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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 97-01-29
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
29/01/97
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[I] R�sultats de la Commission de ce jour - Outcome of today's Commission
meeting
[01] Commission for the first time seeks financial penalties against non-
compliance with European Court judgements
[02] La Commission propose de modifier le r�gime de TVA applicable aux
services de t�l�communications
[03] Environmental taxes and charges: Commission presents guidelines for
their efficient use in the single market
[04] La Commission appuie la restructuration industrielle en Aquitaine
[05] Commission authorizes ECU 806 million for industrial areas in Germany
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[06] Europe contre le SIDA: la lutte continue
[07] Commission approves the acquisition by TRW of Magna Automotive Holding
(Germany) GmbH
[08] Humanitarian aid for victims of natural disasters: news in brief
[I] R�sultats de la Commission de ce jour - Outcome of today's Commission
meeting
[01] Commission for the first time seeks financial penalties against non-
compliance with European Court judgements
The European Commission decided to make applications to the European Court
of Justice against Germany and Italy for failing to comply with previous
Court judgements for infringing European Union environmental law. It also
decided that, in making these applications, it will for the first time ask
the Court to impose financial penalties, which the Court obtained power to
do under the Maastricht Treaty. The daily penalties proposed to the Court
are the following: Germany: bird protection ECU 26,400, groundwater ECU 264,
000 and surface water ECU 158,400 ; Italy: waste ECU 123,900 and radiation
protection ECU 159,300.
[02] La Commission propose de modifier le r�gime de TVA applicable aux
services de t�l�communications
La Commission europ�enne a adopt� une proposition de directive visant �
modifier les r�gles actuelles pour l'application de la taxe sur la valeur
ajout�e (TVA) aux services de t�l�communications afin que tous les services
utilis�s � l'int�rieur de l'Union europ�enne (UE) soient tax�s de la m�me
mani�re, qu'ils soient fournis par des op�rateurs communautaires ou par
ceux �tablis dans les pays tiers. Actuellement, l'imposition se fait �
l'endroit o� le prestataire de service est �tabli. Puisque dans la plupart
des pays tiers la TVA n'est pas impos�e aux services de t�l�communications,
les op�rateurs communautaires, soumis � la TVA, sont mis dans une position
concurrentielle d�favorable. Une autre cons�quence du changement du lieu
d'imposition des services de t�l�communications est la non taxation des
services rendus par des op�rateurs communautaires � des consommateurs
�tablis en dehors de l'UE, cr�ant ainsi une concurrence plus �quitable sur
les march�s internationaux. Des mesures transitoires permettront de taxer
rapidement les services de t�l�communications fournis par des prestataires
extra-UE sans attendre l'adoption de la directive.
[03] Environmental taxes and charges: Commission presents guidelines for
their efficient use in the single market
The European Commission adopted a communication on environmental taxes and
charges in the single market. With an increasing use of such instruments
in Member States, environmental policy can be expected to become more
efficient. However, there is also a fear that the instruments are not
always used in a way compatible with European Union (EU) legislation. This
concerns particularly rules related to the single market. The document
adopted explains the legal framework applicable to Member States and
clarifies both the possibilities and constraints for Member States to act
in this field. It shows that there is considerable room for action by the
Member States to use fiscal instruments that respects the obligations of
the Treaty of the EU. The communication can thus serve as guidelines for
Member States active in this field. The document mainly deals with product
taxation, as this is the area most sensitive to internal market aspects.
[04] La Commission appuie la restructuration industrielle en Aquitaine
La Commission europ�enne soutient la restructuration industrielle en
Aquitaine avec 132,5 millions d'Ecus. C'est ce qui ressort d'un programme
auquel elle vient de donner son feu vert et qui vise avant tout � redresser
la situation de l'emploi dans la r�gion. Plus de 4.500 emplois devraient
�tre cr��s. A cette fin, le programme pr�voit surtout des mesures en
faveur des entreprises, mais �galement des actions de formation, des
initiatives en faveur de l'�galit� des chances et des actions pour la
protection de l'environnement. Il s'agit du premier programme fran�ais en
faveur d'une r�gion class�e en objectif 2 (reconversion �conomique des
zones en d�clin industriel) pour la p�riode allant de 1997 jusqu'� fin
1999. Le financement europ�en se r�partit entre 108,5 millions d'Ecus du
Fonds europ�en de d�veloppement r�gional (FEDER) et 24,0 millions d'Ecus
provenant du Fonds social europ�en (FSE). Le co�t total du programme
s'�l�ve � presque 500 millions d'Ecus y compris les financements nationaux
et les fonds priv�s.
[05] Commission authorizes ECU 806 million for industrial areas in Germany
The European Commission has earmarked ECU 805.6 million from the Structural
Funds to help industrial areas in Germany cope with structural change. The
Commission approved in principle suitable programmes (Objective 2
programmes: converting regions seriously affected by industrial decline) in
North Rhine-Westphalia, Berlin, Saarland, Bremen, Hesse and Bavaria. EU
aid will be complemented by German funding of ECU 1.851 billion, of which
ECU 839.1 million will be provided by the German Government and ECU 1.012
billion is set to come from private sources. Thus a total of ECU 2.657
billion will help create and safeguard more than 100,000 jobs in these six
L�nder between now and the end of 1999.
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[06] Europe contre le SIDA: la lutte continue
Selon un rapport adopt� par la Commission europ�enne, l'incidence du SIDA
se stabilise dans l'Union europ�enne (UE), sauf en Espagne, en Italie et au
Portugal. 17.778 cas ont �t� diagnostiqu�s au cours des neuf premiers mois
de 1996. 43% des cas diagnostiqu�s en 1995 sont li�s � l'injection de
drogues. Ces r�sultats dans la lutte contre l'�pid�mie du VIH/SIDA sont le
fruit d'efforts men�s conjointement au niveau national et communautaire
dans le domaine de l'information et de la pr�vention. 134 projets
transnationaux de pr�vention contre le SIDA ont �t� soutenus par l'UE en
1994-1995. Un programme de lutte contre le SIDA et autres maladies
transmissibles restera en cours jusqu'en l'an 2000. Padraig Flynn,
commissaire europ�en responsable pour la sant� publique, en appelle � la
solidarit� avec les personnes touch�es.
[07] Commission approves the acquisition by TRW of Magna Automotive Holding
(Germany) GmbH
The European Commission has approved the acquisition by the US company TRW
Inc. of all shares in the German Magna Automotive Holding (Germany) GmbH
(MAH) which is active in the manufacture and sale of steering wheels,
airbag modules and airbag inflators. The investigation carried out has
shown that the operation will not create a risk for competition for any of
these sectors. TRW is a global company active in the manufacture and sale
of components and systems for the automotive and space & defence
industries. MAH currently is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Magna group
which is also a major supplier of car components. At the time of the
merger MAH will hold 80% of the shares each in MST Automotive GmbH
Automobilsicherheitstechnik and Temic Bayern - Chemie Airbag GmbH.
[08] Humanitarian aid for victims of natural disasters: news in brief
The European Commission has approved humanitarian aid for victims of
natural disasters in Laos, Cambodia, India and Morocco. The aid, managed
by the European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO), covers projects as
follows: Laos - ECU 550,000, Cambodia - ECU 450,000, Morocco - ECU 300,000,
all for victims of flooding; India - ECU 570,000 for victims of a cyclone.
The projects will be carried out in partnership with European non-
governmental organisations.
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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