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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 97-11-06
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
06/11/97
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[I] Résultats de la Commission du 5 novembre 1997 - Outcome of Commission
meeting of 5 November 97
[01] Information and consultation of employees at national level:
Commission launches second phase of consultation with the social partners
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[02] Jacques Santer au Sommet des pays ACP: la place du partenariat UE-ACP
[03] Business and consumer surveys - The economic sentiment at record level
in October 1997
[04] L'inflation annuelle de l'UE est restée stable à 1,8% en septembre
1997
[05] Droit de séjour: la Commission décide de saisir la Cour de justice à
l'encontre de l'Espagne et du Portugal
[06] Quality and training are the keys to competitiveness: Commission
adopts communication on the European construction industry
[07] GMO Maïze in Austria and Luxembourg
[08] Christos Papoutsis: "The combat against child sex tourism and
paedophilia is a high political priority for the Commission"
[09] Ritt Bjerregaard: "In Kyoto we will have to move from talking to
action"
[10] Christos Papoutsis: "The energy sector faces a major challenge in the
climate change debate"
[I] Résultats de la Commission du 5 novembre 1997 - Outcome of Commission
meeting of 5 November 97
(voir aussi - see also Midday Express of 5.11)
[01] Information and consultation of employees at national level:
Commission launches second phase of consultation with the social partners
The European Commission has decided to consult the social partners at
European Union (EU) level on the possible content of EU legislation in the
field of information and consultation of employees at national level. The
Commission's proposal, in the form of a consultative document to be sent to
the social partners, marks the second phase of a process launched last June,
when the social partners were consulted on the advisability of EU action in
this field. Having considered the reactions to the first round of
consultations, the Commission is now putting forward a set of possible
measures aimed at establishing the fundamental right of workers to be
consulted and informed on decisions likely to affect them; at developing
effective mechanisms for anticipating and preventing the possible social
consequences of industrial change and restructuring, and at strengthening
the link between information and consultation on strategic and social
issues. The social partners have now six weeks to either submit their
opinion on the document, or, as the Commission fervently hopes, decide to
negotiate an agreement themselves, under the Agreement on Social Policy.
In the latter case, the Commission will suspend legislative action for 9
months while the agreement is negotiated.
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[02] Jacques Santer au Sommet des pays ACP: la place du partenariat UE-ACP
"Le renouvellement des accords de coopération UE-ACP sera l'occasion de
créer entre nos régions un lien plus complet, plus démocratique, plus
participatif, et sans doute plus efficace et porteur de développement", a
dit le Président de la Commission européenne, Jacques Santer, à l'ouverture
du premier sommet que les pays d'Afrique, des Caraïbes et du Pacifique
(ACP) tiennent les 6 et 7 novembre à Libreville (Gabon). Jacques Santer,
qui est accompagné de João de Deus Pinheiro, commissaire chargé de la
politique de développement, a tenu a marquer par sa présence à Libreville
l'engagement de la Commission à l'égard de la zone ACP qui s'est traduit il
y a une semaine par l'adoption des orientations politiques à suivre dans
les futurs accords entre l'Union européenne et ces pays. Les Chefs d'Etat
et de gouvernement des pays ACP adopteront une "déclaration de Libreville"
dans laquelle ils se prononceront sur l'avenir institutionnel et politique
du groupe ACP ainsi que sur la dette et les échanges commerciaux Sud/Sud et
Sud/Nord.
[03] Business and consumer surveys - The economic sentiment at record level
in October 1997
According to the latest business and consumer surveys published by the
European Commission's Directorate General for economic and financial
affairs, economic sentiment in the European Union was at its highest level
for seven years in October 1997. The capacity utilisation in manufacturing
industry continues to rise according to the industry survey, reaching 83.0%
in October. This is a marked increase compared with July (82.1%). Also,
both new orders and export volume expectations show the highest levels for
two years. This confirms the encouraging results from the industrial
confidence indicator, which rose to its highest level in two years in
October. The optimism is apparent also from the increase in consumer and
construction confidence. The consumer confidence indicator reached record
levels in October remaining above its average over the last ten years.
[04] L'inflation annuelle de l'UE est restée stable à 1,8% en septembre
1997
En septembre, l'inflation annuelle de l'Union européenne est restée stable
à 1,8%, taux identique à celui du mois d'août, selon les chiffres publiés
aujourd'hui par Eurostat, l'Office statistique des Communautés européennes
à Luxembourg. En septembre 1996, elle avait atteint 2,2%. Ce taux
représente l'Indice européen des prix à la consommation (IPCE), calculé
comme une moyenne des Indices des prix à la consommation harmonisé (IPCH)
des Etats membres. Neuf Etat membres ont relevé des taux inférieurs à la
moyenne communautaire, six d'entre eux se situant entre 1,5% et 1,6%.
L'Irlande avec 0,6% et l'Autriche avec 1,1% peuvent se prévaloir des taux
les plus bas. Les taux les plus élevés ont été constatés en Grèce (4,9%),
en Suède (2,7%) et aux Pays-Bas (2,6%). L'inflation est restée stable aux
Etats-Unis (2,2%) et a augmenté au Japon (2,4%). En Suisse, le taux est
descendu à 0,4%. Ces taux ne sont toutefois pas strictement comparables
aux IPCH.
[05] Droit de séjour: la Commission décide de saisir la Cour de justice à
l'encontre de l'Espagne et du Portugal
La Commission européenne a décidé de saisir la Cour de justice au titre de
l'article 169 du Traité CE contre l'Espagne et le Portugal pour
transposition incorrecte des directives sur le droit de séjour des
retraités et inactifs. Dans le cas de l'Espagne, la saisine concerne aussi
la transposition incorrecte de la directive sur le droit de séjour des
étudiants. "Les citoyens doivent avoir confiance que leurs droits dans le
Marché Unique soient toujours respectés" a insisté Mario Monti, Commissaire
pour le Marché Unique. "C'est une priorité que j'entends poursuivre avec
détermination. Nous veillerons à ce que chaque violation de ces droits
soit sanctionnée".
[06] Quality and training are the keys to competitiveness: Commission
adopts communication on the European construction industry
The European Commission has adopted a communication on the competitiveness
of the European construction industry. The communication identifies four
strategic objectives aimed at enhancing the competitiveness of the sector:
to develop a coherent quality policy, the Commission recommends the
widespread adoption of quality schemes. To improve the regulatory
environment, the Commission will act to consolidate and simplify
legislation related to the Single Market and public procurement. The
conditions necessary for sustained growth in provision of education and
training at all levels should be created. The Commission announces its
intention to reorient the resources for research and development towards
the continually changing needs of the sector, and the better dissemination
of research findings. The communication proposes more than 60 specific
actions aimed at fulfilling these strategic objectives.
[07] GMO Maïze in Austria and Luxembourg
The European Commission takes note of the fact that the Member States
yesterday decided to postpone a decision on the Commission's proposal to
repeal the Austrian and Luxembourg ban on Genetically Modified Maïze (cfr.
IP/97/784). The Commission recalls that the Directive 90/220 - as adopted
by the Council - sets out a specific procedure for approval of GMO products
and notes that the Member States found themselves unable to participate
fully in the practical application of this procedure. The Commission notes
that in the absence of a decision, the Austrian and Luxembourg ban of maïze
remains in place. The Commission takes this opportunity to underline once
again the need to change the comitology applied in the Directive in order
to secure a more full and effective participation of Member States. A
proposal to this effect will be included in the foreseen revision of
Directive 90/220 which the Commission intends to discuss within a couple of
weeks.
[08] Christos Papoutsis: "The combat against child sex tourism and
paedophilia is a high political priority for the Commission"
The Community intervention to combat child sex tourism "is necessary and
must become more intense and efficient in the future" said European
Commissioner Christos Papoutsis, responsible for Tourism, during
yesterday's debate of the European Parliament. The Commissioner said that
the combat against paedophilia and sexual exploitation of children "is on
the top of the political priorities" of the Commission which "is determined
to contribute with all its forces to the efforts undertaken". "The
Commission, he said, has already undertaken some action, such as a call of
tender for initiatives aiming at strengthening coordination on European
level of information and sensibilisation campaigns and an intervention of
the European tourism industry with as result many European and
international organisations to issue resolutions, rules and codes of
conduct". Mr Papoutsis stressed that the Commission will continue its
efforts to combat this "tourism of shame".
[09] Ritt Bjerregaard: "In Kyoto we will have to move from talking to
action"
Speaking at the conference in Brussels on climate change organised by
European Voice, Environment Commissioner Ritt Bjerregaard presented the
European Union's (EU) approach to the coming climate conference in Kyoto.
The Commissioner gave concrete examples of how the EU can reach its goals
for a 15% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2010 without loosing out
on competitivity or economic growth. The Commission also expressed her
disappointment with the position of the USA, by far the world largest
emittor of greenhouse gases. On her ambitions for Kyoto, the Commissioner
said: "If we are to achieve an ambitious result in Kyoto it will be the EU,
that once again will have to take the lead. It is clear that we cannot
depend on leadership by the US and Japan. But we cannot do it on our own.
We need the commitment of the other industrialised countries and the
support of the developing countries if we are to secure the globe's future.
"I am going to Kyoto to get results. The EU will fight every inch of the
way. In Rio we said we must act, in Berlin we said we must act. In Kyoto I
hope we will."
[10] Christos Papoutsis: "The energy sector faces a major challenge in the
climate change debate"
In a speech at a Conference organised today by "European Voice" on climate
change, Energy Commissioner Christos Papoutsis emphasised the critical role
of energy production, distribution and use for the emission level of the
different greenhouse gases and said that "a dynamic energy sector has an
important implication for achieving substantial and radical improvements in
local, regional and global environmental conditions". The Commissioner
said that the four specific initiatives which will make a major
contribution are: greater penetration of renewable energy sources,
promotion of combined head and power, energy saving measures, enhanced
efficiency improvements for industrial products and processes. Mr
Papoutsis also said that the Kyoto Conference "will hopefully be a new
milestone in international cooperation in global issues" and underlined
that "it is very important that an agreement is reached between all the
industrialised countries; we cannot act alone without our trading
partners".
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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