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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 04-03-26
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] More Europe in your pocket the European health insurance card
[02] Commission consults workers and employers on reducing exposure to
substances that cause cancer and reduce fertility
[03] "Tasty Europe" goes China: EU Farm Commissioner wants to boost huge
farm trade potential
[04] Beef intervention stocks empty
[05] Autre matériel diffusé
[06] Rédiffusion de notes
Midday Express 26/03/2004
TXT: FR ENPDF:DOC:Midday Express 26/03/2004
[01] More Europe in your pocket the European health insurance card
The President of the European Council, Mr Bertie Ahern, and European
Commission President Romano Prodi today welcomed the forthcoming
introduction of a European health insurance card, which will make it easier
to access healthcare when travelling within the European Union.
[02] Commission consults workers and employers on reducing exposure to
substances that cause cancer and reduce fertility
The European Commission is to ask representatives of workers and employers
("social partners") for their views on how to tackle gaps in existing
legislation aimed at minimising exposure to substances that cause cancer
and have other harmful effects. An estimated 32 million people are exposed
to such substances at levels that exceed what is considered as safe, and
between 35,000 and 45,000 cancer deaths per year are due to exposures
occurring in the workplace. One occupational death from cancer costs an
average of €2.14 million and the cost of such deaths across the European
Union is over €70 billion per year.
[03] "Tasty Europe" goes China: EU Farm Commissioner wants to boost huge
farm trade potential
Speaking at a press conference in Beijing today, Franz Fischler, EU
Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries, underlined
that he wanted to use his visit to China to fully exploit the huge trade
potential of China and the European Union (EU), to foster mutual
understanding in agricultural trade issues and to show China "Tasty Europe",
with its large range of high quality food and drink products. Mr. Fischler
stressed the importance of China in the World Trade Organisation (WTO). "It
is vitally important to have a pro-active China to make the ongoing WTO
Doha Round a success. For China, there is a big prize on offer. The EU has
offered a considerable improvement in market access, substantial cuts in
trade-distorting farm support, and the elimination of all forms of export
subsidisation. I fully appreciate that China made major concessions when it
joined the WTO. To get a good deal, we all must show flexibility. It only
takes a small down payment from China in the Doha Round to cash in on the
enormous benefits of farm trade liberalisation", he said.
[04] Beef intervention stocks empty
After the sale of the last 13 tonnes of beef from European Union public
storage, intervention stocks in the EU are completely empty. Purchases for
public intervention were opened in December 2000 when beef prices and
consumption dropped drastically due to the second BSE crisis. At the end of
2001, a maximum of 260 000 tonnes were in stock. The market situation
improved from the beginning of 2002 and stocks were sold out of
intervention from June 2002 onwards. The last remaining quantities have now
been sold. Due to the steady recovery of the European beef market, the
clearance of the stocks has been faster than originally anticipated, with
the sales having no significant impact on market prices. Public
intervention was one of the market support mechanisms in the beef and veal
sector when the crisis occurred. As part of the Agenda 2000 reform, it has
been replaced by private storage aid from July 2002 onwards. However, this
instrument has not yet been used in view of the satisfactory market prices.
[05] Autre matériel diffusé
Speech by David Byrne "Consumer Confidence A key component for a successful
food industry" Speech by David Byrne « Consumer Policy in the field of
financial services » European Health Insurance card : Frequently asked
questions Calendrier pour la semaine du 29 mars au 2 avril
[06] Rédiffusion de notes
Rediff : Discours de M. Prodi au Sommet Social Tripartite Rediff : Speech
by Franz Fischler : « China and the EU : working together to promote common
interests »
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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