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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 97-12-10
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
10/12/97
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[I] R�sultats de la Commission de ce jour - Outcome of today's Commission
meeting
[01] Commision launches debate towards better and more efficient port
infrastructures
[02] Proposal for Directive on copyright and related rights in the
Information Society
[03] Mat�riaux � risques (ESB): la Commission propose de reporter sa
d�cision et d'approfondir les nouvelles donn�es scientifiques
[04] Commission reopens state aid file on Buna Sow Leuna Olefinverbund GmbH
(Germany)
[05] Application of the milk quota regime in Italy and Spain
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[06] The Scientific Steering Committee delivers its opinion on two BSE-
related issues: specified risk materials and a date based export scheme for
UK
[07] Le TGV Bruxelles-fronti�re fran�aise marque un nouveau pas vers la
constitution de r�seaux transeurop�ens de transports
[08] Martin Bangemann welcomes the call of British, French and German
leaders for a restructuring of the European defence and aerospace
industries
[09] ECHO TV and radio awards 1997. And the winners are:
[I] R�sultats de la Commission de ce jour - Outcome of today's Commission
meeting
[01] Commision launches debate towards better and more efficient port
infrastructures
The European Commission published its first ever discussion paper on sea
ports and maritime infrastructure and invited the European Union (EU)
institutions, port authorities, operators and the maritime industries to
take up the debate. Ports are vital to trade and transport in the EU and
its global competitiveness increasingly depends on an efficient and cost-
effective transport and port systems. Yet ports have tended to remain on
the sidelines of the general transport debate on transport policy. This
Green Paper, which will be followed up at a conference next year, is
intended to launch a wide-ranging debate on individual port issues and
possible future policies which should help to increase efficiency, improve
port and maritime infrastructure by integrating ports into the multimodal
transport system and meet the EU Treaty obligations of free and fair
competition in the port sector. The paper sets out possible improvements in
existing policies and identifies other areas, particularly in the field of
charging and market access, where new initiatives might be taken.
[02] Proposal for Directive on copyright and related rights in the
Information Society
A proposal for a Directive harmonising aspects of rules on copyright and
related rights in the Information Society has been presented by the
European Commission. The proposal would adjust and complement the existing
legal framework, with particular emphasis on new products and services
containing intellectual property (both on-line and on physical carriers
such as CDs, CD-ROMs and Digital Video Discs), so as to ensure a Single
Market in copyright and related rights while protecting and stimulating
creativity and innovation within the European Union. It would in
particular harmonise rules on the right of reproduction, the communication
to the public right (including making protected material available on-
demand over the Internet), the distribution right and the legal protection
of anti-copying systems and information for managing rights. The proposal
would benefit users, rightholders, and investors, such as providers of on-
line services, and facilitate cross-border trade in copyright-protected
goods and services. The proposal reflects not only extensive consultations
based on a 1995 Green Paper but also international developments in this
area. In particular, the proposal would implement the main obligations of
new Treaties agreed in December 1996 in the framework of the World
Intellectual Property Organisation on the protection of authors and the
protection of performers and phonogram producers.
[03] Mat�riaux � risques (ESB): la Commission propose de reporter sa
d�cision et d'approfondir les nouvelles donn�es scientifiques
La Commission europ�enne a d�battu des suites � donner aux r�unions du
Comit� V�t�rinaire Permanent et du Comit� Scientifique Directeur qui se
sont tenues lundi et mardi. Elle a pris note de l'important avis �mis par
le Comit� Scientifique Directeur sur les mat�riaux � risques et constate,
par ailleurs, que les Etats membres, au sein du Comit� V�t�rinaire
Permanent, n'ont pas approuv� les modifications qu'elle a pr�sent�es le 18
novembre � sa d�cision du 30 juillet interdisant l'utilisation de ces
mat�riaux. Au vu du nouvel avis, la Commission a d�cid� de proposer lundi
prochain, 15 d�cembre, au Comit� V�t�rinaire Permanent, et si n�cessaire au
Conseil Agricole, le report au 31 mars 1998 de l'entr�e en vigueur de sa
d�cision du 30 juillet. Elle a demand� � ses services d'examiner � fond
les diff�rents aspects et les implications potentielles de l'avis �mis par
le Comit� Scientifique Directeur. Elle demande � celui-ci de pr�ciser
davantage son avis, notamment sur le plan de l'incidence g�ographique et du
degr� d'infectivit� des diff�rents mat�riaux � risques, et de se prononcer,
� ce sujet, au plus tard le 31 janvier 1998. La Commission prendra ensuite
une d�cision le plus rapidement possible.
[04] Commission reopens state aid file on Buna Sow Leuna Olefinverbund GmbH
(Germany)
The European Commission has decided to reopen the state aid file related to
the privatisation of Buna Sow Leuna Olefinverbund (BSL), one of the largest
complexes of the chemical industry of the former German Democratic Republic
which, at the time, gave employment to 68,500 people. Based on information
notified by the German Authorities to the Commission early September 1997
amendments to the original privatisation contract lead to serious
alterations in capacity which go beyond the plan approved by the Commission
in November 1995 and May 1996. Moreover the Commission fears that the new
energy contracts signed by BSL may in fact contain state aid elements.
[05] Application of the milk quota regime in Italy and Spain
The European Commission has decided to open infringement proceedings
against Italy and Spain with regard to the failure of these Member states
to ensure the satisfactory operation of the milk quota regime. The primary
preoccupation in this regard is the ongoing failure to definitively recoup
the superlevy which is due on the producers responsible for the overrun in
production. The Commission has other means at its disposal to actually
collect the amount of levy due by the Member states to the FEOGA. This
has already been accomplished with regard to the 1995-1996 period by means
of a reduction in FEOGA advance payments and a similar operation is
underway for the levy due for the 1996-1997 period.
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[06] The Scientific Steering Committee delivers its opinion on two BSE-
related issues: specified risk materials and a date based export scheme for
UK
The Scientific Steering Committee (SSC) has expressed the opinion that
inter alia intestines of bovines, sheep and goats of all ages and the
lungs, vertebral column and dorsal root ganglia of these animals older
than 12 months should be added to the list of specified risk materials
(SRMs). The scientists suggested that these materials should be excluded
from the food and feed chain if they do not originate from a BSE-free
country. The Scientific Steering Committee (SSC) has also formulated
conditions for a possible lifting of the export ban for British beef. It
examined the British proposals of a date based export scheme and of a
compulsory slaughter of the offspring of BSE infected cows. The SSC
concluded that a combination of both proposals can be acceptable under
certain conditions.
[07] Le TGV Bruxelles-fronti�re fran�aise marque un nouveau pas vers la
constitution de r�seaux transeurop�ens de transports
Neil Kinnock, le commissaire europ�en en charge des transports et des
r�seaux transeurop�ens de transports, s'est r�joui aujourd'hui de
l'ouverture du nouveau tron�on de la ligne � grande vitesse entre Bruxelles
et la fronti�re fran�aise qui permet de gagner plus d'une demi-heure de
voyage sur les trajets reliant Bruxelles, Cologne et Amsterdam � Paris et �
Londres. L'ach�vement de ce projet, auquel l'Union europ�enne a contribu�
� concurrence de 140 millions d'Ecus, marque ainsi une �tape fondamentale
dans la construction des r�seaux transeurop�ens de transport.
[08] Martin Bangemann welcomes the call of British, French and German
leaders for a restructuring of the European defence and aerospace
industries
Martin Bangemann, the European Commission's member in charge of industry,
welcomed today the statement of Tony Blair, the UK prime minister,
President Jacques Chirac and prime minister Lionel Jospin of France, and
Chancellor Helmut Kohl of Germany, calling for a restructuring of the
European defence and aerospace sectors. Mr Bangemann said: "This
initiative is a concrete step in the direction outlined in the European
Commission's Communications of September and November of this year on
European aerospace and defence related industries. I am particularly
satisfied by the fact that the political leaders of three important member
states support the idea of a restructuring, embracing civil and military
activity. It is primarily for industry to work out the structure required.
The Commission will continue to take the necessary measures at the European
level in order to facilitate such restructuring". Mr Bangemann added that
he would welcome the involvement of other companies and other European
nations as appropriate, particularly those already engaged in collaborative
projects.
[09] ECHO TV and radio awards 1997. And the winners are:
The winners of the ECHO TV and radio awards 1997 for outstanding programmes
highlighting humanitarian crises were announced yesterday night at a
ceremony in Luxembourg. The awards were made in the presence of Her Royal
Highness The Grand Duchess Josephine-Charlotte, President of the Luxembourg
Red Cross, European Commission President Jacques Santer, and Emma Bonino,
Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs. For the six categories, the winners
are: Forgotten conflicts: West Sahara (Phoenix Film, Germany); Vulnerable
groups: Peace isn't over, the war I mean (RAI Television, Italy); In the
minds of people: The terror and the truth (Fulcrum Productions Ltd, UK);
People on the move: Rwanda: the return of the refugees (TV3, Televisio de
Catalunya, Spain); Radio award: Russian jails (BBC Eurofile, UK); Broadcast
commitment: Divided world (RTE, Ireland). The awards recognise the crucial
role that broadcasters play in informing the public in Europe about
humanitarian crises in all their complexity.
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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