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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 99-05-12
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-Parole 12/05/1999b
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Dismissal Government Primakov
[02] Marchés publics : la Commission approuve la liste des services de
télécommunications exemptés
[03] Kosovo : EU-World Bank agreement on economic co-ordination
[04] Mario Monti : "A single financial market will generate huge benefits
for the European economy and for the UK financial services industry"
[01] Dismissal Government Primakov
The European Commission has taken note of the dismissal of the Government
of the Russian Federation chaired by Prime Minister Jevgeni Primakov, and
the appointment of Mr Sergei Stepachin as acting Prime Minister. The
Commission reckons that this event will not affect the political and
economic stability recently developed in the Russian Federation.
Furthermore, the Commission hopes that the constructive role Russia is
playing in relation to the search for a solution for the Kosovo conflict
will be sustained. The Commission would like to use this opportunity to
express its gratitude to Mr Primakov and the members of his Government for
their contribution to the positive relationship which exists between the
Russian Federation and the European Union.
[02] Marchés publics : la Commission approuve la liste des services de
télécommunications exemptés
La Commission européenne a approuvé une liste spécifiant quels services de
télécommunications des Etats membres sont considérés par la Commission
comme exemptés des dispositions détaillées de la réglementation de l'Union
européenne (UE) sur les marchés publics soumis à une exemption. Celle-ci
est prévue pour le secteur des télécommunications qui fait l'objet d'une
réelle concurrence dans les Etats membres par la Directive portant
coordination des procédures de passation des marchés dans les secteurs de
l'eau, de l'énergie, des transports et des télécommunications (93/38/CEE)
et également par la Communication relative aux marchés publics de mars 1998
(voir IP/98/233). Cette liste tient compte des dernières données fournies à
la Commission sur le stade actuel de la libéralisation des télécommunications
dans l'UE, à partir des déclarations des opérateurs nationaux de
télécommunications et des évaluations précédentes réalisées par la
Commission. L'analyse de la Commission montre que les services de
télécommunications sont actuellement proposés dans des conditions de réelle
compétitivité dans la plupart des zones géographiques. La liste sera
publiée, à titre d'information, dans le journal officiel de l'UE, série C,
et sera disponible sur le World Wide Web (http://simap.eu.int). Elle sera
mise à jour en fonction de l'évolution des conditions de concurrence sur le
marché.
[03] Kosovo : EU-World Bank agreement on economic co-ordination
The World Bank and the European Commission (acting on behalf of the
European Union EU) have agreed a mechanism to co-ordinate the response of
the international community to the economic needs of the Balkans as a
result of the Kosovo crisis. This agreement is contained in a joint
statement signed today in London by World Bank President James Wolfensohn
and Yves-Thibault de Silguy, Commissioner responsible for economic,
monetary and financial affairs. It follows a decision at a meeting of high-
level representatives of governments and international agencies in
Washington on 27 April to give the EU and the World Bank joint
responsibility to co-ordinate work on assessing the needs and mobilising
support for the Balkans region. The Commission and the World Bank have
already co-chaired donor meetings for Bulgaria and the Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) and there will be further meetings during May
on Albania and Bosnia Herzegovina. At all these meetings the regional
economic impact of the Kosovo crisis is discussed as well as the economic
developments and the needs of the particular country concerned.
[04] Mario Monti : "A single financial market will generate huge benefits
for the European economy and for the UK financial services industry"
(! embargo 8 pm !) Addressing the Europe 21 Foundation in London today,
European Commissioner for Financial Services, Mario Monti, outlined the
ambitious Action Plan to improve Single Market for financial services and
pension funds adopted by the Commission on 11 May. "I am convinced that an
efficient and integrated European Union (EU) capital market forms an
integral part of the long-term development of the Single Market which will
greatly benefit the UK, given its comparative advantage in the financial
services industry", said Mr Monti. "But such an integrated EU capital
market inevitably requires some tax coordination. It would be otherwise
technically unbalanced and politically difficult. Member States and
operators cannot preach the virtues of open, integrated and competitive
financial markets on one hand while turning a blind eye to the remaining
tax obstacles and to the negative consequences of unbridled tax competition
on the allocation of capital. There would be little point in removing
legislative obstacles to a single financial market within the EU if we were
to leave in place forms of harmful tax competition. This has nothing to do
with a fully-fledged tax harmonisation, which definitely is not in the
Commission's agenda. I am confident that my visit to London today will help
to improve understanding about where the real future of British interests
lies", concluded Mr Monti.
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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