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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 01-02-22
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
Midday Express 22/02/2001
[01] Foot-and-mouth disease in the United Kingdom
The European Commission has adopted interim protective measures in response
to outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in the United Kingdom. The exports
of live animals, fresh meat and meat products, milk and milk products and
other animal products from the UK to other parts of the European Union are
prohibited until 1 March 2001, unless the latter are treated appropriately.
The decision will apply immediately and shall be reviewed at the meeting of
the Standing Veterinary Committee scheduled for the 27 February 2001.
[02] EU/Morocco fisheries negotiations Franz Fischler : "I regret that
agreement could not be reached"
Following two days of intense political and technical negotiations between
the Kingdom of Morocco and the European Commission in Rabat, it was
impossible to reach an agreement, particularily on the financial
compensation for the future fisheries cooperation. Commenting on the
negotiations, Franz Fischler, Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural
Development and Fisheries, said : "It is well known that these negotiations
are delicate and difficult. The EU has put a fair and comprehensive package
on the table and I sincerely regret that Morocco was not able to accept our
financial offer. According to our proposals, the duration of the
cooperation would be limited to three years. It would comprise enhanced
cooperation in order to strengthen the Moroccan fisheries sector. In order
to ensure sustainable fisheries and the development of the Moroccan
fisheries sector, we are also prepared to accept degressive fishing
opportunities for the EU fleet, leading to a phasing out for fishing of
sensitive species such as cephalopods or shrimps. We are also willing to
pay a fair price for the EU fishing opportunities offered by Morocco. This
is as good as it gets. With this offer my negotiation mandate is exhausted.
I will now report back to the EU Member States." It was agreed that the
Moroccan Fisheries Minister would then come to Brussels to meet
Commissioner Fischler.
[03] Animal experiments : Commission acts against the Netherlands and
Belgium
The European Commission has decided to refer the Netherlands to the
European Court of Justice and to send a Reasoned Opinion (second warning
letter) to Belgium for non-respect of the Community's Animal Experiments
Directive. Commenting on the decisions, Environment Commissioner Margot
Wallström said : "While Dutch practice seems satisfactory, the Netherlands
needs to make a bigger effort to bring its national legislation into line
with the Directive. This will give greater assurance that the strict
conditions laid down for animal experiments in the Directive are always
followed. As regards the Belgian authorities, I would urge them to ensure
strict control on the use of exemptions."
[04] Lutte contre le tourisme sexuel impliquant des enfants : la Commission
va financer une grande campagne d'information
Depuis plusieurs années, la Commission européenne préconise une meilleure
coordination des actions avec les ministères chargés du tourisme dans les
Etats membres et une coopération plus étroite avec les tours-opérateurs et
autres parties prenantes dans la lutte contre le tourisme sexuel impliquant
des enfants. Outre la collecte d'informations fiables, l'action de l'Union
européenne se concentre, dans ce domaine, sur le soutien d'initiatives
concrètes visant à éradiquer ce fléau. La Commission a octroyé une
subvention d'1 million d'euros à l'Organisation mondiale du tourisme (OMT),
forum mondial du tourisme comptant 138 membres dont 10 Etats membres de
l'UE. A partir du 1er janvier 2001, cette subvention favorisera, pendant un
an, les activités entreprises par quatre organisations internationales :
ECPAT (Suède), Terre des Hommes (TDH), la Fédération internationale des
journalistes (FIJ) et l'OMT qui coordonnera et gèrera également le projet.
Les activités répondront aux besoins en information et en communication et
auront pour objectif la conception d'une stratégie globale destinée à
lutter contre le tourisme sexuel impliquant des enfants.
[05] Commission resumes humanitarian aid deliveries to Chechnya
The European Commission, through its Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO), has
resumed aid deliveries to Chechnya, in coordination with United Nations
agencies and partner Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs). The joint
decision by the Commission, the UN agencies and the partner NGOs to resume
aid deliveries follows the release of Kenny Gluck, an aid worker, and also
the fulfilment of basic minimum operational requirements for aid convoys,
notably the re-issuance of permits allowing NGOs to work in Chechnya.
[06] Le Premier Ministre du Mali, Mandé Sidibé, en visite à la Commission
Poul Nielson, Commissaire européen au Développement et à l'Aide humanitaire,
recevra le vendredi 23 février Mandé Sidibé, Premier ministre du Mali.
Cette rencontre sera l'occasion d'évoquer l'ensemble des relations entre
l'Union européenne et le Mali. Les discussions sont susceptibles de porter
sur la situation politique et économique au Mali, l'état de la coopération
entre la Commission et le Mali, ainsi que la coopération régionale. Le Mali
préside actuellement l'Union économique et monétaire ouest africaine
(UEMOA) et la Communauté économique des Etats africains de l'Ouest
(CEDEAO/ECOWAS). Le Mali a bénéficié au titre du 8ème Fonds Européen de
Développement de subventions pour un montant de 209 millions d'euros qui
ont essentiellement été alloués à la décentralisation, aux transports, au
secteur agricole (filières riz et coton) et à l'environnement. Des
élections législatives et présidentielles doivent avoir lieu au Mali l'an
prochain.
[07] Chris Patten to attend Skopje Summit of South East Europe Cooperation
Process on 23 February
European Commissioner for External Relations Chris Patten will travel to
Skopje on 23 February for the 4th Summit of Heads of State and Governments
of South East European Countries (SEECP ). Mr Patten's attendance at this
event signals the Commission's strong support for initiatives led by
countries of South East Europe to work together to promote regional
development. The need for a new era of regional cooperation was one of the
principal messages at the 24 November 2000 Zagreb Summit. The presence in
Skopje of one EU Member State together with three candidate countries and
the five countries of the EU's Stabilisation and Association Process will
demonstrate how the perspective of EU membership one day is a motor for
regional cooperation. Commissioner Patten will represent the EU together
with the High Representative for CFSP, Secretary General Javier Solana.
[08] Michaele Schreyer in Estonia to assess progress in the areas of
finance and antifraud
European Budget Commissioner Michaele Schreyer today begun a two-day visit
(22-23 February) in Tallinn where she was due to meet with a number of
Estonian officials in particular Prime Minister Mart Laar, Chief accession
negotiator Alar Streimann, Finance Minister Siim Kallas and State Auditor
Juhan Parts. Ms Schreyer declared that she was impressed by the
considerable progress of Estonia in accession negotiations (16 out of 29
chapters provisionally closed) and that increasing importance should be
placed upon implementation in all areas of the Acquis. Since 2000, EU
financial assistance to Estonia has substantially increased to around euro
75 million per year, including PHARE and the new instruments ISPA and
SAPARD. Ms Schreyer underlined that one of the biggest challenges for the
Estonian administration is to improve capacity to effectively manage and
implement EU assistance funds. She declared that "Estonia should ensure
that EU funds have a real impact in helping accelerate accession
preparations of the country and demonstrate that it has the capacity to
manage a much larger amount of EU funds upon accession". The Budget
Commissioner recalled that the Commission is currently funding a euro 1
million PHARE project on improving internal financial control. Ms Schreyer
also expressed hopes that Estonia should soon be the second country (after
Bulgaria) to receive accreditation for the SAPARD Agency, which would allow
to move to greater decentralised management of EU funds.
[09] Autre matériel diffusé
Budget breakdown for the Research Framework Programme (2002-2006)
Discours de Mme Diamantopoulou : "Quality is the link between
competitiveness and cohesion" à la Social and Labour Market Policies :
Investing in Quality European Conference
Discours de M. Liikanen : "Accelerating the pace towards Stockholm and
beyond" au British Embassy Seminar
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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