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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 07-02-09
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Commission strengthens environmental protection through criminal law,
abolishing "safe havens" of environmental crime
[02] La Commission autorise le projet d'acquisition d'APC par Schneider
Electric, sous réserve du respect de certaines conditions
[03] Opening of duty free sugar import quota for industrial use
[04] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express of 2007-02-09
Reference: MEX/07/0209
Date: 09/02/2007
EXME07 / 9.2
MIDDAY EXPRESS
News from the Communication Directorate General's midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction Générale Communicationb
09/02/07
[01] Commission strengthens environmental protection through criminal law,
abolishing "safe havens" of environmental crime
The European Commission today proposed a directive that obliges Member
States to treat serious offences against the environment as criminal acts
and to ensure that they are effectively sanctioned. It also sets minimum
sanctions for environmental crimes across the Member States. Offences such
as the illegal emission of hazardous substances into the air, water or soil,
the illegal shipment of waste, or the illegal trade in endangered species
can have devastating effects on human health and the environment. They also
undermine the efficiency of EU environment legislation. It is therefore
crucial to ensure that they are effectively sanctioned throughout the
European Union. In serious cases criminal sanctions such as prison
sentences should be applied, as they have a much higher dissuasive effect
than, for example, administrative sanctions.
[02] La Commission autorise le projet d'acquisition d'APC par Schneider
Electric, sous réserve du respect de certaines conditions
La Commission européenne a autorisé, en vertu du règlement CE sur les
concentrations, le projet d'acquisition d'American Power Conversion
Corporation (APC) par le groupe français Schneider Electric. Les deux
entreprises sont très présentes dans la fourniture de toute une gamme de
systèmes d'alimentation électrique sans coupure (systèmes dits "UPS")
qui filtrent le signal d'alimentation et procurent une électricité de
secours en cas de coupure électrique. L'autorisation de la Commission est
toutefois subordonnée à la cession de l'activité de Schneider Electric
relative aux petits systèmes d'alimentation électrique sans coupure.
Compte tenu de ces engagements, la Commission a conclu que l'opération
n'aurait pas pour conséquence d'entraver de manière significative une
concurrence effective dans l'Espace Economique Européen ou une partie
substantielle de celui-ci.
[03] Opening of duty free sugar import quota for industrial use
The sugar management committee yesterday voted on a Commission Regulation
opening an import quota of 200,000 tonnes of sugar without import duties.
The quota shall only be used for the manufacturing of industrial products
(chemicals, pharmaceuticals, alcohol, bio-ethanol). This measure is taken
in accordance with the Regulation on the common organisation of the markets
in the sugar sector which stipulates that the Commission may suspend the
application of import duties on certain quantities of sugar in order to
guarantee the supply necessary for the manufacturing of industrial
products. The Regulation enters into force after adoption by the Commission
(in the next few weeks) and is limited to the 2006/07 marketing year.
[04] Autre matériel diffusé
Questions et réponses sur la protection de l'environnement par le droit
pénal
Speech by Neelie Kroes : "Preliminary Findings of the Business Insurance
Sector Inquiry" at public hearing
Speech by Peter Mandelson : "Energy security and climate change – what
role for trade policy?" at Conference organised by Confederation of
Norwegian Enterprise and EC Delegation in Norway at the Oslo Military
Society
Speech by Mariann Fischer Boel : "EU agriculture in a globalised world" at
event hosted by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (Washington,
! embargo 15h00 !)
Calendrier du 12 au 16 février 2007
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
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