|
|
|
European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 98-03-10
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
10/03/98
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Commission approves agreements between the European and the Korean
semiconductor industries to prevent anti-dumping conflicts
[02] Commission approves joint venture Transrapid between Thyssen, Adtranz
and Siemens to merge their magnetic levitation train activities
[03] Martin Bangemann challenges industry leaders to shape the
International Charter
[04] Ten projects competing for the European Job Challenge
[05] La Roumanie appelée à participer au programme environnemental de l'UE
(LIFE)
[01] Commission approves agreements between the European and the Korean
semiconductor industries to prevent anti-dumping conflicts
Karel Van Miert, European Commissioner responsible for competition policy,
has approved two agreements entered into by the European Electronic
Component Manufacturers Association (EECA), the Korea Semiconductor
Industry Association (KSIA) and their respective member companies. The
agreements provide for the creation of a data collection and maintenance
system for certain semiconductors. Their sole purpose is the expeditious
resolution of anti-dumping procedures. The products covered under the
agreements are Dynamic Random Access Memories (DRAMs) and Flash Erasable
Programmable Read-Only Memories (Flash EPROMs). The Commission found that
the agreements did not restrict or distort competition and therefore
cleared them under certain conditions by an administrative letter.
[02] Commission approves joint venture Transrapid between Thyssen, Adtranz
and Siemens to merge their magnetic levitation train activities
The European Commission has decided that the creation of the joint venture
Transrapid International GmbH & Co KG is compatible with the common market.
Thyssen, ADtranz and Siemens will merge their activities in the sector of
magnetic levitation train technologies and will control the joint venture
in equal proportions. The Transrapid International GmbH & Co KG joint
venture will plan and implement magnetic levitation train projects world-
wide and ensure their maintenance. The concentration will not lead to
cooperation between the parents in their markets because magnetic
levitation train technology has almost nothing in common with "steel wheel
on steel rail" technology.
[03] Martin Bangemann challenges industry leaders to shape the
International Charter
On a visit to Palo Alto, California, on Friday, 6th March 1998, Martin
Bangemann, European Commissioner for Industrial Affairs and Telecommunications,
spoke to the Chief Executive Officers of several American companies about
the European Union's "International Charter for global electronic services"
initiative. Mr Bangemann urged the private sector to play a more active
role in communications policies worldwide. He called for an Industry Round
Table meeting, which would be a first step in the consensus building
process leading to a Charter. The companies consulted welcomed the Charter
initiative and Mr Bangemann's emphasis on an open and market-led approach,
saying that it addresses a problem recognised by all those concerned: the
need to develop consistent rules at international level for the global
electronic marketplace.
[04] Ten projects competing for the European Job Challenge
Ten outstanding job creation projects have been shortlisted for the first
European Job Challenge award. The competition was launched by the European
Commissioner for Regional Policy and Cohesion Monika Wulf-Mathies in June
1997 to reward the most successful projects co-financed by the European
Union's (EU) Structural Funds and to set an example for others who benefit
from the Funds. "The chosen entries highlight the crucial contribution
made by EU Structural Funds to reducing unemployment; without EU support
most of these projects could not have gone ahead", Mrs Wulf-Mathies
stressed after the selection of the shortlist. The challenge focused on
durable job-creation schemes in industrial areas in decline, which are
supported under Objective 2 of the EU's Structural Funds. The main
criterion was the impact of the programmes on employment, but factors such
as originality, transferability and impact on long-term unemployment were
taken into account. The shortlist was drawn up by a jury of six experts
from Finland, France, Italy, the Netherlands, United Kingdom and Spain,
chaired by Baroness Williams of Crosby. The finalists will be presented at
the European Job Challenge seminar in Brussels from 29-30 April this year.
The winning project managers will be invited to visit other Objective 2
areas to discuss their approach and share their experiences. The
competition was open to all projects supported since 1989 by either the
European Regional Development Fund or the European Social Fund under
Objective 2 programmes.
[05] La Roumanie appelée à participer au programme environnemental de l'UE
(LIFE)
La Roumanie sera le premier pays candidat d'Europe de l'Est à participer, à
partir de 1998, à LIFE, l'instrument financier de l'Union européenne (UE)
pour l'environnement. Les accords européens et leurs protocoles
additionnels, signés entre l'UE et l'ensemble des pays candidats,
mentionnent expressément la possibilité pour les pays associés de
participer aux programmes internes de l'UE, et désignent l'environnement
comme domaine éligible. Dans les avis rendus par la Commission européenne
sur les demandes d'adhésion, l'environnement est cité comme un secteur
essentiel, dans lequel des efforts très importants devront être consentis
afin d'assurer une pleine adéquation aux normes de l'UE. Les conclusions
du Conseil européen de Luxembourg de décembre 1997 soulignent elles aussi
l'importance de la participation des pays candidats aux programmes
communautaires, élément fondamental de la stratégie renforcée de pré-
adhésion. Cette initiative aidera les pays considérés à se familiariser aux
pratiques et aux méthodes de travail communautaires dans la perspective de
l'adoption de l'acquis.
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
|
