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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 02-04-17
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Commission clears Bayer's acquisition of Aventis Crop Science, subject
to substantial divestitures
[02] Commission launches appraisals for its most senior staff
[03] Roland Schenkel appointed Deputy Director General of the Joint
Research Centre
[04] Giuliano Marenco nommé Directeur Général Adjoint au Service Juridique
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[05] La Commission approfondit son enquête concernant l'acquisition de
Sulzer par Promatech
[06] Commission renews clearance of rail shuttle joint venture between
Maersk and P&O Nedlloyd
[07] March 2002 - Euro-zone annual inflation up to 2.5% ; EU15 stable at
2.3%
[08] Destruction of experimental GMO field trials is unacceptable, says
Philippe Busquin
[09] Euro-Mediterranean Conference in Valencia aims to boost the Barcelona
Process despite Middle East crisis
[10] Sierra Leone : EU sends election observation mission
[11] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express 17/04/2002
TXT: FR ENPDF:DOC:Midday Express 17/04/2002[I] Résultats de la Commission
de ce jour - Outcome of today's Commission meeting
[01] Commission clears Bayer's acquisition of Aventis Crop Science, subject
to substantial divestitures
The European Commission has decided to clear Bayer's acquisition of Aventis
Crop Science (ACS), subject to substantial divestitures. As initially
notified, the operation would have led to the creation or strengthening of
dominant positions on about 130 markets for crop protection, professional
pest control and animal health products. But Bayer has offered a
comprehensive set of commitments, including the sale, in one single package,
of best-selling insecticide Fipronil and a number of fungicides, which
together constitute ACS' entire European seed treatment business. The
commitments fully resolve the Commission's competition concerns.
[02] Commission launches appraisals for its most senior staff
The European Commission has launched a pilot scheme for the regular and
thorough appraisal of its senior officials. This will be the first time
that the Commission's most senior staff have been subject to performance
evaluation. The appraisals will provide regular feedback on officials'
performance and assist them with the development of their careers. They
will also help to inform Commission decisions on appointments, promotion
and mobility of senior staff. The appraisals will take place every two
years, and they will include input from, among others, staff members and
peers, in a so-called "360 degrees" assessment process. The system will be
tested in pilot exercises from now until September, when the final
methodology will be adopted by the Commission. The first full appraisals of
all A1 and A2 officials will be completed by April 2003.
[03] Roland Schenkel appointed Deputy Director General of the Joint
Research Centre
The European Commission has appointed Mr Roland Schenkel, 54, Commission
official of German nationality, Deputy Director General of the Joint
Research Centre. The Deputy Director General will specifically be
responsible for the relationship between the Joint Research Centre and the
stakeholders benefiting from its research results, both inside and outside
the Commission as well as the nuclear aspects of the JRC's work, including
implementation of the global decommissioning plan. He will also play a
major role in ensuring the reconciliation of the scientific strategy and
the resources necessary to carry it through.
[04] Giuliano Marenco nommé Directeur Général Adjoint au Service Juridique
La Commission européenne a nommé Giuliano Marenco, fonctionnaire de la
Commission de nationalité italienne, 60 ans, Directeur Général Adjoint au
Service Juridique. M. Marenco sera notamment chargé de conseiller la
Commission et ses services en matière juridique, de guider et superviser
les travaux des groupes chargés des questions juridico-linguistiques, de
codification et informatiques du Service Juridique, de coordonner les
procédures d'infraction et de superviser la cellule financière du Service.
Il gèrera par ailleurs les relations avec les milieux juridiques et
académiques.
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[05] La Commission approfondit son enquête concernant l'acquisition de
Sulzer par Promatech
La Commission européenne a décidé d'ouvrir une enquête approfondie
concernant le projet d'acquisition de la division textile de la société
suisse Sulzer par l'entreprise italienne Promatech SpA, filiale de Radici,
leader italien du secteur des métiers à tisser. Cette opération n'atteint
pas les seuils de chiffre d'affaires au-delà desquels, conformément au
règlement sur les concentrations, la Commission a compétence exclusive en
matière de fusions et d'acquisitions. Elle avait en fait été notifiée aux
autorités de concurrence de sept Etats membres de l'Union européenne, qui
ont décidé de la renvoyer à la Commission. C'est la première fois en près
de 11 ans que des Etats membres utilisent les dispositions du règlement sur
les concentrations qui permettent de saisir conjointement la Commission
plutôt que d'examiner l'affaire séparément.
[06] Commission renews clearance of rail shuttle joint venture between
Maersk and P&O Nedlloyd
The European Commission has decided not to oppose the continuation for
another three years of a joint venture between Maersk Intermodal BV and P&O
Nedlloyd BV that provides scheduled rail transport services for the
containers of both parent companies between deep sea ports and inland
terminals. The joint venture, originally approved in 1998 for a three-year
period, is expected to continue to bring benefits in terms of increased
competition in rail freight, which outweigh the restrictions of competition
between Maersk and P&O Nedlloyd.
[07] March 2002 - Euro-zone annual inflation up to 2.5% ; EU15 stable at
2.3%
Euro-zone annual inflation rose from 2.4% in February to 2.5% in March 2002,
Eurostat reports today. A year earlier the rate was also 2.5%. EU15 annual
inflation remained stable at 2.3% between February and March 2002. A year
earlier the rate was 2.2%. In March, highest annual rates were in Ireland
(5.1%), Greece (4.4%) and the Netherlands (4.3%) ; lowest rates were in the
United Kingdom (1.5%), Austria and Luxembourg (1.7% each).
[08] Destruction of experimental GMO field trials is unacceptable, says
Philippe Busquin
Following the destruction of an experimental field trial with genetically
modified colza in Alost, Belgium, last week, the latest in a series of
recent attacks on field trials across Europe, European Research
Commissioner Philippe Busquin today expressed his firm disapproval for
these acts of violence. Field trials are conducted for developing
genetically modified as well as conventional plant varieties. The plant
trials destroyed during the attacks had been authorised by Belgian
authorities and were carried out under the appropriate health and safety
conditions, in full compliance with EU and local legislation. Plants
targeted by vandals had been modified through new, more precise and
efficient genetic methods. Adding the same genes through conventional plant
breeding methods is a far more imprecise and longer process. If carried out
in the proper safety framework, promising GMO technologies are expected to
enhance EU performance in health, environmental and agricultural policy.
[09] Euro-Mediterranean Conference in Valencia aims to boost the Barcelona
Process despite Middle East crisis
Foreign Ministers of the 15 EU Member States and 12 partners in the South
Mediterranean will meet on 22 and 23 April in Valencia, Spain for the 5th
Euro-Mediterranean Conference. The European Commission will be represented
by External Relations Commissioner Chris Patten. Ministers are expected to
adopt an Action Plan covering political and security; economic and
financial ; and social, cultural and human aspects, designed to give a new
political impulse to the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership. This conference
will take place against the backdrop of near completion of the grid of Euro-
Mediterranean Association Agreements. In the margins, the Euromed
Association Agreements with Algeria and Lebanon will be signed. A renewed
mutual commitment should be made to make full use of the Association
Agreements and of the MEDA Programme, and to reinforce the sense of
ownership by all partners. The Conference should give the green light to a
regional programme of cooperation in the field of justice (combating drugs
traficking, organised crime and terrorism) and on issues relating to
migration and movement of people. The Conference should agree on the
creation of a Euro-Mediterranean Foundation to promote mutual understanding
and cooperation and exchanges on cultural issues.
[10] Sierra Leone : EU sends election observation mission
The European Union will observe the 14th of May Presidential and
Parliamentary Elections in Sierra Leone. The Election Observation Mission
(EOM) has been established at the invitation of the Sierra Leone
government. The Chief Observer leading the mission will be Johan Van Hecke
MEP, who is Vice-President of the joint EU-African, Caribbean and Pacific
Parliamentary Assembly. In addition, the European Commission is supporting
the National Election Commission of Sierra Leone with an election support
programme worth €2 million.
[11] Autre matériel diffusé
Visit by Romano Prodi to The Netherlands and Germany
Introduction by Margot Wallström to debate on Chemicals and Children at the
Green Week 2002 (16/04)
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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