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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 96-06-19
From: HR-Net News Distribution Manager <[email protected]>
MIDDAY EXPRESS
News from the Spokesman's midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi du Porte-Paroleb
19 / 06 / 1996
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[I] R�sultats de la Commission du 18 juin -
Outcome of Commission meeting of 18 June
[01] Pr�paration du Conseil europ�en de Florence: position de la Commission
sur la BSE
[02] Multi-disciplinary committee on BSE
[03] Commission adopts "Auto Oil" package: 60-70% reduction in road transport
emissions by the year 2010
[04] Politique des consommateurs: la Commission adopte une proposition de
directive concernant les garanties de biens de consommation
[05] Commission proposes building world competition instrument
[06] La Commission d�veloppe sa position sur les aides d'Etat qui visent �
r�duire le co�t du travail
[07] Commission proposes a reduction in set-aside rate
[08] Commission adopts its buildings policy for 1996-2005
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[09] Commission signs macro-financial assistance loan for Ukraine
[10] Forum textile/habillement: des id�es pour surmonter les difficult�s du
secteur
[I] R�sultats de la Commission du 18 juin -
Outcome of Commission meeting of 18 June
[01] Pr�paration du Conseil europ�en de Florence: position de la Commission
sur la BSE
La Commission a eu un d�bat approfondi sur la BSE et a habilit� le Pr�sident
Santer et Franz Fischler, Commissaire charg� de l'Agriculture, � finaliser le
document en vue de rechercher une solution � la crise lors du Conseil europ�en
de Florence. S'adressant ce matin au Parlement europ�en, Jacques Santer a
r�sum� les principes qui guident la Commission. "Toutes nos actions devront
�tre bas�es sur et inspir�es par un imp�ratif absolu, � savoir la protection de la
sant� des citoyens. La lev�e de l'embargo des exportations britanniques est
donc obligatoirement conditionn�e par l'�radication de la maladie de l'ESB. (...)
C'est aux autorit�s britanniques de prendre les mesures d'�radication
n�cessaires. (...) La Commission se montrera insensible aux pressions politiques,
blocages, voire vetos." "Il devrait �tre possible de se mettre d'accord � Florence
sur les conditions pr�alables, les �tapes et les proc�dures permettant
d'envisager, pas � pas, la normalisation des �changes dans le secteur bovin avec
le Royaume Uni." Mais toute d�cision devra obligatoirement impliquer les experts
v�t�rinaires et scientifiques. Jacques Santer a par ailleurs relev� les autres
priorit�s pour le Conseil europ�en: Florence devra �tre pour l'emploi ce que
Madrid a �t� pour la monnaie unique. La r�alisation du Pacte de confiance ne
se fera pas d'un jour � l'autre, mais "il faut r�aliser du concret � court terme".
"Le Conseil europ�en doit maintenant, une fois pour toutes, d�cider des moyens
� mettre en oeuvre pour r�aliser les r�seaux transeurop�ens qu'il a appel�s de
ses voeux." A propos de la CIG, Florence devra montrer qu'il ne faut plus perdre
de temps. "Il y a une prise de conscience aupr�s des Etats membres que
quelque chose doit changer. Il faut transformer cette prise de conscience dans
une nouvelle impulsion. Il faut s'engager v�ritablement dans la n�gociation."
[02] Multi-disciplinary committee on BSE
The European Commission was informed on the state of play regarding the
establishment of a Multi-disciplinary Committee on Bovine Spongiform
Encephalopathy (BSE). The objective in establishing this Committee is to ensure
that scientific advice on BSE given to the Commission takes into account the
widest possible range of expertise. In order to establish the Committee, a
Steering Group of seven notable scientists has been nominated. This group will
identify other members and experts to be consulted on specific questions, decide
on the working programme, and maintain coordination with the existing
committees.
[03] Commission adopts "Auto Oil" package: 60-70% reduction in road transport
emissions by the year 2010
The European Commission agreed upon a strategy for the control of emissions
from road transport designed to achieve rigorous air quality standards in a cost
effective manner: it will require road transport emissions to be reduced by 60 to
70% in the year 2010 as compared to today. At the same time the Commission
adopted two of the legislative proposals which will be required in order to
implement the strategy: a proposal for tighter emission standards for passenger
cars and a proposal for quality standards for petrol and diesel fuels to be realised
by 1 January 2000. Further legislative proposals resulting from the Auto Oil
programme and concerning emission standards for light commercial vehicles and
heavy duty vehicles as well as the rules governing annual/bi-annual inspection
and maintenance checks, will be brought forward in 1997.
[04] Politique des consommateurs: la Commission adopte une proposition de
directive concernant les garanties de biens de consommation
La Commission a adopt� une proposition de directive sur la vente et les garanties
des biens de consommation, dont l'objectif est de garantir un socle minimal de
droits accord�s aux consommateurs en cas d'achat de biens d�fectueux. La
proposition de directive comporte deux volets: le premier garantira � tout
consommateur une garantie l�gale de deux ans compt�s apr�s la d�livrance du
bien. Le deuxi�me vise la garantie commerciale en y apportant des principes de
transparence et d'information. S'agissant d'une harmonisation minimale, les
Etats membres pourront maintenir ou adopter des dispositions plus protectrices
des consommateurs.
[05] Commission proposes building world competition instrument
The European Commission is proposing that the European Union should pursue
a stronger international framework of competition rules in order to help all
national governments to tackle cartels and other anti-competitive practices that
hinder effective access to foreign markets. In a wide-ranging communication, the
Commission calls for a decision by Ministers of World Trade Organisation
member countries, at their meeting in December, to study the prospect from 1997
onwards. Through such a framework, all WTO countries could eventually adopt
and enforce their own competition rules along common agreed principles as well
as creating the means to exchange information and avoid legal overlap on
cross-border problems, to request action on foreign markets and to settle
disputes arising between WTO governments. Worldwide trade and investment
are increasing rapidly, but the ability to police international mergers, joint
ventures, licensing agreements and other alliances is limited, inviting companies
to segment and close off markets beyond the reach of anti-trust authorities.
[06] La Commission d�veloppe sa position sur les aides d'Etat qui visent �
r�duire le co�t du travail
La Commission vient d'adopter une communication qui confirme et clarifie sa
position, au titre des r�gles de concurrence en mati�re d'Etat, � l'�gard des
mesures publiques qui visent � r�duire les co�ts indirects du travail. La
Commission encourage ce type de mesure, notamment en faveur des bas
salaires. Elle vient de rappeler cette recommandation qui figurait d�j� dans son
Livre blanc "Croissance, comp�titivit�, emploi" � l'occasion du Pacte de confiance
pour l'emploi.
[07] Commission proposes a reduction in set-aside rate
The European Commission has adopted a proposal to reduce the arable set-aside rate to 5% for the 1997/98 marketing year from its present level of 10%.
If adopted by the Council, this modification would allow about 1.7 million hectares
of land to be put back into arable production leading to a potential increase in
production of cereals of over 8 million tonnes.
[08] Commission adopts its buildings policy for 1996-2005
The European Commission adopted a communication on its buildings policy in
Brussels and Luxembourg for 1996-2005. The aim of the new policy is to create
a more coherent and stable basis for the accommodation of the Commission
services. Special attention is paid to the urban environmental and the public
transport aspects of the location of the Commission buildings. In Brussels the
Commission intends to ease the pressure of office buildings in the "Quartier
europ�en". Depending on the budgetary resources the Commission intends in
the long term to purchase buildings when it is considered cheaper than renting.
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[09] Commission signs macro-financial assistance loan for Ukraine
Yves Thibault de Silguy, Commissioner for Economic, Financial and Monetary
Affairs and Mr Igor Mityukov, Special Representative of the Ukrainian government
to the EU, today signed a Loan Agreement for a second macro-financial
assistance loan of up to ECU 200 million to Ukraine. This agreement confirms
the disbursement of the first tranche of the balance of payments support agreed
by the Council on 23 October 1995. It comes in addition to the first macro-financial loan of ECU 85 million in 1995 to support efforts towards establishing
a market economy in Ukraine.
[10] Forum textile/habillement: des id�es pour surmonter les difficult�s du
secteur
A l'invitation de M. Martin Bangemann, membre de la Commission responsable
pour l'Industrie, des repr�sentants des gouvernements et des associations
professionnelles se r�unissent cet apr�s-midi � Bruxelles au forum
textile/habillement. Son objectif est de trouver, par une coop�ration au niveau
europ�en de toutes les parties concern�es, des solutions pour surmonter les
difficult�s que ce secteur rencontre toujours dans plusieurs Etats membres.
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://www.cec.lu/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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