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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 05-12-12
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] High Level Group adopts 10-year-roadmap for a competitive EU car
sector
[02] Commission welcomes changes in ETSI IPR rules to prevent "patent
ambush"
[03] Propriété intellectuelle : évaluation du droit communautaire des
bases de données
[04] Avian influenza : chief medical and veterinary officers discuss
guidelines for poultry sector workers
[05] Commission to pay additional €853,000 to support Kyoto's flexible
mechanisms and technology transfer
[06] La Commission consulte le public sur des actions en vue d'enrayer la
réduction de la biodiversité d'ici 2010 et au-del
[07] Warsaw water supply and waste water treatment project gets EU
financing
[08] Commission approves acquisition of Innovene by the INEOS Group
[09] First estimates for the third quarter of 2005 : EU25 current account
deficit €21.1 billion ; €9.6 billion surplus on trade in services
[10] Iraq : Commission proposes negotiating mandate for a Trade and
Cooperation Agreement
[11] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express of 2005-12-12
Reference: MEX/05/1212
Date: 12/12/2005
EXME05/ 12.12
MIDDAY EXPRESS
News from the Press and Communication Directorate General's midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction GénéralePresse etb
Communication
12/12/05
[01] High Level Group adopts 10-year-roadmap for a competitive EU car
sector
Today the CARS 21 High Level Group has adopted a 10 year roadmap for a
competitive EU car industry. The Group has agreed on a number of
recommendations to make cars cleaner, safer and to simplify the legal
environment for EU car makers. The recommendations aim to enhance the
automotive industry’s global competitiveness and employment while
sustaining further progress in safety and environmental performance at a
price affordable to the consumer. In line with the better regulation
principles, this roadmap will provide industry with a predictable
regulatory framework for the near future, while it is recognised that it
should not stifle discussions on new developments. In 2006 the Commission
will come forward with proposals on the follow-up to the CARS 21
recommendations. There will be a mid-term review in 2009 in view of the
progress made and the technological developments.
[02] Commission welcomes changes in ETSI IPR rules to prevent "patent
ambush"
The European Commission has closed its investigation of the European
Telecommunications Standardisation Institute (ETSI) following ETSI's recent
change to its standard-setting rules. This change strengthens the
requirement for early disclosure of those intellectual property rights
(IPRs) which are essential for the implementation of a standard in order to
minimise the risk of so-called "patent ambush" (where a company hides the
fact that it owns IPRs essential for a standard). The Commission also takes
note of ETSI's additional initiatives as regards its standard-setting rules,
and will follow these with interest.
[03] Propriété intellectuelle : évaluation du droit communautaire des
bases de données
La Commission européenne a publié un rapport d'évaluation de la
protection des bases de données garantie par le droit communautaire. A
condition d'être suffisamment créatives, les bases de données sont
protégées par un droit d'auteur. Si elles ne constituent que des
compilations d'informations ou de données générales comme les annuaires
téléphoniques, les palmarès musicaux ou les résultats de matchs de
football, elles peuvent bénéficier d'une nouvelle forme de protection
introduite par la directive de 1996 sur les bases de données. Cette
protection est connue en tant que droit "sui generis", c'est- -dire un
droit de propriété spécifique aux bases de données et non lié aux
autres formes de protection telles que le droit d'auteur. L'évaluation
s'interroge sur la question de savoir si l'introduction de ce droit a
favorisé la croissance de l'industrie et de la production de bases de
données. Elle examine également si l'étendue du droit est suffisante
pour couvrir les domaines dans lesquels l'Europe doit encourager
l'innovation. Les parties prenantes sont invitées transmettre leurs
commentaires d'ici le 12 mars 2006.
[04] Avian influenza : chief medical and veterinary officers discuss
guidelines for poultry sector workers
At a meeting hosted by the European Commission today in Brussels, European
Chief Medical Officers (CMO) and Chief Veterinary Officers (CVO) discussed
and endorsed guidelines on the protection of poultry workers against avian
influenza (AI), proposed by the Stockholm-based European Centre for Disease
Prevention and Control (ECDC). Representatives from the World Health
Organisation (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United
Nations (FAO) and the World Animal Health Organisation (OIE) also
participated in the meeting. According to ECDC, the risk of poultry workers
being infected by AI type H5N1 is low. The risk of human infection
following exposure to other highly pathogenic avian influenzas (such as
H7N7) is higher even though the disease they cause in humans tends to be
less dangerous. Hence, ECDC first recommends local risk assessment by the
competent national authorities and then details provisions to : control
infection in birds with appropriate surveillance measures ; minimise
contact with infected birds and separate people from possible sources of
infection ; use personal protective equipment such as disposable gloves,
masks and goggles, or helmets ; resort to anti-virals if needed, with
targeted pre-exposure and post-exposure prophylaxis ; consider vaccination
against seasonal influenza, to help reduce the impact of a possible
exposure to AI ; and carefully follow-up people potentially exposed. In
addition, the meeting provided an opportunity to exchange views on
influenza pandemic preparedness planning. Full text of the ECDC guidelines
on: <a href="http://www.ecdc.eu.int/avian_influenza/occupational_exposure.php">http://www.ecdc.eu.int/avian_influenza/occupational_exposure.php
[05] Commission to pay additional €853,000 to support Kyoto's flexible
mechanisms and technology transfer
The European Commission has signed agreements with the Secretariat of UN
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to contribute an additional
€853,000 in support of the operation of the Clean Development Mechanism
(CDM) and the establishment of the International Registry System, which
will keep track of transfers of Kyoto emissions credits. This amount also
includes €100,000 to support information exchange on clean technology
transfer. The contracted sums come on top of €1.2 million already paid by
the Commission over the last two years. EU Member States have committed
€3.67 million to support a streamlined and strengthened CDM, which is one
of the outcomes of the Montreal Conference. The total amount pledged,
including pledges from non-EU countries, is close to €7 million (US$ 8,
188,050).
[06] La Commission consulte le public sur des actions en vue d'enrayer la
réduction de la biodiversité d'ici 2010 et au-del
La Commission européenne a lancé aujourd’hui une consultation par
l'internet d'une durée de huit semaines sur les mesures que l'Union
européenne pourrait adopter pour enrayer la réduction de la biodiversité
d'ici 2010 et restaurer la biodiversité long terme. La biodiversité
exprime la variété de la vie sur terre sous la forme d'écosystèmes,
d'espèces et de gènes. Une biodiversité riche est essentielle pour la
prospérité économique, la sécurité, la santé publique et d’autres
aspects de la vie quotidienne. Les résultats de la consultation de la
Commission seront pris en compte dans une communication sur les engagements
pris par les chefs d'Etat et de gouvernement de l'UE pour enrayer la
réduction de la biodiversité dans l'Union, et réduire sensiblement le
rythme de la réduction l'échelle planétaire d'ici 2010.
[07] Warsaw water supply and waste water treatment project gets EU
financing
Danuta Hübner, European Commissioner for Regional Policy, has signed the
Commission Decision granting financial assistance to the project "Warsaw
water supply and waste water treatment". The total cost of the project is
estimated at €405 million with an EU contribution of €248 million. The
project will improve the quality of drinking water and will also contribute
to the considerable improvement in the health of local citizens.
[08] Commission approves acquisition of Innovene by the INEOS Group
The European Commission has cleared under the EU Merger Regulation the
proposed acquisition of Innovene, a US petrochemical company by INEOS, a UK
based group involved in intermediate and speciality chemicals. The
Commission concluded that the transaction would not significantly impede
effective competition in the European Economic Area or any substantial part
of it.
[09] First estimates for the third quarter of 2005 : EU25 current account
deficit €21.1 billion ; €9.6 billion surplus on trade in services
According to the provisional data issued today by Eurostat, the EU25
external current account recorded a deficit of €21.1 billion in the third
quarter of 2005, as compared to a deficit of €9.1 billion in the third
quarter of 2004 and a deficit of €21.2 billion in the second quarter of
2005. In the third quarter of 2005 the EU25 external balance of trade in
services recorded a surplus of €9.6 billion as compared to a surplus of
€10.8 billion in the third quarter of 2004 and a surplus of €15.3
billion in the second quarter of 2005.
[10] Iraq : Commission proposes negotiating mandate for a Trade and
Cooperation Agreement
The European Commission has proposed that the EU should start negotiations
for a Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) with Iraq in 2006. Once the
Council has approved the mandate, the Commission will negotiate the
Agreement with the first constitutionally elected Iraqi government. Also,
Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner, on behalf of the Commission, and
Ambassador Mohammed Jawad Al-Doreky, on behalf of the Iraqi government,
have signed today an agreement ("Accord de Siège") to open a European
Commission Delegation office in Baghdad.
[11] Autre matériel diffusé
Climate change - successful conclusion of UN Conference in Montreal -
statement by Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas (10/12)
Key facts on EU agriculture
Speech by Mariann Fischer Boel : "Agriculture: outlook for Hong Kong" at
the Family Farmers' Conference on International Trade (Hong Kong)
Speech by Louis Michel : "Lessons from the 2005 'annus horribilis':
improving effectiveness, timeliness and equity of the humanitarian
response" (Geneva)
Speech by Janez Potočnik : "Social Sciences and Humanities in Europe: New
Challenges, New Opportunities" at European Parliament,
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
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