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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 08-04-28

Midday Express: News from the EU Commission Spokesman's Briefings Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>


CONTENTS / CONTENU

  • [01] Spring economic forecast 2008-2009: growth moderates, price pressures a worry but, overall, EU weathers external headwinds rather well
  • [02] Commissioner Hübner in dialogue with stakeholders to boost potential of Lubelskie, Poland
  • [03] Un rapport de l’Union européenne prévoit une hausse de la demande de soins de longue durée, tant qualitative que quantitative
  • [04] Marché intérieur : La Commission va organiser une conférence sur la contrefaçon et le piratage
  • [05] Services financiers: la sécurité des paiements est essentielle pour accroître la confiance des consommateurs dans les nouveaux services de paiement, d’après un rapport de la Commission
  • [06] Commission launches a public consultation for the coming Energy Performance of Buildings Directive
  • [07] Small Business Act for Europe - Results of the open consultation
  • [08] Commission clears acquisition of Domo PP by Carmel Olefins and Domo Chemicals
  • [09] Commission clears acquisition of Morrison Utility by Englefield andCognetas
  • [10] EU and China start high-level economic and trade talks
  • [11] Autre matériel diffusé Midday Express of 2008-04-28 Reference: MEX/08/0428 Date: 28/04/2008 EXME08 / 28.04

    MIDDAY EXPRESS

    News from the Communication Directorate General's midday briefing

    Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction Générale Communicationb

    28/04/08


  • [01] Spring economic forecast 2008-2009: growth moderates, price pressures a worry but, overall, EU weathers external headwinds rather well

    Growth in the European Union is expected to ease to 2% in 2008 and 1.8% in 2009 from 2.8% in 2007 (1.7% and 1.5% in the euro area from 2.6% in 2007), according to the Commission's spring economic forecast. The moderation in growth results from the persisting turmoil in the financial markets, the marked slowdown in the United States and soaring commodity prices, all of which are taking their toll on global activity. The EU economy is holding up relatively well thanks to sound fundamentals and is expected to create 3 million new jobs in 2008-2009 on top of the 7½ million in 2006-2007. But consumer price inflation is expected to surge temporarily to 3.6% this year in the EU against 2.4% in 2007 due to soaring energy and food prices, before coming down to an expected 2.4% in 2009 (equivalent figures for euro area are 3.2% and 2.2% versus 2.1% in 2007).

    [02] Commissioner Hübner in dialogue with stakeholders to boost potential of Lubelskie, Poland

    Today, Danuta Hübner, Commissioner responsible for Regional Policy, visits the Polish region of Lubelskie for the first time since taking office. During her visit to the regional capital of Lublin, she will meet the Marshal of Lubelskie Region, Krzysztof Grabczuk, and the Voivod Genowefa Tokarska to discuss how the region can best make use of the €1.16 billion in Cohesion Policy investment that Lubelskie will receive for 2007-2013.

    [03] Un rapport de l’Union européenne prévoit une hausse de la demande de soins de longue durée, tant qualitative que quantitative

    Selon un nouveau rapport présenté aujourd’hui par la Commission européenne, la demande de soins de longue durée et leur coût sont promis, dans l’Union, une hausse considérable d’ici 2050. Par ailleurs, la grande majorité des Européens (près de neuf sur dix) se disent plus favorables aux soins domicile ou de proximité qu’aux soins en institution. L’augmentation prévisible de la demande de soins de longue durée constitue un défi crucial pour les gouvernements de tous les pays. Le rapport révèle également que ceux-ci s’efforcent de garantir l’accès de tous des soins de qualité en consacrant des ressources suffisantes en vue de satisfaire cette demande. Les conclusions de ce rapport seront débattues les 28 et 29 avril lors d’une conférence sur la solidarité intergénérationnelle, organisée par la Présidence slovène de l’Union Brdo (Slovénie).

    [04] Marché intérieur : La Commission va organiser une conférence sur la contrefaçon et le piratage

    La Commission européenne va organiser une conférence sur la contrefaçon et le piratage le 13 mai 2008. Les intervenants aborderont différents sujets, tels que les effets de ces phénomènes sur la croissance économique et la création d’emplois en Europe, les risques qu’ils représentent pour la santé et la sécurité des citoyens et les mesures susceptibles de rendre plus efficace la lutte contre la contrefaçon. Cette conférence devrait réunir des députés au Parlement européen ainsi que des représentants des entreprises, des administrations publiques et de la société civile concernés par le problème.

    [05] Services financiers: la sécurité des paiements est essentielle pour accroître la confiance des consommateurs dans les nouveaux services de paiement, d’après un rapport de la Commission

    La Commission européenne vient de publier un rapport sur les mesures prises entre 2004 et 2007 pour prévenir la fraude concernant les moyens de paiement, la suite d’un plan d’action adopté en la matière. Il montre que la sécurité des moyens et systèmes de paiement est une condition indispensable l’amélioration de la confiance des consommateurs dans les nouveaux services de paiement. En ce qui concerne la réglementation, la question de la sécurité des moyens de paiement a été traitée dans un instrument législatif adopté récemment, la directive sur les services de paiement, ainsi que par la troisième directive sur le blanchiment de capitaux, qui impose des obligation de connaissance de la clientèle. Le développement de l’espace unique de paiements en euros (SEPA) par le secteur offrira la possibilité d’utiliser le cadre législatif pour renforcer la sécurité aussi bien que la confiance.

    [06] Commission launches a public consultation for the coming Energy Performance of Buildings Directive

    The European Commission has launched a public consultation on the recasting1 of the 2002 Energy Performance of Buildings Directive2. The consultation will help the Commission gain input on the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive from interested parties through an online questionnaire and thus enable it to better develop the new proposal.

    [07] Small Business Act for Europe - Results of the open consultation

    Over the past few years, upon initiative of the European Commission the EU started implementing a modern SME friendly policy and has committed itself to improving the business environment by applying the “Think Small First” principle. This policy has already produced significant improvements in creating a more SME-friendly business environment across the EU. The Commission has made real efforts to cut red tape for SMEs and has significantly increased the SME focus within major EU spending programmes for the period 2007-2013. Member States have also substantially improved the SMEs’ environment and progressed in their implementation of the 2006 Spring European Council conclusions, e.g. by introducing one-stop shops for company registration and reducing the time and costs required to do so. However, given the economic and social importance of SMEs and their crucial role for the achievement of the objectives of the Partnership for Growth and Jobs, the EU has decided to further step up the SME policy to irreversibly put SMEs and entrepreneurship at the heart of policy making. Therefore, following up on its decision to prepare a European "Small Business Act" as part of the Community Lisbon programme for Growth and Jobs 2008 – 2010, the European Commission launched a public consultation on the content of this initiative. Its objective was to better understand remaining hurdles for SME growth and jobs potential in view of unlocking it. Stakeholders reaction indicate the need to further action in the following areas: full application of the subsidiarity principle and further reduction of regulatory burden on SMEs, facilitation of their access to the Single Market and to public procurement, access to finance and to a skilled labour force, support for SMEs who wish to expand and to "go global". The result of the consultation will be taken up in the preparation of the "Small Business Act" for Europe. The results of that consultation are now available For more details see: <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/entrepreneurship/sba_en.htm">http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/entrepreneurship/sba_en.htm

    <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise-europe-network">http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise- europe-network

    [08] Commission clears acquisition of Domo PP by Carmel Olefins and Domo Chemicals

    The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger Regulation to the acquisition of joint control of Domo Polypropylene BV (Domo PP) of Belgium by Carmel Olefins Ltd of Israel, controlled by Oil Refineries Ltd and Israel Petrochemicals Enterprises Ltd, and Domo Chemicals NV of Belgium. Carmel Olefins produces petrochemical products, including polypropylene and polyethylene, in Israel. Domo Chemicals produces chemicals, polyamide, polypropylene and polyamide compounds in the EEA. Domo PP produces polypropylene in the EEA. The operation was examined under the simplified merger review procedure.

    [09] Commission clears acquisition of Morrison Utility by Englefield andCognetas

    The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger Regulation to the acquisition of joint control of Morrison Utility Services Limited (Morrison Utility) of the UK by Englefield Capital LLP (Englefield) and Cognetas Fund II (GP) Limited (Cognetas), both of the UK. Englefield and Cognetas are both diversified private equity funds. Morrison Utility provides utility infrastructure installation and maintenance including meter operation in the water, gas and electricity sector in the UK. The operation was examined under the simplified merger review procedure.

    Rediffusion

    [10] EU and China start high-level economic and trade talks

    New mechanism stresses sustainability, interdependence - The European Commission and the Chinese government today launched their new High Level Economic and Trade Dialogue Mechanism (HLM) in Beijing. The meeting was chaired by Chinese Vice-Premier Wang Qishan and EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson. A further seven EU Commissioners and a total of 10 Chinese ministers participated. The two sides agreed on an ambitious and far- reaching remit for the dialogue and began focused discussions.

    [11] Autre matériel diffusé

    • Speech by Commissioner McCreevy on the occasion of World Intellectual Property Day – EMBARGO 16h00 - 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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