|
|
|
European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 07-11-05
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Promoting regional co-operation in the Mediterranean to support peace,
progress and inter-cultural dialogue
[02] Commission to sign a Joint Declaration on priorities for energy
cooperation with Jordan
[03] EU partnership to help 12 million car industry workers adapt to change
and reinforce competitiveness
[04] Networking for urban development: Berlin conference
[05] EU shows strong growth of productivity in 2006
[06] Commissioner Hübner receives award in Warsaw for exceptional service
to regional development
[07] La Commissaire Ferrero-Waldner en visite à Rabat
[08] Autre matériel diffusé
[09] A disposition au secrétariat de Jonathan Todd (BERL 03/315):
Midday Express of 2007-11-05
Reference: MEX/07/1105
Date: 05/11/2007
EXME07 / 05.11
MIDDAY EXPRESS
News from the Communication Directorate General's midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction Générale Communicationb
05/11/07
[01] Promoting regional co-operation in the Mediterranean to support peace,
progress and inter-cultural dialogue
The European Commission has earmarked over €97 millions to fund regional
projects in the Mediterranean under the 2007 budget. These projects will
address challenges with a regional dimension and promote interstate co-
operation on issues of mutual interest, thus promoting increased security,
stability and prosperity. In 2007 the actions will focus on peace, disaster
prevention, investment promotion, support to the private sector,
intercultural dialogue, gender equality and information and communication.
This funding comes on top of the bilateral cooperation that the European
Commission is implementing with the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership southern
Members.
[02] Commission to sign a Joint Declaration on priorities for energy
cooperation with Jordan
The European Commission represented by Commissioner for External Relations
and Neighbourhood Policy, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, and Commissioner for
Energy, Andris Piebalgs, and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, represented
by Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources of Jordan, Khaled Najidb
Elshuraydeh will sign today a Joint Declaration on priorities for
cooperation in the energy sector between the European Commission and the
Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. The Declaration will be signed in the margins
of the Conference on energy security hosted by the European Commission and
the Egyptian Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Sharm El Sheikh.
[03] EU partnership to help 12 million car industry workers adapt to change
and reinforce competitiveness
The European Commission and the main industry and workers' organisations in
the car sector have today formally announced a new partnership to help
better anticipate and manage change in the EU's automotive industry. The
initiative – which follows a high-level forum on restructuring in
Brussels last month – brings together the Commission and the European
Automotive Manufacturers' Association (ACEA), the European Association of
Automotive Suppliers (CLEPA) and the European Metalworkers Federation
(EMF). It will monitor developments in the industry, while the partners
will exchange know-how on managing restructuring in a socially responsible
way.
[04] Networking for urban development: Berlin conference
Regional Policy Commissioner Danuta Hübner addresses a high-level
conference in Berlin on urban policy. The conference will assess URBAN and
URBACT programmes and networks, and launch a new URBACT II programme for
2007-2013. A new call for proposals will be presented, with a budget of
€69 million. The conference brings together politicians in charge of
urban issues, representatives from cities all over the EU and project
managers of the community programmes. Speaking ahead of the conference, Mrs
Hübner said: "Cities play an essential role in the Union's renewed policy
for growth and jobs. Both the URBAN programmes and the URBACT networks have
left important legacies for the new generation of regional development
programmes for 2007-2013. One of the distinguishing features of these
initiatives was the degree to which management was decentralised to the
local authorities. The strong partnerships created involving the local
community and the private sector have contributed to their success."
[05] EU shows strong growth of productivity in 2006
The European Union in 2006 had its best economic performance since 2000
with a growth of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 3%. Productivity,
measured by the increase of GDP per employee, grew strongly for the EU-27
with 1,5 %, compared to an annual growth rate between 2000 and 2005 of 1,2.
Employment growth accelerated for the EU-27 by 1,6 %, whilst the average
annual rise for the period 2000 until 2005 was 0,5 %. The European
Competitiveness Report of the European Commission, presented today in
Brussels, marks as well that in 2006 productivity grew stronger in the EU
than in the US (1,4 %), of which the Commission hopes this will be the
start of a long term trend. The growth rates show a widespread improvement,
across countries and economic sectors.
[06] Commissioner Hübner receives award in Warsaw for exceptional service
to regional development
European Regional Policy Commissioner Danuta Hübner received an award for
exceptional service to regional development at a ceremony to mark the tenth
annual Self-Government 'Oscars' in Warsaw. The award was in the all-Poland
category, for self-government activities with a national dimension, and for
service in local self-government with significance beyond the local.
Commissioner Hübner received the award for: 'the practical realisation of
the subsidiarity principle for supporting development of the regions,
taking into account the role of local communities (cities) in creating and
putting into practice regional policy in the framework of the European
Union's new cohesion policy'. Her activities played an important role in
supporting the best, most targeted and efficient use of investment made
available by the European Union.
[07] La Commissaire Ferrero-Waldner en visite à Rabat
Mme Benita Ferrero-Waldner, Commissaire européenne chargée des relations
extérieures et de la politique de voisinage, se rendra à Rabat le 7
novembre. Elle rencontrera le nouveau Premier Ministre Mr Abbas El Fassi,
avec qui elle évoquera la mise en œuvre les décisions prises par le
Conseil d’association UE-Maroc du 23 juillet dernier qui ont ouvert le
débat concernant le ‘statut avancé’ demandé par le Maroc. La
Commissaire rencontrera également Mr Taieb Fassi Fihri, le nouveau
ministre des Affaires étrangères et de la coopération. A cette occasion,
la Commissaire annoncera que le Maroc a bénéficié en 2007 d’une
allocation financière de 190 millions d’euros, y compris 28 millions
d’euros supplémentaires au titre de la facilité gouvernance récemment
créée pour les pays couverts par la politique de voisinage et destinée Ã
renforcer la mise en œuvre du Plan d’Action UE-Maroc.
[08] Autre matériel diffusé
Speech of Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner at annual plenary session of
Kimberley process
Memo on EU competitiveness
[09] A disposition au secrétariat de Jonathan Todd (BERL 03/315):
Notification préalable d'une opération de concentration :
Goldman Sachs/HP Pelzer
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
|
