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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 99-06-23
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-Parole 23/06/1999b
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[I] R�sultats de la Commission de ce jour - Outcome of today's Commission
meeting
[01] Cr�ation d'une Agence europ�enne de reconstruction du Kosovo
[02] Commission adopts cable Directive - a major step towards competition
in the local loop
[03] Commission proposes new synthetic drug to be subject to control
measures and criminal penalties
[04] La Commission enjoint l'Italie de lui fournir toutes les informations
n�cessaires sur des mesures d'exon�ration et de r�duction de charges
sociales en faveur des entreprises municipales de Venise et Chioggia
[05] Commission extends formal investigation procedure in respect of State
aid to Lenzing Lyocell GmbH & Co KG, Austria
[06] La Commission approuve sous conditions le plan d'aides au Cr�dit
Foncier de France
[07] Commission opens a formal investigation on a capital contribution made
by ENI to EniChem in 1994 (Italy)
[08] La Commission saisit la Cour de justice � l'encontre de la France pour
non-respect de l'interdiction des aides � la Nouvelle Filature Laini�re de
Roubaix
[09] Green light for urban renewal scheme and pilot rural renewal scheme in
Ireland
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[10] La Commission autorise la cr�ation par Yoplait et Valio d'entreprises
communes destin�es � la commercialisation de produits laitiers en Finlande
et en Su�de
[11] Launch of the Red Cross World Disaster Report 1999
[I] R�sultats de la Commission de ce jour - Outcome of today's Commission
meeting
[01] Cr�ation d'une Agence europ�enne de reconstruction du Kosovo
Conscient des efforts exceptionnels qui devront �tre d�ploy�s pour
reconstruire la r�gion apr�s la crise et de la n�cessit� de mettre
rapidement en place les mesures les plus appropri�es, le Conseil europ�en,
r�uni � Cologne le 4 juin dernier, a invit� la Commission europ�enne �
cr�er une Agence pour la reconstruction du Kosovo. Deux semaines apr�s, la
Commission a adopt� un projet de r�glement qui porte cr�ation de l'Agence
et en d�finit les modalit�s d'intervention et de fonctionnement. La
premi�re estimation examin�e par la Commission pour la reconstruction du
Kosovo, en tenant compte de l'exp�rience acquise dans la mise en oeuvre des
programmes de reconstruction en Bosnie-Herz�govine, am�ne � retenir des
cr�dits annuels de l'ordre de 500 � 700 millions d'euros sur les trois
prochaines ann�es, ind�pendamment de l'aide humanitaire et de l'assistance
macro-�conomique. Pour cette ann�e, la Commission est pr�te � mobiliser 150
millions d'euros sur le budget 1999, destin�s � la reconstruction pour
faire face aux besoins les plus urgents, en compl�ment des 182 millions
d'euros d�j� allou�s par ECHO au titre de l'aide humanitaire.
[02] Commission adopts cable Directive - a major step towards competition
in the local loop
The European Commission has adopted a Directive which requires
telecommunications operators to separate their cable television operations
in a structurally separate company. It will aid the development of the
cable television sector in the European Union (EU) and will encourage
competition and innovation in local telecommunications and high speed
Internet access. This Directive has been the subject of extensive review
and has received the support of the European Parliament. The Directive has
been adopted under Article 86 (formerly Article 90) of the EU Treaty. It is
the first step towards the introduction of high speed Internet access and
other broad band services over both types of network in the local loop.
[03] Commission proposes new synthetic drug to be subject to control
measures and criminal penalties
The European Commission proposes to extend at European Union (EU) level the
control measures and criminal penalties imposed by some Member States on a
new potent psychoactive agent with no apparent therapeutic value. The drug,
4-MTA (P-Methylthioamphetamine or 4-Methylthio-amphetamine) is a new
amphetamine derivative which until now has been associated with five deaths
and ten non-fatal cases requiring hospitalisation within the EU. This is
the first example of implementation of the Joint Action adopted by the
Council of Ministers on 16 June 1997 (97/396/JHA) concerning the
information exchange, risk assessment and control of new synthetic drugs.
[04] La Commission enjoint l'Italie de lui fournir toutes les informations
n�cessaires sur des mesures d'exon�ration et de r�duction de charges
sociales en faveur des entreprises municipales de Venise et Chioggia
La Commission europ�enne a enjoint l'Italie de lui fournir tous les
documents, informations et donn�es n�cessaires afin d'examiner la
compatibilit� avec le march� commun des mesures d'exon�ration ou de
r�duction des charges sociales d'un montant de 78 millions d'euros (73,6
milliards de LIT) consenties aux entreprises municipales de Venise et
Chioggia pendant la p�riode 1995-1997. L'Italie a quinze jours � compter de
la notification de la d�cision pour fournir les donn�es requises par la
Commission.
[05] Commission extends formal investigation procedure in respect of State
aid to Lenzing Lyocell GmbH & Co KG, Austria
The European Commission has decided to extend the formal investigation
procedure, which was already opened by a Commission decision of 15 October
1998. Lenzing Lyocell GmbH & Co KG produces Lyocell viscose fibres in its
new plant in the Business Park Heiligenkreuz-Szentgotthard. In its former
decision, the Commission asked Austria to prove that certain aids to the
company were covered by approved or existing aid schemes. As Austria failed
to provide compelling evidence for some of the measures, the Commission now
opens the formal investigation procedure for additional aid amounting to at
least 27.7 million euro (374.3 million ATS).
[06] La Commission approuve sous conditions le plan d'aides au Cr�dit
Foncier de France
La Commission europ�enne a approuv� les aides accord�es par la France au
Cr�dit Foncier de France pour un montant estim� � environ 2,44 milliards
d'euros (16 milliards de FF). Les aides sont approuv�es compte tenu de la
r�duction de bilan d'environ 15,24 milliards d'euros (100 milliards de FF)
r�alis�e par la banque depuis l'intervention de soutien de l'Etat en 1996
et � condition que le Cr�dit Foncier continue l'�uvre de restructuration
d�j� entreprise, sur la base du "business plan" pr�sent� � la Commission.
Le gouvernement fran�ais s'est engag� � privatiser le Cr�dit Foncier d'ici
d�cembre 1999.
[07] Commission opens a formal investigation on a capital contribution made
by ENI to EniChem in 1994 (Italy)
The European Commission has decided to initiate the investigation procedure
laid down in Article 88 (2) of the EC Treaty and invite third interested
parties to submit their comments in respect of a capital contribution of 1,
549 million euro (LIT 3,000 billion) decided at the general meeting of
EniChem's shareholders in June1994 and paid out subsequently. The
Commission has initiated this investigation following the judgement of
15/9/1998 of the European Court of First Instance that had annulled for
lack of motivation a previous decision of the Commission of July 1994
concluding that the said capital contribution did not constitute an aid but
a normal investment accruing an appropriate rate of return to its investor.
[08] La Commission saisit la Cour de justice � l'encontre de la France pour
non-respect de l'interdiction des aides � la Nouvelle Filature Laini�re de
Roubaix
La Commission europ�enne a d�cid� de saisir la Cour de justice europ�enne
pour non-ex�cution par le gouvernement fran�ais de sa d�cision
partiellement n�gative du 4 novembre 1998 d�clarant incompatibles et
demandant la r�cup�ration d'une partie des aides octroy�es par la France en
faveur de la Nouvelle Filature Laini�re de Roubaix. La d�cision de la
Commission exigeait que la France r�cup�re les aides d�clar�es
incompatibles aupr�s de l'entreprise b�n�ficiaire.
[09] Green light for urban renewal scheme and pilot rural renewal scheme in
Ireland
The European Commission has approved two schemes providing the fiscal
incentive of capital allowances to investors in buildings in certain urban
areas and rural areas of Ireland. The aid was approved because it complies
with the regional investment aid rules.
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[10] La Commission autorise la cr�ation par Yoplait et Valio d'entreprises
communes destin�es � la commercialisation de produits laitiers en Finlande
et en Su�de
La Commission europ�enne a autoris� la cr�ation de deux entreprises
communes, destin�es � la commercialisation de produits laitiers frais en
Finlande et en Su�de, par la coop�rative laiti�re fran�aise Sodiaal (par
l'interm�diaire de ses filiales Yoplait SA et Sodima International SA) et
la coop�rative laiti�re finlandaise Valio. A la suite des doutes s�rieux
exprim�s par la Commission quant � la compatibilit� des entreprises
communes avec les r�gles de concurrence communautaires, les parties ont
d�cid� d'apporter des modifications structurelles importantes �
l'entreprise commune finlandaise afin de dissiper les craintes de la
Commission.
[11] Launch of the Red Cross World Disaster Report 1999
The European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO) and the Red Cross
(Belgium) are co-hosting the launch of the Red Cross World Disaster Report
1999 tomorrow Thursday at 10.00, Auditorium Charlemagne, 170 Rue de la Loi.
Speakers include Alberto Navarro (Director, ECHO), Peter Walker (Director
of Disaster Policy, IFRC), Debarati Guha-Sapir (Director, Centre for
Research on Epidemiology of Disasters). The Disaster Report, now in its
seventh edition, is packed with facts, figures and analysis. It is a unique
resource for journalists following humanitarian aid. The theme of this
year's report is the prevention of catastrophes due to climate change
accelerated by human activity. It is available in French and English.
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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