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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 03-06-19
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Commission takes issue with Topps' distribution practices for Pokémon
collectible stickers and cards
[02] Commission approves new BSE tests
[03] Commission urges Member States to step up efforts to implement key
industrial pollution law
[04] Portuguese agriculture : Commission report highlights steady progress
and structural weaknesses
[05] First quarter 2003 compared to first quarter 2002 : Euro-zone labour
costs up by 2.8% ; EU15 up by 2.9%
[06] Premier trimestre 2003 comparé au quatrième trimestre 2002 : la
production dans le secteur de la construction en baisse de 1,5% dans la
zone euro ; baisse de 1,3% dans l'UE15
[07] Monthly note on the euro-denominated Bond Markets (May 2003)
[08] Participation plus active de l'UE au dialogue sur la réforme des
entreprises d'Etat dans les pays en développement
[09] Republic of Sierra Leone : Commission adopts its cooperation strategy
for 2003-2007
[10] Pascal Lamy in the Middle East for trade talks
[11] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express 19/06/2003
TXT: FR ENPDF:DOC:Midday Express 19/06/2003
[01] Commission takes issue with Topps' distribution practices for Pokémon
collectible stickers and cards
The European Commission has decided to open formal proceedings against
Topps, a company which produces collectible stickers and cards popular with
young children, for hindering cross-border trade in products bearing the
image of the Pokémon cartoon characters. In the period investigated by the
Commission it was found that the famous little cards, produced under a
licence from trademark owner Nintendo, were 2.5 times more expensive in
Finland than in Portugal. The evidence obtained by the Commission showed
that Topps and its distributors put in place an elaborate strategy to
prevent imports from low-price to high-price countries, a practice which
distorted competition within the European Union's single market at the
expense of European households.
[02] Commission approves new BSE tests
The European Commission today approved two new rapid BSE tests, Prionics
Check LIA and InPro CDI-5 made by the companies Prionics and InPro. The two
new tests should help to stimulate more competition in the field. Following
a laboratory evaluation and a field trial, these tests were recommended for
approval by the Scientific Steering Committee (SSC). All five tests can now
be used to screen cattle for BSE. They are designed to detect BSE in brain
material, collected from animals at the slaughterhouse or which have died
on the farm. So far tests designed to detect BSE in live animals have not
been evaluated. All five tests are also provisionally approved to detect
TSE in sheep and goats, pending a formal evaluation. The three currently
approved tests are Prionics Check Western, Bio-Rad TeSeE (previously Bio-
Rad Platelia) and the Enfer BSE test produced by the companies Prionics,
Bio-Rad and Enfer. They were evaluated by the Commission in 1999. The two
newly approved tests have gone through a similar evaluation process,
completed by a field trial under practical conditions. In March 2003 the
SSC recommended their formal approval in the framework of the TSE
Regulation (999/2001). In the EU all healthy bovine cattle slaughter above
30 months and all fallen stock above 24 months have to be tested for BSE
with some derogation for some countries.
[03] Commission urges Member States to step up efforts to implement key
industrial pollution law
Most governments are not doing enough to ensure that their industries are
meeting EU pollution control standards. This emerges from a Communication
published by the European Commission reviewing compliance with its
Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) Directive. The Directive
aims at a high degree of environmental protection through integrated
prevention and control of the pollution arising from industrial and
agricultural activities. It was introduced in 1996 and gave Member States
ample time to ensure that all the industrial installations covered would be
fully compliant by October 2007. In the Communication, the Commission is
also launching a stakeholder consultation, which might lead to a revision
of the Directive.
[04] Portuguese agriculture : Commission report highlights steady progress
and structural weaknesses
Overall steady progress and success in certain sectors, as well as
structural weaknesses which continue to hamper the development of
Portuguese agriculture these are the main findings of a report adopted
today by the European Commission. The Commission was asked by the European
Council to present this report analysing the situation in Portuguese
agriculture, following a request by Portugal at the summit of December 2002
in Copenhagen. The analysis shows that Portuguese agriculture continues to
be affected by several specific difficulties. Economic output and income
per labour unit, although steadily improving, remain very low, largely due
to the fact that Portuguese agricultural labour is poorly equipped with
land and capital and because there is serious underlying underemployment in
the sector. The assessment of the Commission is that the specific nature of
the problems experienced by Portuguese agriculture cannot just be traced to
deeply rooted structural adjustment problems, but are also affected by the
manner in which the CAP currently applies to Portugal. In global terms, the
Commission expects that Portuguese agriculture would profit from the new
perspectives offered by the various elements of the current CAP reform
proposal. In becoming more market-oriented and thereby facilitating quality
production, the CAP will be better adapted to the possibilities for growth
in Portuguese agriculture.
[05] First quarter 2003 compared to first quarter 2002 : Euro-zone labour
costs up by 2.8% ; EU15 up by 2.9%
Total hourly labour costs in the whole economy of the euro-zone grew by
2.8% in nominal terms in the first quarter of 2003 compared to the first
quarter of 2002, Eurostat reports today. In the fourth quarter of 2002 the
increase was 3.7%. For the EU15 the rise was 2.9% in the first quarter of
2003, compared to 3.7% in the previous quarter.
[06] Premier trimestre 2003 comparé au quatrième trimestre 2002 : la
production dans le secteur de la construction en baisse de 1,5% dans la
zone euro ; baisse de 1,3% dans l'UE15
Dans le secteur de la construction, la production corrigée des variations
saisonnières a baissé de 1,5% dans la zone euro et de 1,3% dans l'UE15 au
cours du premier trimestre 2003 et par rapport au quatrième trimestre 2002,
selon les estimations publiées aujourd'hui par Eurostat. Au cours du
quatrième trimestre 2002, la production avait baissé de 0,4% dans la zone
euro et de 0,3% dans l'UE15. Sur une base annuelle, la production a diminué
de 3,6% dans la zone euro et de 2,2% dans l'UE15 au cours du premier
trimestre 2003, après respectivement une baisse de 1,4% et une hausse de 0,
3% au cours du dernier trimestre 2002.
[07] Monthly note on the euro-denominated Bond Markets (May 2003)
The relatively unusual co-movement of bond and equity markets since the end
of Iraq war continued in May. With a still gloomy economic outlook fuelling
market expectations of further ECB rate cuts, the entire euro yield curve
has shifted downward by about 25 basis points. Total issuance of euro-
denominated bonds rose to €176 billion in May, compared to €139 billion in
April. The composition of issuance was in line with trends over the
previous 12-month period. Another notable characteristic of issuance in May
was a shift from small to very large issues and the increased importance of
medium maturities (3 to 11 years). Full document and tables available on :
http://europa.eu.int/comm/economy_finance/publications/bondmarkets_en.htm
[08] Participation plus active de l'UE au dialogue sur la réforme des
entreprises d'Etat dans les pays en développement
La Commission européenne a adopté une communication relative à la réforme
des entreprises d'Etat dans les pays en développement, qui met l'accent sur
les entreprises de service public. Cette communication souligne le rôle
plus actif que doit jouer l'Union européenne pour aider les gouvernements
partenaires des pays en développement à concevoir la réforme de leurs
entreprises publiques.
[09] Republic of Sierra Leone : Commission adopts its cooperation strategy
for 2003-2007
The European Commission has adopted a five-year strategy paper (2003-2007)
for its co-operation with Sierra Leone. The Country Strategy Paper (CSP)
serves as a framework for relations with Sierra Leone, covering all aspects
of assistance to that country. The chief objective is to support the
government's efforts to rebuild the country after a decade of civil war and
to implements its poverty reduction strategy. Priority will be given to the
rehabilitation of infrastructure and to good governance. €220 million will
be made available from the 9th European Development Fund to finance the
implementation of the strategy.
[10] Pascal Lamy in the Middle East for trade talks
The European Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy will be in Egypt on 21-22 June
to attend a mini-ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organisation. The
purpose of this meeting is to inject political momentum in the on-going
negotiations under the WTO Doha Development Agenda. He will then fly to
Amman to discuss with the Jordanian Prime Minister Mr Abu Ragheb, on the
state of play of the EU-Jordan trade relations, the prospects for further
regional integration and participate at the Extraordinary Annual Meeting of
the World Economic Forum. The meeting to this region is also timely in view
of the upcoming 3rd EU-Mediterranean Trade Ministerial which will take
place in Palermo on 7 July. Before leaving to Sharm-Al-Sheik Pascal Lamy
said : "Cancun is just around the corner and we still have a lot of work in
front of us. I hope the meeting in Sharm-Al-Sheik will inject political
impetus to the on-going negotiations so that substantial progress can be
made before Cancun. More market opening and improved rules are essential to
make trade contribute to development and this region is particularly well
placed to draw these benefits."
[11] Autre matériel diffusé
Propos liminaires de la conférence de presse de M. Prodi à la veille du
Conseil européen de Thessalonique (18/6)
Speech by Chris Patten : "Situation in Middle East" at the European
Parliament (18/06)
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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