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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 97-01-27
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
MIDDAY EXPRESS
News from the Spokesman's midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi du Porte-Paroleb
27/01/97
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Conf�rence Euro Transit 97 - la Commission r�unira op�rateurs et
autorit�s nationales de 31 pays europ�ens
[02] Sir Leon Brittan: Prevention is better than cure for anti-dumping
policy with Eastern Europe
[03] Monika Wulf-Mathies on euro implications for Britain"
[04] Ritt Bjerregaard: We need to strengthen the commitment towards
sustainable development when we revise the Treaty
[05] Balance commerciale de l'UE � l'�gard de l'ALENA: d�ficit de 2,9
milliards d'Ecus
[01] Conf�rence Euro Transit 97 - la Commission r�unira op�rateurs et
autorit�s nationales de 31 pays europ�ens
Mario Monti, Commissaire europ�en charg� du March� Int�rieur, pr�sidera la
conf�rence Euro Transit 97 qui r�unira, les 6 et 7 f�vrier � Bruxelles, 250
repr�sentants des milieux �conomiques, des institutions communautaires et
des administrations douani�res des Etats membres, des pays de l'AELE, des
pays associ�s d'Europe centrale et orientale ainsi que de la Turquie,
d'Andorre et de Saint Marin. Le but de la conf�rence est la recherche d'un
consensus de toutes les parties int�ress�es sur un programme d'action
visant la r�forme du syst�me de transit douanier.
[02] Sir Leon Brittan: Prevention is better than cure for anti-dumping
policy with Eastern Europe
The European Union (EU) could be more flexible in the way it accepts
minimum price undertakings from central and eastern European companies
facing anti-dumping investigations, according to Sir Leon Brittan.
Speaking at an Anti-Dumping seminar in Brussels, he said the EU could
consider letting such companies determine the exact price at which they
sell into different EU markets, rather than imposing a fixed EU-wide
minimum price as a way of avoiding dumping duties. Sir Leon also
recommended that eastern European industries be encouraged to adopt Western
pricing and marketing techniques, through the transfer of know-how and
closer ties between trade associations, in order to reduce the need for
anti-dumping action. Sir Leon remarked that fears of EU anti-dumping
policy were greatly exaggerated in eastern Europe, where only 0.28% of
their exports to the EU are affected. Likewise, western European companies
had boosted their exports by 464% between 1990 and 1995, and had little to
fear from increased competition from eastern Europe.
[03] Monika Wulf-Mathies on euro implications for Britain"
(!!! embargo 6.30 pm !!!) When it comes to participating in European
Monetary Union (EMU), the issue is more complex than simply "yes" or "no".
In a speech at the Centre for European Reform in London, Monika Wulf-
Mathies, Commissioner responsible for Regional Policy, said opinion leaders
must recognize that the launch of the single currency will profoundly
affect all EU-countries, including the ones that stay out. "I would be
happier if opinion leaders led the debate into the realm of realism," Mrs
Wulf-Mathies said. Even if the UK opts out of the single currency, it will
face questions about important issues, such as the impact on future
investment by international firms in the UK. Addressing the question of
reforming EU structural policy, Commissioner Wulf-Mathies underlined that
"despite growing official Euro-Scepticism grass-roots people consider the
EU and the European regional policy as a reality and a positive
contribution to their day-to-day life." (!!! embargo 6.30 pm !!!)
[04] Ritt Bjerregaard: We need to strengthen the commitment towards
sustainable development when we revise the Treaty
Environment Commissioner Ritt Bjerregaard made the opening presentation at
the Hearing in Brussels on the IGC and the Environment. The purpose of the
hearing was to exchange views on the environmental challenges of the
intergovernmental Conference with organisations from a range of economic
sectors, non governmental organisations, regional and local authorities as
well as academic bodies. Mrs Bjerregaard said that the "current process of
revision of the Treaty provides a great opportunity to strengthen the
commitment towards sustainable development and I hope that this becomes a
reality." The Commissioner underlined that we "need more assurances that,
in future, the environment will be taken into consideration more
consistently when new initiatives are taken." She added that improvements
should be made to the decision making process to ensure that the EU
functions well towards sustainable development and stressed that the
"opposition expressed when the Maastricht was ratified in the Member States
shows the need for bringing the Union closer to the citizen and for
remedying the democratic deficit."
[05] Balance commerciale de l'UE � l'�gard de l'ALENA: d�ficit de 2,9
milliards d'Ecus
L'Union europ�enne (UE) a enregistr� un d�ficit de la balance commerciale
de 2,9 milliards d'Ecus avec l'Accord de Libre Echange de l'Am�rique du
Nord (ALENA) (Etats-Unis, Canada et Mexique) en 1995, apr�s deux ann�es
d'exc�dents qui s'�levaient � 7,4 milliards en 1994 et 5,5 milliards en
1993. Les donn�es sont pr�sent�es dans le cadre d'un rapport publi�
aujourd'hui par Eurostat, l'Office statistique des Communaut�s europ�ennes
� Luxembourg. Malgr� la r�cente inversion, le rapport des exportations de
l'UE vers l'ALENA et des importations de l'UE s'est am�lior� de fa�on
significative entre 1990 et 1995 - de 93 � 98. En 1990, le d�ficit
commercial de l'UE avec l'ALENA avait atteint 7,3 milliards d'Ecus. Selon
le rapport, les relations commerciales entre l'UE et l'ALENA rev�tent une
tr�s grande importance. En 1995, elles ont repr�sent� environ 21% du
commerce UE total, dont 18% avec les Etats-Unis, 2% avec le Canada et
presque 1% avec le Mexique. Le d�ficit enregistr� est d� � une
augmentation des importations UE de 5,3% � 118,6 milliards d'Ecus et une
r�duction des exportations UE de 3,6% � 115,6 milliards d'Ecus.
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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