Ministers during the first half of 1998 to
ensure a successful launch of the euro. Decisions on which countries meet
the necessary conditions to participate in the EMU are taken by the
European Council on the basis of reports and recommendations from the
European Commission and the European Monetary Institute. The Commission
will ensure that the Treaty conditions are strictly applied in the same way
to all Member States."
[02] Le Portugal fait bon usage des Fonds structurels communautaires
L'utilisation des Fonds structurels de l'Union européenne (UE) au Portugal
est un succès. C'est ce qui ressort de l'évaluation à mi-parcours de la
mise en oeuvre des fonds alloués au Portugal pour la période de
programmation 1994-1999. A la fin de 1996, quelque 6 milliards d'Ecus,
soit 40% de l'aide communautaire accordée pour l'ensemble de la période (14,
3 milliards d'Ecus à prix 97) avaient déjà été dépensés. En outre, les
indicateurs-clés montrent que les résultats obtenus dépassent souvent les
prévisions initiales. Par exemple, 35.000 emplois en moyenne ont été créés
annuellement grâce au soutien des Fonds structurels (soit 2,5% de l'emploi
total au Portugal) alors que les prévisions ne dépassaient pas les 17.000
emplois. La construction d'autoroutes et de routes principales représente
déjà 74% de l'objectif prévu pour 1999. Dans le secteur des
télécommunications, le taux d'équipement téléphonique moyen de l'UE (42
postes pour 100 habitants) est d'ores et déjà atteint alors que l'on
n'espérait pas y parvenir avant 1999.
[03] Christos Papoutsis: "BEST can play a key role in improving the
business environment"
"Your challenge is to make changes and I hope you will be bold and
innovative in your proposals, perhaps even provocative, in order to
contribute to improving the business environment and competitiveness, and
enhance employment in Europe" emphasized today Commissioner Christos
Papoutsis, responsible for Enterprise Policy, inaugurating the work of the
Business Environment Simplification Task Force (BEST) which had its first
meeting under the chairmanship of Professor Chris Evans, in the European
Commission in Brussels. The Commissioner underlined that "the challenges
European enterprises are facing are related to the business environment and
require closer examination", and said that BEST "will have the opportunity
to look at the wider aspects of the business environment, and at the
different national approaches in the Member States". Mr Papoutsis
underlined that it can play a key role in identifying what problems and
barriers business comes up against and asked its members to produce an
interim report with some preliminary ideas to the Employment Summit, and
their Final Report for the Cardiff European Council in June 1998.
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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