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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 03-10-21
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Le transport de produits pétroliers lourds dans les pétroliers à
simple coque légalement banni des ports européens au 21 octobre 2003
[02] Commission continues to fight landmines
[03] New decision of Eurostat on deficit and debt : payments to government
by public corporations in the context of the transfer to government of
their unfunded pensions obligations
[04] September 2003 : monthly note on the Euro-denominated Bond Markets
[05] Commission clears acquisition of Moeller's electrical engineering arm
by Advent
[06] Déchets : la Commission engage des poursuites contre la Grèce et
l'Espagne
[07] Ozone-depleting substances : Commission asks Greece, Ireland and Spain
to indicate penalties for breaches of EU law
[08] Directives "Oiseaux sauvages" et "Habitats" : la Commission entame une
action judiciaire contre l'Autriche et le Portugal
[09] EU and Russia to further promote convergence of energy strategies
[10] EU and Russia agree to strengthen cooperation in the electricity
sector
[11] Negotiations continued with Switzerland on the accession of the ten
new Member States to the EU-Switzerland agreement on free movement of
persons
[12] Immigration and inter-religious dialogue
[13] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express 21/10/2003
TXT: FR ENPDF:DOC:Midday Express 21/10/2003
[01] Le transport de produits pétroliers lourds dans les pétroliers à
simple coque légalement banni des ports européens au 21 octobre 2003
Le règlement bannissant les simples coques des ports européens a été publié
au Journal Officiel. Il entre en vigueur ce 21 octobre. A partir de cette
date, aucun pétrolier à simple coque ne sera donc autorisé à transporter
des hydrocarbures lourds au départ ou à destination d'un des ports de
l'Union. En outre, le calendrier de retrait de ces pétroliers à simple
coque est accéléré, tout en assurant que les pétroliers du type de l'Erika
et du Prestige, âgés de plus de 23 ans sont immédiatement bannis des ports
de l'Union. Enfin, pendant la période d'élimination progressive, les
pétroliers de 15 ans et plus seront soumis à des inspections techniques
exhaustives. Les efforts de l'UE sont maintenant tournés vers
l'international afin que des mesures similaires soient mises en œuvre par
tous.
[02] Commission continues to fight landmines
The European Commission has adopted its 2003 Annual Work Programme for
antipersonnel landmines with a budget of €18,150,000. The general objective
of this programme is to assist countries suffering from the consequences of
antipersonnel landmines to create the conditions necessary for their
economic and social development. The focus countries in 2003 are
Afghanistan, Angola, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Democratic Republic of
Congo, Eritrea, Guinea-Bissau, Iraq, Laos, Mozambique, Myanmar, Sri Lanka
and Sudan.
[03] New decision of Eurostat on deficit and debt : payments to government
by public corporations in the context of the transfer to government of
their unfunded pensions obligations
Eurostat has taken a decision on the accounting treatment in national
accounts of payments to government by public corporations in the context of
the transfer to government of pensions obligations under schemes that they
operate for their own employees. This decision specifies notably the impact
on government deficit/surplus and government debt and is in line with the
European System of Accounts (ESA95). This decision covers only the cases of
unfunded pension schemes. Payments of lump sums in the case of transfer of
funded schemes are not covered by this decision.
[04] September 2003 : monthly note on the Euro-denominated Bond Markets
The short end of the euro yield curve shifted downward by about 25 basis
points in the course of September. This development was mainly related to
the significant appreciation of the euro against the US dollar, which
supported market expectations that the ECB would keep interest rates low
despite signs of an improving economic climate. Total issuance of euro-
denominated bonds rebounded to €164 billion in September from €69 billion
in August and was more comparable to issuance volumes in earlier months of
2003. Compared to the average of the previous 12 months, the composition of
issuance was characterised by a relatively high share of central government
bonds (50%). Other notable characteristics of issuance were a higher than
usual share of short term and zero-coupon bonds, both of which can be
traced back to the issuance of a €6.5 billion 1-year zero-coupon bond by
the Italian government. Full document and statistical annex available on :
http://europa.eu.int/comm/economy_finance/publications/bondmarkets_en.htm
[05] Commission clears acquisition of Moeller's electrical engineering arm
by Advent
The European Commission has granted clearance under the Merger Regulation
to the acquisition of control of Moeller Holding KG, the holding company of
the German Moeller Group active globally in supplying electrical
engineering devices and systems, by the US private equity investor Advent
International Corporation. (The operation, notified on 22 September 2003,
was examined under the simplified merger review procedure)
[06] Déchets : la Commission engage des poursuites contre la Grèce et
l'Espagne
La Commission européenne a ouvert des procédures d'infraction à l'encontre
de la Grèce et de l'Espagne pour non-respect des obligations prévues par la
législation de l'UE concernant la gestion générale des déchets, les déchets
dangereux et les décharges. La Commission a adressé à la Grèce un premier
avertissement écrit pour non-exécution d'un arrêt de la Cour de justice des
Communautés européennes de 2002. Aux termes de cet arrêt, la Grèce avait
manqué à son obligation de fournir à la Commission des informations
détaillées sur la manière dont elle gère ses déchets dangereux. La
Commission a également décidé de saisir la Cour de justice européenne d'un
recours contre l'Espagne, pour n'avoir pas pris les mesures qui
s'imposaient concernant une décharge illégale dans l'île de La Gomera,
l'une des îles Canaries. La législation de l'UE en question vise à mettre
en place un système harmonisé pour assurer sans risque la collecte, le
traitement, le stockage et l'élimination des déchets. La Commission craint
que, si la Grèce et l'Espagne ne mettent pas correctement en œuvre cette
législation, la population de l'UE et l'environnement courent des risques
et seront exposés aux problèmes associés aux décharges illégales et à la
mauvaise gestion des déchets.
[07] Ozone-depleting substances : Commission asks Greece, Ireland and Spain
to indicate penalties for breaches of EU law
The European Commission has sent a first written warning to Greece, Spain
and Ireland for failing to indicate what penalties they have fixed for
breaches of an EU Regulation on ozone-depleting substances. These
substances were widely used in refrigerators, as solvents for cleaning and
in air-conditioners. They are now being replaced by less harmful
alternatives. The Regulation is meant to safeguard the earth's ozone layer,
which protects human beings and other living organisms from harmful solar
rays. It requires that ozone-depleting substances and activities be
strictly controlled. Member States are responsible for enforcing the
Regulation and, therefore, for protecting human health and the environment.
They were required to inform the Commission, by 31 December 2000 at the
latest, what penalties they had put in place to deter breaches of the law.
[08] Directives "Oiseaux sauvages" et "Habitats" : la Commission entame une
action judiciaire contre l'Autriche et le Portugal
La Commission européenne a envoyé un dernier avertissement écrit à
l'Autriche et au Portugal, pour ne pas avoir amélioré la manière dont ils
mettent en œuvre la législation européenne sur la conservation de la
nature. L'Autriche n'a pas correctement incorporé dans son droit régional
certaines obligations fixées par cette législation européenne. Le Portugal
n'a pas protégé Campo Maior, une zone de conservation spéciale pour les
oiseaux sauvages, contre les effets préjudiciables des travaux d'irrigation
liés au projet du barrage Abrilongo. La décision de lancer les procédures
d'infraction met en lumière la nécessité de soutenir les objectifs de
conservation de la nature en adoptant la législation nationale appropriée,
en désignant les zones à protéger et en respectant les bonnes pratiques.
Faute de quoi, l'avenir du patrimoine naturel de l'Europe est plus
incertain.
[09] EU and Russia to further promote convergence of energy strategies
A Round Table discussion on energy strategies was held on 17 October 2003
in Moscow in the context of a two-day EU-Russia Energy Dialogue's
Conference on the Comparative Analysis of European and Russian Energy
Strategies. The event was opened by Viktor Khristenko, Deputy Prime
Minister of Russia, and Francois Lamoureux, Director-General for Energy and
Transport of the European Commission. The participants agreed to cooperate
closely together to promote the convergence of energy strategies and the
development of energy markets, within the framework of the EU-Russia Energy
Dialogue.
[10] EU and Russia agree to strengthen cooperation in the electricity
sector
The interconnection of the electricity systems of the EU and Russia and the
establishment of a common European electricity market was recognised as a
priority for the energy development strategies of both partners at a
bilateral round table on electricity held in Moscow on 16 October. Francois
Lamoureux, European Commission Director General for Transport and Energy,
led the EU delegation. Victor Khristenko, Vice-Prime Minister, and Anatoli
Chubais, CEO of RAO UES, headed the Russian side. The round table was held
in the context of the Conference on Comparative analysis of European and
Russian Energy Strategies.
[11] Negotiations continued with Switzerland on the accession of the ten
new Member States to the EU-Switzerland agreement on free movement of
persons
The third round of the negotiations (launched last July) took place on
Monday, 20 October in Brussels. The main issue at stake concerns the Swiss
request for additional transition periods as Switzerland wants to maintain
existing restrictions for nationals of the new Member States during an
additional transition period of seven years. The EU cannot accept any
discrimination between old and new Member States and deems sufficient the
transitional arrangements of the 1999 agreement, which are based on annual
quotas for short and long-term work permits. In case of massive influxes
Switzerland can maintain quantitative restrictions until 2014.
[12] Immigration and inter-religious dialogue
Today the European Commission is organising a meeting with NGOs of
religious inspiration to discuss immigration and the fight against
prostitution and human trafficking. The meeting, to take place in the
presence of experts from the Italian Presidency, will also consider good
practice by the organisations represented. At President Romano Prodi's
instigation the Commission has set up a regular dialogue with the various
religious communities represented in Brussels and holds briefings for them
following every European Council.
[13] Autre matériel diffusé
EU-Russia Energy Dialogue: two Round Tables enhance mutual understanding of
energy strategies and the challenges of electricity interconnection
Eléments de l'intervention de M. Barnier à la réunion informelle des
ministres de la Politique régionale (20/10, Rome)
Speech by David Byrne : "Consumer credits in confidence" at the EP
Committee on Legal Affairs and the Internal Market (20/10, Strasbourg)
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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