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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 00-10-27
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 Service Presse et Communicationb
27/10/2000
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Pascal Lamy annonce la résolution des obstacles bilatéraux entre l'UE
et la Chine en vue de son adhésion à l'OMC
[02] La Commission autorise la création d'une entreprise commune par
Alcatel et Thomson Multimedia
[03] Commission clears Magneti Marelli acquisition of sole control over its
joint venture with Bosch
[04] Structural Funds : Commission approves Åland Islands (Finland)
Objective 2 programme for the period 2000-2006
[05] Franz Fischler souligne l'importance du suivi et du contrôle de la
pêche à l'occasion d'une conférence internationale
[06] EU15 current account deficit euro 10.5 billion ; euro 2.6 billion
surplus on trade in services
[07] Commission proposes new rules to reduce exhaust and noise emissions
from pleasure boats
[08] Commission and Japan look to improve conditions for investment
[09] Commission decides to strengthen Phare programmme
[10] Equality between women and men is more than just cheap kindergarden
provision
[01] Pascal Lamy annonce la résolution des obstacles bilatéraux entre l'UE
et la Chine en vue de son adhésion à l'OMC
Suite aux entretiens qui ont suivi le sommet UE-Chine tenu à Beijing le 23
octobre dernier, Pascal Lamy, Commissaire européen au Commerce, a
aujourd'hui annoncé que les problèmes bilatéraux restants entre l'UE et la
Chine en vue de son adhésion ont été résolus confirmant ainsi l'accord
bilatéral UE-Chine conclu le 19 mai 2000. Selon M. Lamy, "le fait d'avoir
réglé les questions importantes qui restaient à mettre au point dans
l'application de notre accord bilatéral de mai dernier constitue une
avancée de plus en vue de l'adhésion de la Chine à l'OMC. Cet accord
prendra effet dès que les travaux en cours à Genève auront abouti. Par
conséquent, nous pourrons dès maintenant concentrer tous nos efforts
exclusivement sur la tâche de résoudre dans les meilleurs délais les
problèmes multilatéraux qui subsistent encore. "
[02] La Commission autorise la création d'une entreprise commune par
Alcatel et Thomson Multimedia
La Commission européenne a décidé d'autoriser une entreprise commune entre
les compagnies françaises Alcatel et Thomson Multimédia qui sera active
dans le secteur émergent des réseaux vidéos interactifs. La Commission
considère que l'opération ne créera ni ne renforcera une situation de
position dominante et l'a déclaré compatible avec le marché commun.
[03] Commission clears Magneti Marelli acquisition of sole control over its
joint venture with Bosch
The European Commission has authorised Italian automotive components firm
Magneti Marelli SpA to acquire sole control of MM Automotive Lighting
Business (MALB), a joint venture in which Magneti Marelli had joint control
with Robert Bosch GmbH. The deal is a further step in a restructuring
exercise and does not produce any real increase in the market power of
Magneti Marelli, nor any substantial change in the structure of the market.
[04] Structural Funds : Commission approves Åland Islands (Finland)
Objective 2 programme for the period 2000-2006
The European Commission has approved in principle the draft single
programming document (SPD) for the Åland Islands (Finland) over the next
seven years. The programme concerns areas facing structural difficulties
and represents euro 4,6 million of EU financing for this autonomous,
Swedish-speaking Finnish province comprising more than 6,500 islands and
islets. Altogether, EU funding will mobilise over euro 22 million in
investment, of which almost 50% will be co-financed by the private sector.
The new programme is expected to lead to the creation of 200 new jobs and
30 new businesses.
[05] Franz Fischler souligne l'importance du suivi et du contrôle de la
pêche à l'occasion d'une conférence internationale
"Le suivi et le contrôle de la pêche sont au centre de la politique commune
de la pêche", a souligné Franz Fischler, Commissaire européen chargé de
l'Agriculture, du Développement rural et de la Pêche, en clôturant une
conférence internationale sur le contrôle, le suivi et la surveillance de
la pêche. "La loyauté est l'une des conditions fondamentales d'un contrôle
et d'un suivi efficaces. Les pêcheurs ne seront convaincus qu'ils doivent
respecter la réglementation que s'ils ont la garantie que les poissons
qu'ils laissent dans la mer conformément aux règles existantes ne sera pas
capturé par d'autres en violation de celles-ci." Organisée par la
Commission du 24 au 27 octobre à Bruxelles, la conférence a réuni 250
experts du suivi et du contrôle venus du monde entier. M. Fischler a
déclaré avoir l'intention d'utiliser au mieux ses résultats. Il a affirmé
qu'une coopération accrue entre les acteurs, la participation du secteur
concerné, le recours aux nouvelles technologies et l'amélioration du
rapport coût/efficacité des contrôles étaient les clés du renforcement de
l'application des règles en vue d'assurer une pêche durable dans le monde
entier.
[06] EU15 current account deficit euro 10.5 billion ; euro 2.6 billion
surplus on trade in services
(! embargo 12 am !) According to the latest revisions issued today by
Eurostat, the EU15 external current account recorded a deficit of euro 10.5
billion in the second quarter of 2000, as compared with a surplus of euro
6.0 billion in the second quarter of 1999 and a deficit of euro 21.3
billion in the first quarter of 2000. In the second quarter of 2000 the
EU15 external balance of trade in services recorded a surplus of euro 2.6
billion as compared with a surplus of euro 4.5 billion in the second
quarter of 1999 and a deficit of euro 1.6 billion in the first quarter of
2000.
[07] Commission proposes new rules to reduce exhaust and noise emissions
from pleasure boats
The European Commission has proposed an amendment to the current Directive
on recreational crafts. These are designed to limit exhaust and noise
emissions from marine engines in such crafts - whilst ensuring the free
movement of recreational crafts within the Internal Market of the EU. The
proposed rules demonstrate the Commission's determination to combine
industry and environmental policy to promote the competitiveness of the
European industry whilst protecting the environment.
[08] Commission and Japan look to improve conditions for investment
The bi-annual EU-Japan High-Level Meeting on Regulatory Reform took place
on 26 October in Tokyo. Mr. Fernando Valenzuela, Deputy Director General
for External Relations of the European Commission co-chaired with Director-
General Hitoshi Tanaka of the Economic Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
This meeting forms part of the two-way dialogue on regulatory reform
between the EU and Japan. The meeting stressed the continuing importance of
the EU-Japan Regulatory Reform dialogue. The Commission called for crucial
reforms designed to boost the economy, in particular : concerted strong
action to improve the business environment for investors ; an independent
regulatory authority and increased competition in the telecoms sector; the
strict enforcement of competition policy.
[09] Commission decides to strengthen Phare programmme
European Commissioner for Enlargement Günter Verheugen has presented to the
Commission the results of a review he commissioned in late 1999 on the
functioning of the Phare programme. The review shows that the reforms
introduced in 1997 has begun to show positive results, but more needs to be
done with the approach of accession, like : enhancement the absorption
capacity of the candidates, agreement with candidate countries on multi-
annual programmes, increased responsibility for candidates for managing EU
funds as well as increased use of Structural Funds approaches within Phare.
[10] Equality between women and men is more than just cheap kindergarden
provision
European Commissioner for Employment and Social affairs, Anna
Diamantopoulou, participates today at a conference of Ministers on equality
between women and men in Paris. She stated : "Equality between women and
men is more than just cheap kindergarden provisions". The EU has set itself
the twin goals of competitiveness and cohesion. Successful equality policy
must tackle not only social issues but also work and decision-making
questions. In concrete terms we need three types of policy : i) access to
decision-making ; ii) work & family life ; iii) mainstreaming; in other
words integration of equality policy across the board in other policy
areas.
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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