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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 05-05-27
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Environnement : la Semaine verte 2005 s'attaque au changement
climatique
[02] Biosafety : international meeting to adopt binding rules on trade in
GMOs
[03] Peter Mandelson : "Export/import health rules must not become
unjustified barriers to trade"
[04] Surplus sugar stocks in five new Member States
[05] Renforcement des défenses de l'Europe contre les épidémies :
inauguration d'une agence européenne pour le contrôle des maladies
[06] EU success : OIE adopts international guidelines on animal welfare
[07] EU cohesion policy could create 2.5 million jobs between 2007 and 2013
[08] Commission clears acquisition of TIM Hellas by TPG and APAX
[09] Commission provides a further €2 million to help returnees and
internally displaced persons in Sri Lanka and Sri Lankan refugees in Tamil
Nadu (India)
[10] Sécurité aérienne : les leçons de l'affaire Onur Air
[11] Commission welcomes appointment of Pascal Lamy as next WTO Director
General
[12] Conférence de Berlin du 31 mai sur le système de "guichet unique"
pour la TVA
[13] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express of 2005-05-27
Reference: MEX/05/0527
Date: 27/05/2005
EXME05 / 27.5
MIDDAY EXPRESS
News from the Press and Communication Directorate General's midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction Général Presse etb
Communication
27/05/05
[01] Environnement : la Semaine verte 2005 s'attaque au changement
climatique
"Luttons contre le changement climatique !" : tel est cette année le
slogan (et l'objectif) de la Semaine verte, événement que la Commission
européenne organise annuellement pour mettre en exergue, au travers de
conférences et d'expositions, la politique environnementale de l'UE. La
Semaine verte 2005 se déroulera du 31 mai au 3 juin dans le bâtiment
Charlemagne, et précédera la Journée mondiale de l'environnement
célébrée le 5 juin. Quelque 200 invités, originaires d'Europe et du
monde entier, animeront la vingtaine de conférences, d'ateliers et de
débats consacrés divers aspects du changement climatique. Au total, ce
sont près de 4000 personnes qui devraient participer cet événement.
Des "journées vertes" organisées parallèlement dans les Etats membres
conféreront la Semaine verte une dimension paneuropéenne. Le
commissaire européen chargé de l'Environnement, M. Stavros Dimas,
inaugurera la Semaine verte 2005 le 31 mai, 9h45.
[02] Biosafety : international meeting to adopt binding rules on trade in
GMOs
Representatives of 119 governments are expected to adopt binding rules on
the documentation that has to accompany genetically modified agricultural
commodities, such as wheat, maize and soya, when they are transported
across borders. These rules will ensure that only approved GMOs enter the
territory of the respective Parties. The documentation requirements are the
most important point on the agenda of the second meeting of the parties
(MOP2) to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, which will take place 30 May
to 3 June in Montreal, Canada.
[03] Peter Mandelson : "Export/import health rules must not become
unjustified barriers to trade"
European Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson has today told a Brussels
conference on sanitary and phytosanitary rules that international export
and import standards need to be based on sound scientific evidence and the
option "that restricts trade the least". Commissioner Mandelson told an
audience of MEPs, industry and Member State representatives that the EU
needs to act more coherently to ensure market access for EU exports in the
field of sanitary and phytosanitary products. The Commissioner argued that
the EU needs to ensure that European and international standards are
scientifically justified and that trade development assistance needs to be
better used to help developing countries to meet those standards so they
continue to benefit from access to the EU market.
[04] Surplus sugar stocks in five new Member States
The Sugar Management Committee yesterday backed a Commission Regulation
determining the definitive figures for surplus sugar stocks in the new
Member States. This surplus is the sugar quantity exceeding the quantity
considered as being normal carry-over stock at 1 May 2004, the date of
accession. Surplus stocks have been identified in five of the new Member
States : Estonia: 91,464 tons, Cyprus: 40,213 tons, Latvia: 10,589 tons,
Slovakia: 10,225 tons and Malta: 2,452 tons. Operators in these countries
in possession of surplus stocks now have until 30 November 2005 to
eliminate them, as agreed by the Commission on 20 April 2005 (see
IP/05/459). Any stocks remaining after this date will be subject to a
charge, paid into the EU budget.
[05] Renforcement des défenses de l'Europe contre les épidémies :
inauguration d'une agence européenne pour le contrôle des maladies
Le Centre européen de prévention et de contrôle des maladies (CEPCM), la
nouvelle agence communautaire pour la santé, sera officiellement inauguré
lors d'une cérémonie prévue aujourd'hui Stockholm. Markos Kyprianou,
le commissaire européen chargé de la santé et de la protection des
consommateurs, Zsuzsanna Jakab, directrice du CEPCM, le ministre de la
santé Mars Di Bartolemeo pour la présidence luxembourgeoise, et Morgan
Johansson, ministre suédois de la santé publique, comptent parmi les
orateurs de la cérémonie, organisée au prestigieux Forum Nobel de
l'Institut Karolinska de Stockholm. Le SRAS en 2003 et la menace d'une
pandémie de grippe ont éveillé des inquiétudes quant la rapidité de
propagation des maladies infectieuses par-del les frontières, l'heure
de la mondialisation. Ce problème se pose particulièrement dans l'UE, où
des millions de gens traversent chaque jour les frontières. Le CEPCM
permettra de renforcer et de développer le système européen de
surveillance des maladies l'échelle du continent (voir MEMO/03/155) et
de fournir l'UE des conseils scientifiques fiables sur les menaces que
représentent les maladies infectieuses.
[06] EU success : OIE adopts international guidelines on animal welfare
The European Commission welcomed the adoption of the first ever detailed
international guidelines on farm animal welfare at this week's General
Session of the OIE (World Organisation for Animal Health) in Paris. The
guidelines, which were adopted unanimously by the OIE's 167 member
countries, concern the slaughter of animals for human consumption, the
humane killing of animals for disease control purposes and the transport of
animals by sea and land. The EU has fully supported the OIE in the
development of the guidelines, starting with the EU-sponsored OIE global
conference on animal welfare in February 2004. Mutually agreed animal
welfare guidelines will greatly assist the EU in reaching a common
understanding on animal welfare with our international trading partners. At
this week's General Session OIE member countries also adopted a resolution
on future OIE activities on animal welfare. Future issues to be considered
will include the welfare of farmed fish, pets and stray animal control,
wildlife and zoo animals as well as laboratory animals kept for
experimental purposes. Background information on the OIE and further
details on the General Session are available via the OIE website: <a
href="http://www.oie.int/eng/en_index.htm">http://www.oie.int/eng/en_index.htm
[07] EU cohesion policy could create 2.5 million jobs between 2007 and 2013
Danuta Hübner, European Commissioner for Regional Policy, sets out how she
expects a reformed cohesion policy to contribute to raising employment
rates in the European Union. EU-funded programmes affect job creation in
two main ways : they create job opportunities through additional
investments, and they help to improve the working of the labour market, for
example through training or measures to smooth restructuring. Independent
evaluations of current and past regional policy suggest that the impact has
already been substantial. The clearer focus on jobs and growth – a
hallmark of Ms Hübner's term as Commissioner so far – suggests an even
greater impact on job creation in future.
[08] Commission clears acquisition of TIM Hellas by TPG and APAX
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger
Regulation to the acquisition of joint control of the Greek undertaking TIM
Hellas Telecommunications S.A. (TIM Hellas) by TPG Advisors IV, Inc. (TPG)
of the US and British undertaking APAX Europe VI (APAX), controlled by the
Guernsey-based Hirzell Trust. TPG is the manager of a group of multiple
parallel equity funds investing in a variety of companies through
acquisitions and corporate restructurings. APAX is a pan-European
investment fund making investments in a range of industry sectors. TIM
Hellas is a Greek mobile telecommunications operator. It is also active in
the retail sale of mobile telephones in Greece. The operation was examined
under the simplified merger review procedure.
[09] Commission provides a further €2 million to help returnees and
internally displaced persons in Sri Lanka and Sri Lankan refugees in Tamil
Nadu (India)
The European Commission adopted today the eight allocation of humanitarian
aid to Sri Lanka since the February 2002 ceasefire agreement. The longest
period of truce ever since the conflict started in 1983 has allowed more
than 380,000 internally displaced persons living in the north and north-
east of Sri Lanka to return home. The new funding decision, to be
implemented by the Commission's Humanitarian Aid department (ECHO), will
help the new returnees to restart quickly their livelihood as well as
providing basic support to vulnerable displaced people living in welfare
centres. Also ECHO will help to improve the nutritional status of Tamil
women and children still exiled in refugee camps in Tamil Nadu in India.
[10] Sécurité aérienne : les leçons de l'affaire Onur Air
Réunis le 26 mai l'initiative de la Commission européenne, le comité
d'experts pour la sécurité aérienne des Etats membres a pris un certain
nombre de décisions pour harmoniser l'approche européenne dans l'affaire
Onur Air. Interdite de vol depuis la mi-mai dans quatre pays dont trois
Etats membres de l'Union européenne pour des manquements constatés aux
règles de sécurité, la compagnie aérienne turque avait pu néanmoins
dévier ses vols vers d'autres Etats de l'Union voisins. Le comité a
décidé d'étendre tous les Etats membres les conditions récemment
posées par les quatre pays concernés pour lever l'interdiction de vol
d'Onur Air. Les experts sont convenus de créer un système d'alerte
lorsqu'un Etat membre envisage de prendre des mesures l'égard d'une
compagnie aérienne d'un pays tiers. La Commission proposera rapidement un
renforcement de la législation qui prévoit la possibilité d’un
système d’interdiction de vols harmonisée en Europe, pour garantir le
plus haut niveau de sécurité pour les passagers aériens.
[11] Commission welcomes appointment of Pascal Lamy as next WTO Director
General
On 26 May, the European Commission welcomed the WTO General Council's
appointment of Mr Pascal Lamy as the next Director General of the WTO.
President Barroso said : "I am very pleased to see former EU Trade
Commissioner Pascal Lamy appointed as the next Director General of the WTO,
with extensive and broad support from across the WTO's membership. The WTO
faces a decisive half-year of negotiation ahead of December's Hong Kong
Ministerial. The success of the Round, creating greater opportunities for
developed and developing countries alike, now demands political will and
practical engagement from all parties. Pascal Lamy is, with his knowledge
of trade matters, his international experience, his concern for development
and his constant search for consensus, uniquely qualified to lead the WTO
at this defining moment."
[12] Conférence de Berlin du 31 mai sur le système de "guichet unique"
pour la TVA
Conjointement avec la Chambre fédérale allemande des consultants en
fiscalité (la "Bundessteuerberaterkammer"), la Commission européenne
organise une conférence sur la simplification des obligations relatives
la TVA le 31 mai Berlin, en Allemagne. Cette conférence permettra de
réunir des experts en la matière provenant des administrations des Etats
membres et du secteur des entreprises. Elle aura pour sujet central la
proposition présentée par la Commission en octobre 2004 en vue de
simplifier les obligations relatives la TVA, qui prévoit notamment la
mise en place d'un système de "guichet unique" grâce auquel les
assujettis pourraient remplir toutes leurs obligations relatives la TVA
dans l'Etat membre où ils sont établis, et ce pour la totalité des
opérations qu’ils effectuent dans l'ensemble de l'UE (voir IP/04/1331 et
MEMO/04/249). Une conférence de presse ouverte aux journalistes sera
donnée 10 heures. Pour de plus amples informations, consulter le
programme de la conférence sur le site suivant: <a
href="http://europa.eu.int/comm/taxation_customs/index_fr.htm">http://europa.eu.int/comm/taxation_customs/index_fr.htm
[13] Autre matériel diffusé
Preparation Agriculture/Fisheries Council of May 2005
Tableau récapitulatif - procédures prévues pour la ratification de la
Constitution européenne
Speech by Janez Potočnik : "Bringing ideas to the market: Knowledge for
Growth – the role of EU research" at EIRMA annual conference (Copenhagen)
Speech by Charlie McCreevy : "A Changing Landscape for Business in Europe"
at the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Ireland (Dublin)
Speech by Peter Mandelson at Conference on EU Exports and Sanitary and
Phytosanitary Measures
Calendrier du 30 mai au 3 juin 2005
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
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