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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 00-03-08
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 08/03/2000b
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] COMMISSION EXTENDS TEMPORARY BAN ON PHTHALATES IN TOYS
[02] Ms Loyola de Palacio meets the Council of European Energy Regulators
[03] Climate change: Commission launches European Climate Change Programme
and advocates twin-track approach for reducing emissions.
[04] Fonds structurels : la Commission approuve le document de
programmation (DOCUP) de l'Objectif 1 pour le Burgenland (Autriche) pour la
période 2000-2006
[05] Commission assesses updated Stability Programme of France
[06] Commission assesses updated Stability Programme of Luxembourg
[07] Commission assesses updated Stability Programme of Portugal
[08] Anna Diamantopoulou : "Women's progress to positions of influence is
disappointing"
[09] Commission calls for adequate radio spectrum to ensure growth of 3rd
generation mobile phones and satellite navigation
[01] COMMISSION EXTENDS TEMPORARY BAN ON PHTHALATES IN TOYS
The European Commission has notified yesterday the Member States of its
Decision to extend for another three-months its temporary ban on the use of
certain phthalates in toys and childcare articles. The products covered by
the Decision are those intended to be placed in the mouth by babies, for
example dummies and teething rings, made of soft PVC containing phthalates.
The Member States were consulted and gave their unanimous approval to this
extension. This extension is necessary because the Commission proposal for
permanent legislative measures, made in November 1999, is still the subject
of discussions in the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers. In
the absence of new relevant scientific risk evaluation data the content of
the Decision remains unchanged. The Commission will consider any new
developments on the possible use of standardised methods for simulating and
measuring phthalates release from toys and is prepared to discuss these
with industry. Contacts have been established to that end. The Commission
will actively encourage and co-ordinate work to develop and validate such
methods. As long as test methods are not suitable for enforcement purposes,
the Commission considers that the ban should be maintained to guarantee a
high level of health protection of young children. (for more information:
Beate Gminder - tel: 296.5694, 0476/585.856 fax: 296.4284)
[02] Ms Loyola de Palacio meets the Council of European Energy Regulators
Ms Loyola de Palacio, Vice-president for Energy and Transport, today met
with the newly founded Council of European Energy Regulators chaired by Mr
Antonio Jorge Viegas de Vasconcelos, who handed over to her their
Memorandum of Understanding. Ms de Palacio congratulated the Council on its
constitution and gave the European Commission's strong support expressing
the wish that it could be extended very soon to other countries.
[03] Climate change: Commission launches European Climate Change Programme
and advocates twin-track approach for reducing emissions.
The European Commission wants to give new impetus to the Community's
efforts for reducing greenhouse gases that lead to global warming.
Launching the European Climate Change Programme with two initiatives
adopted today, the Commission advocates a twin-track strategy for
implementing the emission reduction target to which the EU is committed
under the 1997 Kyoto Protocol. A Green Paper on emissions trading foresees
the setting-up of an emissions trading system within the EU for the energy
sector and big industrial installations. The second pillar of the strategy
are targeted measures to reduce emissions from specific sources.
[04] Fonds structurels : la Commission approuve le document de
programmation (DOCUP) de l'Objectif 1 pour le Burgenland (Autriche) pour la
période 2000-2006
La Commission a approuvé aujourd'hui le projet de document unique de
programmation (DOCUP) pour le développement régional du Burgenland, en
Autriche, au cours des sept ans à venir. Ce programme relève de l'Objectif
1 des fonds structurels (régions en retard de développement) et prévoit
l'attribution de près de 271 millions d'euros en provenance de l'Union. Au
total, l'intervention de ces crédits européens permettra de mobiliser 864
millions d'euros d'investissements dans le Burgenland, dont 494 millions de
co-financements en provenance du secteur privé.
[05] Commission assesses updated Stability Programme of France
The European Commission today adopted a Recommendation to the Council of
Ministers on the updated stability programme of France ('Programme
pluriannuel de finances publiques, 2001-2003'). The Commission concluded
that the medium-term budgetary targets are in line with the requirements of
the Stability and Growth Pact and the Broad Economic Policy Guidelines.
Budgetary projections are based on two macroeconomic scenarios for the
period 2001-2003, one assuming annual average real GDP growth rate of 2.5%
and one 3%. Growth in 2000 is assumed to reach at least 3%. On the basis of
a better than initially planned outcome for the general government deficit
in 1999, the update projects a decline in the general government deficit
ratio to 1.7% of GDP in 2000, and to between 0.3% and 0.5% of GDP by 2003.
During the same period, the debt ratio is expected to fall from slightly
below 60% of GDP in 1999 to between 57.2% or 57.7% of GDP at the end of
2003. On the basis of the Commission's Recommendation, the Council is
expected to adopt a formal opinion on the updated French programme on [13
March 2000].
[06] Commission assesses updated Stability Programme of Luxembourg
The European Commission today adopted a Recommendation to the Council of
Ministers on the updated stability programme of Luxembourg (1999-2003). The
Commission concluded that the updated stability programme is in full
respect of the requirements of the Stability and Growth Pact and the Broad
Economic Policy Guidelines. The updated stability programme conveys the
commitment of the new Luxembourg government to continue the sound public
finance policies followed until now and to pursue the implementation of
structural reforms. The updated programme, building on better budgetary
results than initially expected in the past two years and on prospects for
high rates of economic growth, is projecting more ambitious budgetary
outcomes than the initial stability programme. The budgetary projections of
the updated programme are based on the assumption that real GDP growth will
reach around 4.5 % per year from 2000 to 2003; this macroeconomic
assumptions seems realistic considering the strong economic performance
achieved in the last years. The general government surplus is expected to
rise to 2.5% of GDP in 2000 and to 3.1% in 2003. On the basis of the
Commission's Recommendation, the Council is expected to adopt a formal
opinion on the updated Luxembourg programme on [13 March 2000].
[07] Commission assesses updated Stability Programme of Portugal
The European Commission today adopted a Recommendation to the Council of
Ministers on the updated stability programme of Portugal (2000-2004). The
Commission concluded that the medium-term budgetary targets are in line
with the requirements of the Stability and Growth Pact, although the
adjustment strategy is not fully in line with the Broad Economic Policy
Guidelines. Following a general government deficit of 2.0% in 1999, the
updated programme projects a decline in the general government deficit
ratio to 1.5 % of GDP in 2000 and to a balance position by 2004. During the
same period, the debt ratio is expected to fall to 48.4% of GDP. Budgetary
projections are based on a macroeconomic scenario assuming average GDP
growth of 3.5% per year over the period 2000-2004. On the basis of the
Commission's Recommendation, the Council is expected to adopt a formal
opinion on the updated Portuguese programme on [13 March 2000].
[08] Anna Diamantopoulou : "Women's progress to positions of influence is
disappointing"
The Commission yesterday adopted a report on how Member States and EU
institutions have performed in implementing the 1996 Council recommendation
on the balanced participation of women and men in the decision-making
process. The report reveals that the position of women in decision-making
has not improved significantly since the Recommendation was adopted. Long-
term political commitment, sound data, regular monitoring, appropriate
structures and financial resources are, it says, necessary to boost female
participation and further Council action is a 'must'. The report gives
examples of action and policies undertaken by the Member States to increase
the participation of women in decision-making at all levels. While
legislative measures have some impact on the public sector, the private
sector needs particular attention and possibly a different approach. Some
countries are promoting projects aimed at making employers aware of the
economic benefits of employing women. More progress also needs to be made
regarding women in senior positions in the civil service and public sector
bodies. The Report also gives statistics on the position of women in
decision-making, at local, regional, national and EU level.
[09] Commission calls for adequate radio spectrum to ensure growth of 3rd
generation mobile phones and satellite navigation
The European Commission is calling on EU member states to negotiate
sufficient additional radio spectrum to allow for further growth of 3rd
generation mobile telephony, and to obtain access to radio spectrum to
enable Europe's own satellite navigation system, Galileo, to develop in a
fast and cost-effective way. Participants from across the globe, including
the EU's member states, will congregate in Istanbul in May for a month of
negotiations. The Commission fears that insufficient spectrum space would
stunt the growth of 3rd generation mobile telephony and hamper the jump to
mobile internet. Europe's lead in mobile telephones will be crucial to
maintaining its competitive edge when the internet goes mobile. This issue
comes in the run-up to the Lisbon Summit in two weeks' time, when it is
hoped EU leaders will endorse the Commission's eEurope initiative to
accelerate Europe's transit
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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