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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 05-02-25Midday Express: News from the EU Commission Spokesman's Briefings Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>CONTENTS / CONTENU
MIDDAY EXPRESSNews from the Press and Communication Directorate General's midday briefingNouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction Général Presse etbCommunication25/02/05[01] Commission clears acquisition of Stadion Magdeburg by Hochtief, ABB and the City of MagdeburgThe European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger Regulation to the acquisition of joint control of Stadion Magdeburg GmbH & Co. KG (Stadion Magdeburg) of Germany by German companies Hochtief Construction AG, ABB Gebäudetechnik AG, controlled by ABB Ltd. of Switzerland, and the Landeshauptstadt Magdeburg (City of Magdeburg) of Germany. Hochtief is active in the planning, financing, constructing and management of complex building projects on a global scale. ABB is active in power transmission and distribution, plant engineering and construction, automation technology and financial services on a global scale. The City of Magdeburg is a local government body. The proposed concentration consists of the acquisition of joint control of Stadion Magdeburg, a newly created undertaking with the sole purpose of constructing and managing a new sports stadium in Magdeburg, the Ernst-Grube-Stadion. The operation was examined under the simplified merger review procedure.[02] Pratiques commerciales déloyales : la Commission se félicite de l'adoption de la nouvelle législation par le ParlementMarkos Kyprianou, commissaire européen chargé de la santé et de la protection des consommateurs, s'est félicité de l'adoption, le 24 février, par le Parlement européen d'une nouvelle législation européenne interdisant les ventes forcées et les pratiques commerciales trompeuses. Cette nouvelle législation, qui vise harmoniser les réglementations des Etats membres sur les pratiques commerciales déloyales, a été proposée par la Commission en juin 2003 (voir IP/03/857). Elle précisera les droits des consommateurs et facilitera les échanges transfrontaliers en établissant des règles communes toute l'Union pour lutter contre les pratiques commerciales agressives ou trompeuses des entreprises vis- -vis des consommateurs. Ceux-ci bénéficieront ainsi de la même protection contre les pratiques commerciales déloyales et les professionnels malhonnêtes, qu'ils effectuent leurs achats dans un magasin local ou sur un site Web hébergé dans un autre Etat membre. Les entreprises respectant les règles pourront faire des transactions dans tous les Etats membres de l'UE. Des études économiques indépendantes prévoient que la nouvelle législation aura pour effet d'accroître le choix du consommateur, de favoriser la concurrence et d'élargir les horizons des petites et moyennes entreprises européennes. La législation devrait être adoptée officiellement par le Conseil dans les prochaines semaines et appliquée dans toute l'Union d'ici 2007.[03] EU-Russia Ministerial Troika (28/02)On 28 February, the EU will meet Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, in Luxembourg for discussions on the development of the EU-Russia strategic partnership. Discussions will focus in particular on security issues, including in regions adjacent to the EU and Russia, frozen conflicts, terrorism and non proliferation. The meeting will also take stock of the progress achieved since the last EU-Russia Summit in The Hague in November 2004, including on negotiations on Road Maps for the creation of the four 'common spaces'. The Commission will look forward to the first round of EU- Russia consultations on human rights on 1 March as well as to the Commission needs assessment mission to the north Caucasus, in mid-March. Alongside European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the EU will be represented by the Luxembourg Foreign Minister, Jean Asselborn, and High Representative, Javier Solana.[04] Eurobaromètre : les Européens attendent de l'UE qu'elle exerce un rôle moteur pour le développementLes citoyens européens attendent de l'Union européenne qu'elle joue un rôle central dans la coopération au développement, notamment en Afrique. Mais, d'après l'Eurobaromètre, leur connaissance de l'action de la Commission européenne dans ce domaine ainsi que des Objectifs du Millénaire pour le Développement (OMD), est faible. Il s'agit de la première fois que ce sondage sur la politique de Développement, qui est réalisé tout les deux ans, couvre les 25 Etats Membres de l'UE.[05] Commission and Slovenia : a proven track record in joint research initiativesEuropean Commissioner for Science and Research Janez Potočnik will today take part in a high-level Round Table on EU-Slovenian research perspectives. The meeting is intended to review the level of cooperation between Slovenia and the Commission's in-house research arm, Directorate- General Joint Research Centre. It will also identify opportunities to increase this in the future. The level of collaboration between DG JRC and Slovenia's scientific and technical community is already substantial with some 20 partnerships across a wide variety of scientific areas. These range from air quality assessments and metrology in chemistry, to Genetically Modified Organisms in food. This is testament to the quality of Slovenian research and is also the result of the Commission's proactive approach towards the Member States that joined the EU in 2004.[06] New EU anti-smoking drive promised by Markos Kyprianou as WHO Tobacco Control treaty enters into forceOn Sunday, 27 February, the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), enters into force. The first ever international treaty on health, the FCTC commits countries worldwide to act to reduce the toll of death and disease caused by smoking. Commenting on the FCTC's entry into force Markos Kyprianou, European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, said : "The EU played a leading role in negotiating the FCTC. We now need to play a leading role in implementing it. This, of course, means ensuring all Member States ratify in time for the EU to field a 'full team' at the first Conference of the Parties of the FCTC in February 2006. But it also means continuing to lead by example. I want to see more EU countries follow the example of Ireland, Italy and Malta and ban smoking in public places. I would like to see hard-hitting picture warnings introduced Europe-wide in the next few years. And I want to see all EU countries acting to protect young people from the dangers of tobacco. This is something I believe in very strongly and it is why I will be launching a €72 million EU funded publicity campaign next week to persuade young people not to start smoking and to persuade existing smokers to quit." The new EU anti-smoking campaign will be launched on Tuesday, 1 March. Commissioner Kyprianou will unveil the new campaign logo and slogan on Rond-point Schuman, outside the Commission's Brussels headquarters at 10h30, and will give a press conference in the Berlaymont press room at 11h00. The FCTC was finalised by the WHO's World Health Assembly in May 2003. There are 168 signatories to the Convention and 55 countries have ratified it. To date, 13 of the 25 EU Member States have ratified the Convention.[07] Louis Michel visits London to give a boost to the development agendaAs part of the consultation phase of the new EU development policy, Commissioner Louis Michel visited London on 24 February, meeting ministers, giving evidence to the House of Commons International Development Committee and making a keynote speech to the Overseas Development Institute.[08] Joe Borg's visit to NorwayAt the start of a three-day visit to Norway, European Commissioner Joe Borg, responsible for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, told Norwegian students that the EU and Norway shared common objectives in fisheries management despite some differences which, he hoped, could be sorted out in the short term. Both Parties, he said, want to ensure the future of fisheries. They work together in managing a number of joint fish stocks in the North Sea. They do this through the setting of total allowable catches, joint long- term management plans and control measures. More, however, needs to be done with regard to the multilateral management of straddling stocks such as blue whiting and herring in the North Atlantic. Thus, although numerous meetings between the coastal states concerned had been held, no agreement had been reached on blue whiting. Indeed, fishing well beyond the levels recommended by scientists was still taking place, threatening the sustainability of the stock, Commissioner Borg said. Agreement was also required on multilateral management of deep-sea resources. Underlining the fact that Norway was one of the EU’s closest partners, Mr Borg urged greater cooperation between the EU and Norway to solve these outstanding problems. The Commissioner was speaking to students at the Norwegian School of Economic and Business Administration in Bergen. He is accompanied during his visit by Norway's Minister for Fisheries and Coastal Affairs, Mr Svein Ludvigsen.[09] Autre matériel diffuséPreparation Agriculture/Fisheries Council of February 2005Questions and answers on the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive Conclusion of EU-ACP negotiations on revision of Cotonou Agreement Discours de M. pidla : "EQUAL : la libre circulation des bonnes idées" la Conférence EQUAL (Varsovie) Speech by Joe Borg : "Taking the CFP Reforms forward – Opportunities and Challenges in achieving a sustainable European Fisheries Policy" at Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration (Bergen) Speech by Danuta Hübner : "The European Union in 2020 – Still strong or long gone?" at seminar at the University of Sussex (! embargo 16h30 !) Speech by Danuta Hübner at conferral of the Honorary Degree at Susssex University Graduation Ceremony (Brighton) Calendrier du 28 février au 4 mars 2005
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/ Midday Express: News from the EU Commission Spokesman's Briefings Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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