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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 98-04-29
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
29/04/98
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[I] R�sultats de la Commission de ce jour - Outcome of today's Commission
meeting
[01] Preliminary draft budget 1999 : political priorities achieved in a
rigorous framework
[02] La Commission adopte un nouveau programme d'action sociale 1998-2000
[03] La Commission propose d'�liminer les risques de dumping social dans
les transports de passagers par ferry
[04] Increased focus on energy efficiency following Kyoto
[05] La Commission propose des mesures de lutte contre la fraude dans le
domaine des accises
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[06] Commission approves the GE Seaco joint venture between GE Capital
Services and Sea Containers Ltd
[07] Commission approves the leveraged management buy-out of BTR's Formica
business by three investment banks
[08] Fonds structurels en Italie : Mme Wulf-Mathies se f�licite de la
r�vision � mi-parcours
[09] EU calls for WTO debate on electronic commerce
[10] Vincent Cochetel abducted three months ago
[I] R�sultats de la Commission de ce jour - Outcome of today's Commission
meeting
[01] Preliminary draft budget 1999 : political priorities achieved in a
rigorous framework
The European Commission has adopted preliminary draft budget for the year
1999, in line with the Commission's political orientations in January 1999.
The expenditure proposals total EUR 96,902 in commitment appropriations and
EUR 86,350 million in payment appropriations. The budget for 1999 covers
the last year of the present financial perspective. It winds up the Delors
II package and, at the same time, builds a bridge to the political
priorities set in Agenda 2000. The main increase in the budget is for
structural operations, where the Commission proposal meets the requirements
of the European Council of Edinburgh in 1992. That leads to an increase of
16.6% in commitments and 9% in payments for structural operations.
Spending in agriculture, internal and external policies as well as in
administration increases no more than 0.6% in commitment appropriations and
0.5% in payment appropriations. Resources are concentrated to priority
areas, particularly to the employment initiative, trans-European networks,
research and technological development and, in external policy, to the
Phare and Meda programmes. The budgetary orientation of the Commission is
fully in line with the Member States. The level of expenditure will be
1.11% of the GNP of 15 Member States, which means a saving of some EUR 13,
000 million compared to the ceiling of the financial perspective. The
overall growth proposed for the 1999 exercise is 3.4% in payment and 6.5%
in commitment appropriations, including a rebudgeting of unused spending in
structural operations. The budget for 1999 will be expressed in euro
(EUR).
[02] La Commission adopte un nouveau programme d'action sociale 1998-2000
Dans une communication adopt�e aujourd'hui, la Commission europ�enne
d�finit le cadre du d�veloppement de la politique sociale europ�enne de
1998 � l'an 2000. Le nouveau programme d'action sociale (1998-2000) met �
profit les r�sultats du pr�c�dent programme d'action sociale � moyen terme
(1995-1997) et exploite la dynamique nouvelle suscit�e dans le domaine
social par la nouvelle strat�gie europ�enne de l'emploi ainsi que par le
trait� d'Amsterdam. En �num�rant les principales priorit�s de la p�riode �
venir, il distingue trois grandes rubriques : emplois, qualifications et
mobilit�; les mutations du travail; une soci�t� fond�e sur l'int�gration.
Il affirme que la politique sociale devrait promouvoir une qualit� et un
niveau de vie corrects pour tous dans une soci�t� privil�giant l'activit�,
l'int�gration et la sant�. A cet �gard, il met particuli�rement l'accent
sur l'acc�s � l'emploi, de bonnes conditions de travail et l'�galit� des
chances.
[03] La Commission propose d'�liminer les risques de dumping social dans
les transports de passagers par ferry
Soucieuse de pr�venir tout risque de dumping social et de concurrence
d�loyale dans les transports de passagers par ferry, la Commission
europ�enne a pr�sent� une proposition de Directive visant � assurer aux
membres d'�quipage ressortissants des pays tiers les conditions d'emploi
applicables dans l'Etat membre o� est immatricul� le navire. Le projet de
directive, soumis � l'approbation du Conseil des Ministres et du Parlement
europ�en, couvre uniquement les services r�guliers de transports de
passagers par ferry entre les ports de l'Union europ�enne (UE). Par
ailleurs, la Commission a propos� un r�glement au Conseil et au Parlement
stipulant que, pour les services de cabotage (c'est-�-dire les services de
transports reliant deux ports d'un m�me pays), les r�gles sur la proportion
de ressortissants de l'UE au sein de l'�quipage seront celles du pays
d'accueil.
[04] Increased focus on energy efficiency following Kyoto
As a follow-up to the Kyoto Conference on the reduction of greenhouse gas
emissions, the European Commission adopted a Communication on Energy
Efficiency in the European Union (EU), outlining elements of a strategy for
improving energy efficiency. The Communication is a step in the process of
developing a comprehensive action plan to remove barriers to the
penetration of energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly technologies
in the European market in order to promote the rational use of energy. The
Communication sets out some of the main actions and policies at the EU and
Member State level which can ensure that the multiple benefits of higher
energy efficiency are exploited in a cost-effective manner. Energy
efficiency is judged to be a major potential contributor towards meeting
the EU's commitments undertaken in Kyoto for the reduction of greenhouse
gas emissions between now and the year 2010.
[05] La Commission propose des mesures de lutte contre la fraude dans le
domaine des accises
La Commission europ�enne propose au Conseil des Ministres d'approuver des
mesures de lutte contre la fraude dans le domaine des accises et notamment
de s'engager � l'introduction rapide d'un Syst�me d'Information Pr�alable
visant � faciliter la r�alisation de contr�les s�lectifs. L'instauration
de ce syst�me imposera � tout op�rateur qui exp�die des marchandises
soumises � accises vers d'autres Etats membres de notifier au pr�alable ces
envois de mani�re � ce que les administrations fiscales puissent les
collecter, les �valuer, et les �changer avec les autres Etats membres et la
Commission. A plus long terme, de l'avis de la Commission, un syst�me de
contr�le informatique s'impose, permettant une v�rification en temps r�el
et une analyse du risque avant chaque transport des marchandises
concern�es.
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[06] Commission approves the GE Seaco joint venture between GE Capital
Services and Sea Containers Ltd
The European Commission has approved the creation of a joint venture in the
sector of marine container operating leasing between GE Capital Services
(US) and Sea Containers Ltd (UK). The operation will result in the
infrastructures of the two companies being merged into the new company, GE
Seaco. The market affected by the operation is the global market for
marine container operating leases. The Commission found that the operation
will only lead to modest market share additions even on the narrowest
possible market definitions, and has therefore approved it.
[07] Commission approves the leveraged management buy-out of BTR's Formica
business by three investment banks
The European Commission has authorised, under the Merger Regulation, the
leveraged management buy-out of BTR's Formica Group, active in the sector
of high pressure laminates. The buy-out was effected through financial
leverage provided by the US investment banks Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette
Inc., CVC Capital Partners and Citicorp. The transaction is neutral from
the point of view of competition, as it does not result in any market
overlap between the business activities of the acquirer and the target
company. Therefore the Commission considered it compatible with the common
market.
[08] Fonds structurels en Italie : Mme Wulf-Mathies se f�licite de la
r�vision � mi-parcours
Monika Wulf-Mathies, commissaire europ�en responsable pour la politique
r�gionale et de coh�sion, s'est f�licit�e aujourd'hui de la d�cision du
Comit� de suivi du cadre communautaire d'appui (CCA) de l'Italie de
reprogrammer 700 millions d'Ecus d'aide de l'Union europ�enne (UE). Cette
reprogrammation s'est faite � l'occasion de la r�vision � mi-parcours des
diff�rents programmes structurels objectif 1. Mme Wulf-Mathies a d�clar� :
"Ceci est une preuve suppl�mentaire de la r�cente am�lioration de la
gestion des fonds structurels en Italie. Les programmes les moins avanc�s
seront priv�s de ressources additionnelles alors que ceux qui se
d�veloppent bien seront favoris�s. Je suis particuli�rement heureuse que
les pactes territoriaux pour l'emploi soutenus par la Commission
b�n�ficieront d'une aide de 140 millions d'Ecus et que les r�gions
Basilicata et Molise, qui ont montr� leurs capacit�s de gestion,
b�n�ficieront de ressources suppl�mentaires de l'UE d'un montant de 100
millions d'Ecus."
[09] EU calls for WTO debate on electronic commerce
The European Union (EU) has unveiled a proposal for a World Trade
Organisation (WTO) debate on removing the obstacles to electronic commerce,
and establishing a basic set of principles to add transparency and legal
certainty for on-line trade. The EU communication to the WTO suggests that
international trade rules relating to electronic transactions should be
clarified, and in some cases revised, by December 1998. This is an area of
increasing importance to world trade, with economic predictions suggesting
that on-line and especially internet trade will continue to grow rapidly,
to the benefit of both developed and developing countries.
[10] Vincent Cochetel abducted three months ago
European Commissioner for Foreign Affairs, Hans van den Broek, expressed
his deep concern about the whereabouts of Vincent Cochetel, representative
of UNHCR in North Ossetia. It is three months ago today that Mr Cochetel
was abducted. Mr van den Broek urged the government of the Russian
Federation and the leaders in the Northern Caucasian region to step up
efforts in the search for Mr Cochetel. A silent march is being organised
in Geneva today to draw public attention to Mr Cochetels fate and to that
of other humanitarian workers held hostage around the world. "It is vital
to raise the awareness of the international community about the
deteriorating safety of humanitarian aid personnel working in the field",
commented the Commissioner.
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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