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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 01-06-07
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
Midday Express 07/06/2001
[I] R�sultats de la Commission du 6 juin 2001 - Outcome of Commission
meeting of 6 June 2001
(voir aussi see also ME of 06/06)
[01] Report on the work of EU-Albania High Level Steering Group in
preparation of the negotiation of a Stabilisation and Association Agreement
The European Commission has adopted a report on the progress made by
Albania in preparation of the negotiation of a Stabilisation and
Association Agreement. The report, which analyses the various political,
economic and technical factors, concludes that it is appropriate to open
negotiations for a Stabilisation and Association Agreement with Albania.
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[02] La Commission et la BEI lancent un partenariat destin� � stimuler la
recherche et l'innovation
M. Philippe Busquin, Commissaire europ�en charg� de la recherche, et M.
Philippe Maystadt, pr�sident de la Banque Europ�enne d'Investissement (BEI),
viennent aujourd'hui de signer un m�morandum permettant la coop�ration de
ces deux institutions pour financer la recherche europ�enne. Cette action
vise essentiellement � tirer le meilleur parti possible des subventions
octroy�es par la Commission et des pr�ts/fonds de capital-risque accord�s
par la BEI aux projets de recherche, infrastructures de recherche et
entreprises novatrices. Pour ce faire, il est pr�vu d'am�liorer la
coordination des financements respectifs des deux parties, et d'�tablir des
synergies entre le programme-cadre de recherche de la Commission et
l'initiative Innovation 2000 de la BEI. Fotis Kafatos, directeur g�n�ral du
laboratoire europ�en de biologie mol�culaire (LEBM), qui s'emploie
actuellement � cr�er un parc technologique pour les entreprises de
biotechnologie novatrices au sein de l'organisation, illustrera les
avantages pratiques de cette collaboration.
[03] Commission does not oppose continuation of P&O Stena Line cross-
Channel ferry service
The European Commission has granted the P&O Stena Line joint venture a six-
year exemption under the European Union's competition rules to continue
operating a cross-Channel ferry service for passengers and freight. The P&O
Stena Line joint venture got a first, short exemption in January 1999. The
Commission's recent investigation has not revealed any valid market changes
which could justify forcing P&O of Britain and Stena Line Ltd, a subsidiary
of Sweden's Stena Line AB, to undo their alliance. During the exemption
period, which will expire on 7 March 2007, the Commission will closely
follow any market developments in close contact with consumer organisations
and national authorities.
[04] T-Online, TUI et Neckermann renoncent � leur projet d'agence de
voyages en ligne
T-Online, TUI et C&N (Neckermann) ont abandonn� leur projet de
commercialiser ensemble des voyages d'agr�ment en ligne par l'interm�diaire
d'une nouvelle entreprise commune. La notification de cette op�ration de
concentration d�pos�e aupr�s de la Commission europ�enne a �t� retir�e le 5
juin 2001, apr�s l'ouverture de la proc�dure d'enqu�te approfondie (phase
2) par la Commission, le 8 mai 2001. C'est notamment l'association des
voyages � forfait ("content") de TUI et de Neckermann avec les services
Internet de T-Online qui suscitait de s�rieuses r�serves quant � un
�ventuel cloisonnement du march� et donc � la cr�ation d'une position
dominante de l'entreprise commune.
[05] Commission clears acquisition of Sanitec by BC Funds in the bathroom
products sector
The European Commission has decided to approve the proposed acquisition of
Finnish bathroom ceramics maker Sanitec Oyj Abp by BC European Capital
Funds, a Guernsey-based equity fund manager. The transaction will lead only
to very limited overlaps in the field of bathroom products and sanitary
taps and mixers and, therefore, does not raise any competition concerns.
[06] Aide humanitaire en Tch�tch�nie : la Commission octroie 14.5 millions
d'euros
La Commission europ�enne a approuv� l'envoi de 14.5 millions d'euros d'aide
humanitaire pour les victimes du conflit en Tch�tch�nie. Les secteurs
d'intervention couverts par cette aide comprennent notamment l'aide
alimentaire d'urgence, la sant� et les v�tements. L'assistance fournie vise
en premier lieu les personnes d�plac�es en Tch�tch�nie, ainsi qu'en
Ingouchie. En Tch�tch�nie, les groupes de populations les plus vuln�rables
feront �galement l'objet de mesures d'aide particuli�res. Plus de 400.000
personnes b�n�ficieront ainsi de cette d�cision. G�r�e par l'Office d'Aide
Humanitaire (ECHO), cette nouvelle d�cision porte le montant total allou�
par la Commission depuis le d�but du conflit en octobre 1999 � 41.5
millions d'euros. Elle se situe au premier rang des donateurs dans le
domaine de l'aide humanitaire pour la r�gion.
[07] Commission winds up humanitarian aid activities following Turkey
earthquake
The European Commission, through its Humanitarian Aid Office ECHO, has
successfully completed its operations for a total amount of euro 30 million
following the Marmara earthquake of August 1999. In the immediate aftermath
of the earthquake, ECHO moved swiftly and efficiently to supply relief aid
materials and technical assistance. The aid, disbursed through a total of
32 projects, also covered emergency and post emergency health care
assistance. The post emergency programme has now given way to longer-term
rehabilitation to help re-build the disaster-hit region. In this context,
the Commission has signed a new three-year programme with the Turkish
government worth euro 20 million designed to improve living conditions in
the region, support economic growth and development and increase disaster
preparedness.
[08] EU and Senegal extend their fisheries agreement by five months
The EU and Senegal have agreed to extend the current Protocol to their
fisheries agreement by five months from 1st August to 31 December 2001. The
two parties had already agreed to a three months' extension from 1st May to
31 July during the fourth round of negotiations. Much progress has already
been achieved in the negotiations to renew this agreement which is very
important to EU and Senegal. The principles guiding the agreement on
fishing possibilities under this new Protocol are : protection of the
fisheries resources, application of the precautionary approach and the
taking into account of the socio-economic dimension in the fisheries
sector.
[09] Erkki Liikanen on the role of biotechnology in Europe
Biotechnology has - after a slow start - now taken off in Europe. If the
number of small companies is taken as an indicator of dynamism in this
sector, Europe is even ahead of its main competitors. However, as European
Enterprise Commissioner Erkki Liikanen will point out at a Conference with
European CEOs and investors organised by EuropaBio in Brussels this evening,
Europe is still lagging behind its main competitors as regards the number
of companies listed on a stock exchange. Many of the building blocks of a
strong biotechnology industry in Europe are already in place. Europe has a
first class science base, with a large reserve of expertise ready to be
tapped. Several European governments and regions have already introduced
initiatives to make the most of that expertise. Biotechnology applications
are beginning to enable people to lead longer and fuller lives, to clean up
the environment and to produce food and industrial products in a cleaner
and more sustainable way. However, many people have real fears about what
biotechnology could lead to. What are the ethical limits to genetic
research ? Who decides a risk/benefit assessment in medicine or in food ?
European leaders are committed to the goal of making Europe the world's
leading knowledge-based economy. To achieve this goal it is necessary to
build public confidence in biotechnology through a wide public debate on
its potential and the possible risks involved. To help this debate the
Commission will deliver a strategy paper on Life Sciences and Biotechnology
in Europe before the end of the year. This Communication will also reflect
possible actions for the development of biotechnology in Europe. The
Commission intends to involve all the interested stakeholders in the
discussion in the hope that this process will help build a more widespread
understanding of biotechnology.
[10] Merger approved under the simplified procedure
AZ Bertelsmann Direct GmbH (DE) / Verband Vereine Creditreform e.V. / JV
[11] Autre mat�riel diffus�
Discours de Mme Reding : "European Content for European Platforms" � la
Conf�rence 'L'offerta televisiva in un sistema multi-piattaforma'
(Florence)
Discours de Mme Reding au Conseil sup�rieur de l'Institut europ�en de
Florence (! embargo 20h30 !)
Speech by Chris Patten at the CBSS 10th Ministerial Meeting (Hamburg)
Discours de M. Byrne � la Table ronde sur l'agriculture et les denr�es
alimentaires (Berlin, ! embargo 16h00 !)
Speech by Franz Fischler at the round table on food quality (Berlin, !
embargo 4 pm !)
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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