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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 00-03-13
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 13/03/2000b
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Romano Prodi entame une action en justice
[02] Euro-zone government deficit at -1.2% and debt at 72.2% of GDP in 1999
[03] Campaign "Socrates on the move" launched today
[04] Chris Patten in Montenegro
[01] Romano Prodi entame une action en justice
Les avocats de M. Romano Prodi, Président de la Commission européenne, ont
assigné devant le tribunal civil de Rome MM. Pietro Armani, de la Società
Europea di Edizioni spa, et Mario Cervi, directeur du quotidien "Il
Giornale". Par cette assignation, le tribunal, après avoir constaté les
délits de diffamation et de défaut de contrôle, est invité à déclarer que
les défendeurs ont porté atteinte à l'honneur, à la réputation et à
l'intégrité personnelle de M. Prodi et à les condamner, dans la mesure
qu'il jugera équitable, à réparer le dommage subi par M. Prodi. Les sommes
qui seront éventuellement versées seront attribuées à l'Associazione
Nazionale Libera.
[02] Euro-zone government deficit at -1.2% and debt at 72.2% of GDP in 1999
(! embargo 12 am !) Eurostat publishes today the data on deficit and debt
for 1999 notified by the EU15 Member States to the European Commission.
This is the first notification based on the new system of national accounts
ESA 95 and includes revisions for all deficit and debt data since 1996. For
the euro-zone, the deficit ratio decreased from -2.0% of GDP in 1998 to -
1.2% in 1999 and for the EU15 from -1.5% to -0.7%. Seven Member States had
surpluses in 1999 : Denmark, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Finland,
Sweden and the United Kingdom. Government debt ratio to GDP decreased in
the euro-zone from 73.4% in 1998 to 72.2% in 1999 and in the EU15 from
68.9% to 68.1%. The ratio was reduced in all Member States, except in
Germany, Austria and Portugal where it increased slightly in 1999.
[03] Campaign "Socrates on the move" launched today
University students from 28 countries will be touring Europe this year to
promote the new 2000-2006 phase of the Socrates programme. The promotional
campaign, called "Socrates on the move", will be carried out by three major
European student associations : ESIB (national unions of students in
Europe), AEGEE and the Erasmus Students Network. The associations have
selected 50 students as 'ambassadors' for the EU education, training and
youth programmes. They will be coached as speakers from 13-19 March in
Brussels at the International Youth Center (Gretrystraat 26 B-1000
Brussels). On 14 March (rue Montoyer 14 - 1000 Bruxelles), TV and
journalists are welcomed at the opening event (today at 18h00) and during
the training week. "Socrates on the move" will be carried out with the
support of the European Commission. Together with the new Leonardo da Vinci
and Youth programmes, Socrates II will be officially launched by the
Portuguese Presidency and Education and Culture Commissioner Viviane Reding
on 17-18 March in Lisbon. At the Lisbon conference the EU Ministers of
Education will adopt a contribution on the role of education and training
with a view to the preparation of the Lisbon Special European Council.
[04] Chris Patten in Montenegro
The European Commissioner for External Relations, Chris Patten, last Friday
completed a week's tour of South-East Europe by visiting Montenegro to
underline the European Union's support for the democratic path the
Government of Montenegro has taken and the economic reforms which it is
carrying out. Mr Patten, the first Member of the Commission to visit
Montenegro, had meetings in the capital, Podgorica, with President Milo
Djukanovic, Prime Minister Vujanovic, the Foreign Minister Lukovac and
Finance Minister Ivanisevic. He discussed with them the political and
economic situation in Montenegro and the very substantial assistance that
the Commission had provided and is continuing to provide.
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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