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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 00-12-06
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 Service Presse et Communicationb
06/12/2000
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[I] R�sultats de la Commission de ce jour - Outcome of today's Commission
meeting
[01] S�curit� maritime : la Commission propose un deuxi�me paquet de
mesures pour �viter un nouvel Erika
[02] La Commission autorise la cr�ation d'une entreprise commune r�unissant
Framatome et Siemens, apr�s modification de l'op�ration
[03] La Commission adopte des exemptions par cat�gorie pour les aides
d'Etat
[04] Commission approves business infrastructure development scheme for
Wales
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[05] Commission opens proceedings against the distribution practices of B&W
Loudspeakers
[06] Euro area business climate indicator down 0.14 November 2000
[07] Rural development programmes for Scotland and Northern Ireland
[08] Telecommunications : Erkki Liikanen welcomes final adoption of
Regulation on unbundled access to local loop
[09] Feu vert du Conseil pour la promotion des sources d'�nergie
renouvelables dans le march� de l'�lectricit�
[10] Commission earmarks a further euro 5.6 million of humanitarian aid in
Chechnya and Ingushetia
[I] R�sultats de la Commission de ce jour - Outcome of today's Commission
meeting
[01] S�curit� maritime : la Commission propose un deuxi�me paquet de
mesures pour �viter un nouvel Erika
Afin de compl�ter les propositions l�gislatives prises en mars � la suite
du naufrage du p�trolier Erika, la Commission europ�enne a adopt� un
deuxi�me paquet de mesures qui pr�voit l'�tablissement d'un syst�me
d'information et de contr�le sur le trafic maritime, la mise en place d'un
fonds de compensation des dommages de pollution par hydrocarbures, et la
cr�ation d'une Agence europ�enne pour la s�curit� maritime. "L'adoption de
ces mesures par l'UE permettra de construire un vrai espace europ�en pour
la s�curit� maritime et d'assurer un niveau optimal de protection pour
l'environnement marin et le littoral europ�en", a d�clar� Mme Loyola de
Palacio, vice-pr�sidente de la Commission en charge des Transports et de
l'Energie.
[02] La Commission autorise la cr�ation d'une entreprise commune r�unissant
Framatome et Siemens, apr�s modification de l'op�ration
La Commission europ�enne a autoris� la cr�ation d'une entreprise commune
qui r�unira les activit�s nucl�aires de la soci�t� fran�aise Framatome SA
et celles de Siemens AG. Cette autorisation a �t� rendue possible par le
fait que les parties ont accept� que Cog�ma, une autre soci�t� fran�aise
op�rant aussi dans le secteur nucl�aire, ne devienne pas membre de
l'entreprise commune. Electricit� de France (EdF) se retirera �galement du
capital de Framatome et diversifiera ses approvisionnements, de fa�on �
garantir que le plus important march� europ�en de l'�lectricit� soit
d�sormais accessible aux concurrents de la nouvelle entreprise commune.
[03] La Commission adopte des exemptions par cat�gorie pour les aides
d'Etat
La Commission europ�enne a arr�t� trois r�glements d'exemption par
cat�gorie, respectivement pour les aides d'Etat en faveur des petites et
moyennes entreprises (PME), les aides � la formation et les aides "de
minimis". Ces r�glements exempteront ces cat�gories d'aides de l'obligation
de notification pr�alable. A l'avenir, les aides qui remplissent toutes les
conditions fix�es dans ces r�glements pourront �tre accord�es par les Etats
membres sans autorisation pr�alable de la Commission. Ces r�glements ont
�t� arr�t�s � l'issue d'une vaste consultation des Etats membres et des
tiers. M. Mario Monti, Commissaire � la Concurrence, a d�clar� : "Il s'agit
d'une avanc�e importante qui concr�tise les efforts d�ploy�s en vue de
moderniser les r�gles de concurrence communautaires et de les rendre plus
efficaces. Ces nouveaux r�glements pr�sentent des avantages �vidents pour
les entreprises, les Etats membres et la Commission. C'est la premi�re fois
que la Commission recourt aux exemptions par cat�gorie dans le domaine des
aides d'Etat. Toutefois, nous n'entendons aucunement assouplir notre
politique, bien au contraire : ces nouvelles r�gles �largiront les
possibilit�s de contr�le des aides d'Etat �galement au niveau national."
[04] Commission approves business infrastructure development scheme for
Wales
The European Commission has approved a scheme under which the Welsh
Development Agency will buy land, develop it for commercial use and then
sell or lease it at market price. The Commission decided that the scheme
does not operate as to confer State aid, since the developed sites are sold
at market prices.
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[05] Commission opens proceedings against the distribution practices of B&W
Loudspeakers
The European Commission has started formal proceedings against B&W
Loudspeakers Ltd, a UK-based company which makes high-quality loudspeakers
for hi-fi and home cinema sound reproduction systems. In a statement of
objections the Commission warned B&W that its distribution system contains
restrictions on retail prices and on cross supplies to and between
authorised distributors and hinders the development of modern distribution
methods such as e-commerce.
[06] Euro area business climate indicator down 0.14 November 2000
After three months of stability concentrated around 1.4, the business
climate indicator (also called common factor) decreased to 1.2. The
indicator remains at its highest level since April 1995. This still high
level is consistent with vigorous growth in industrial production, albeit
being lower than the rates reached just before the summer. Overall, the
diminution of the common factor indicates that the industrial firms in the
euro area are slightly less optimistic about the economic situation in the
area than was the case before the summer. The document will available on
the internet at the following address: http://europa.eu.int/comm/economy_finance/indicators/climate0011.pdf
See also new DG ECFIN index page http://europa.eu.int/comm/economy_finance/indicators/index_en.htm
[07] Rural development programmes for Scotland and Northern Ireland
The European Commission has adopted the rural development programmes for
Scotland and Northern Ireland (UK). Taken together the value of EU support
for the two RDPs is euro 402 million (from the EAGGF - Guarantee Fund). For
Scotland the total public expenditure is euro 880 million with an EU
contribution of euro 273 million. The same figures for Northern Ireland are,
respectively, euro 335 million and euro 129 million.
[08] Telecommunications : Erkki Liikanen welcomes final adoption of
Regulation on unbundled access to local loop
The Council yesterday gave its final approval to the Regulation of the
European Parliament and of the Council on unbundled access to the local
loop. Erkki Liikanen, European Commissioner for Enterprise and Information
Society said : "A historic decision has been reached today. It is historic
in two ways. First, it will complete the liberalisation of telecommunications
markets in Europe. The Regulation will open up to competition, from 31
December 2000, the "last mile" of the public network that provides the link
to the customer's premises. Secondly, this Regulation is an excellent
demonstration of inter-institutional cooperation between the European
Parliament and the Council under the French Presidency, who have reached an
agreement in a record time of less than five months on a subject of major
importance. This proves that EU institutions are able to act at Internet
speed when necessary, and the objective fixed by the Lisbon European
Council for the unbundling of the local loop to be implemented before the
end of 2000 will be reached." The Regulation aims at intensifying
competition and stimulating technological innovation on the local access
market, through the setting of harmonised conditions for unbundled access
to the local loop. This will enable the roll-out of broadband services and
low cost internet access to business and residential users simultaneously
across the European market. With the deployment of state-of-the-art and
cost-effective new digital subscriber technologies (DSL), on which the
European industry excels, users will be able to have fast, "always on" high-
speed connections at flat rates. This will enhance new patterns of Internet
use, and boost e-commerce in Europe.
[09] Feu vert du Conseil pour la promotion des sources d'�nergie
renouvelables dans le march� de l'�lectricit�
Loyola de Palacio, vice-pr�sidente de la Commission europ�enne en charge de
l'Energie et des Transports, a salu� l'accord obtenu au Conseil Energie sur
sa proposition de Directive sur la promotion de l'�lectricit� � partir de
sources d'�nergie renouvelables dans le march� int�rieur d'�lectricit�.
Cette proposition vise � contribuer au respect des engagements de Kyoto et
� atteindre l'objectif du doublement de la part d'�nergie renouvelable dans
la consommation d'�nergie brute en Europe, pour la faire passer de 6%
actuellement � 12% en 2010. Avec cette Directive, les Etats membres
s'engagent � respecter des objectifs nationaux de consommation future
d'�lectricit� produite par des sources d'�nergie renouvelables, d'instaurer
un syst�me de certification d'origine de l'�lectricit� verte, et de mettre
en place des mesures d'accompagnement, visant � cr�er des conditions
�quitables et � faciliter la p�n�tration des SER sur le march� int�rieur de
l'�lectricit� dans le respect des r�gles de la concurrence. Loyola de
Palacio s'est f�licit�e de cet accord "qui constitue un grand pas en avant
vers une offre �nerg�tique plus diversifi�e et respectueuse de
l'environnement". "Les �nergies renouvelables doivent �tre fortement
soutenues si nous voulons lutter efficacement contre les �missions des gaz
� effet de serre : c'est une des priorit�s de notre Livre vert sur la
s�curit� d'approvisionnement de l'Europe et je me r�jouis de voir les
ministres europ�ens int�grer aussi rapidement cette dimension", a-t-elle
ajout�.
[10] Commission earmarks a further euro 5.6 million of humanitarian aid in
Chechnya and Ingushetia
The European Commission has approved funding in Chechnya and Ingushetia
which will provide immediate assistance to 125,000 Internally Displaced
Persons (IDPs) in Chechnya and 80,000 in Ingushetia. The aid, which
addresses the most urgent needs of the population (food, clothing and
medicines), brings the total approved by the Commission since the beginning
of the current crisis in September 1999 to euro 25.6 million. Channelled
through the Commission's Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO), this aid will
allow international aid agencies and non governmental organisations to
carry out projects during the next six months. ECHO's implementing partners
are the Danish Refugee Council (DRC), the Danish Demining Group, M�decins
Sans Fronti�res (France) and Hilfswerk (Austria). The money will pay for
food aid, winter clothing and medicines to refugees and vulnerable groups
such as women and children. The European Union is by far the largest donor
of humanitarian aid to the region with euro 55.6 million being spent since
1994.
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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