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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 02-10-30
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Commission clears plan to boost access to medicines for developing
countries
[02] Vers une Union élargie : la Commission présente son programme
législatif et de travail pour 2003
[03] Commission rules against collusive behaviour of Christie's and
Sotheby's
[04] Commission fines Nintendo and seven of its European distributors for
colluding to prevent trade in low-priced products
[05] Commission closes investigation into aid granted to Leuna 2000
refinery in Germany
[06] Commission approves proposed aid in favour of Communicant
Semiconductor Technologies
[07] Commission authorises aid for a new farm investment programme in
Bavaria (Germany)
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[08] Public procurement : Commission requests Germany, Italy and Sweden to
rectify breaches of EU law in awarding contracts
[09] David Byrne critique l'annulation du Grand Prix de Belgique de Formule
1 motivée par l'interdiction de la publicité pour le tabac
[10] Commission provides over €17 million extra in humanitarian aid for
Afghanistan
[11] Commission and China agree to establish consultation mechanism on
industrial products
[12] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express 30/10/2002
TXT: FR ENPDF:DOC:Midday Express 30/10/2002[I] Résultats de la Commission
de ce jour - Outcome of today's Commission meeting
[01] Commission clears plan to boost access to medicines for developing
countries
The European Commission has cleared a plan to boost developing countries'
access to key medicines. It adopted a draft Council regulation enabling
exporters to deliver essential medicines at reduced prices to poor
countries, while making sure the goods are not diverted back to the
European Union. Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy welcomed the decision : "The
EU wants to set an example with a practical means of helping poorer
countries struggling with public health crises. Vaccines and contraceptives
have long been available at affordable prices now developed countries need
to make an effort with other medicines. I hope other countries will follow
suit." He said he hoped EU ministers would move quickly to approve the plan,
which targets medicines for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of
HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria in the poorest countries. Commissioner
for Development and Humanitarian Aid, Poul Nielson, stated : "I welcome
this proposal as a measure which delivers in a tangible, concrete way what
we promised in the Programme of Action. We need to substantially increase
the supply of tiered-price products so that cheaper medicines reach the
poorest patients. This measure should be seen as part of a wider plan to
improve the health situation in developing countries."
[02] Vers une Union élargie : la Commission présente son programme
législatif et de travail pour 2003
La Commission européenne a présenté son programme législatif et de travail
pour 2003 afin de montrer par quels moyens elle entend garantir la réussite
de l'élargissement de l'Union européenne, contribuer à la stabilité et à la
sécurité en faveur des citoyens européens et poursuivre l'objectif d'une
économie européenne durable et solidaire. Cette présentation fait suite à
la recommandation formulée par la Commission ce mois-ci d'élargir l'Union
européenne à 25 Etats membres en 2004.
[03] Commission rules against collusive behaviour of Christie's and
Sotheby's
In a decision adopted today, the European Commission has found that
Christie's and Sotheby's, the world's two leading fine arts auction houses,
breached European Union competition rules by colluding to fix commission
fees and other trading terms between 1993 and early 2000. The Commission
consequently fined Sotheby's €20.4 million, i.e. 6% of its worldwide
turnover. Christie's, on the other hand, escaped a fine because it was the
first to provide crucial evidence, which enabled the Commission to prove
the existence of the cartel.
[04] Commission fines Nintendo and seven of its European distributors for
colluding to prevent trade in low-priced products
The European Commission has imposed a total fine of €167.8 million on
Japanese video games maker Nintendo and seven of its official distributors
in Europe for colluding to prevent exports to high-priced from low-priced
countries. The fine on Nintendo alone was calculated at €149 million to
reflect its size in the market concerned, the fact that it was the driving
force behind the illicit behaviour and also because it continued with the
infringement even after it knew the investigation was going on. Prices for
play consoles and games differed widely from one European Union country to
another during the period investigated by the Commission, with the United
Kingdom up to 65 percent cheaper than Germany and the Netherlands. "Every
year, millions of European families spend large amounts of money on video
games. They have the right to buy the games and consoles at the lowest
price the market can possibly offer and we will not tolerate collusive
behaviour intended to keep prices artificially high", Competition
Commissioner Mario Monti said.
[05] Commission closes investigation into aid granted to Leuna 2000
refinery in Germany
After a careful investigation, the European Commission has confirmed its
two-year old approval of €647 million in aid for the construction of the
Leuna 2000 refinery in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. The Commission re-examined
the costs of the project and concluded that the allegations it had received
that the investment costs had been inflated to receive more subsidies were
unfounded. It should also be noted that the project's aid intensity is well
below the ceiling of aid permissible in the region concerned. Consequently,
the Commission no longer opposes the payment by Germany of a remaining sum
of €61.4 million, which had been put in a blocked account pending the
decision.
[06] Commission approves proposed aid in favour of Communicant
Semiconductor Technologies
The European Commission has authorised Germany to grant a proposed aid of
€371 million in direct grants and a loan guarantee in favour of Communicant
Semiconductor Technologies AG for the construction of a new semiconductor
plant located in the German eastern region of Brandenburg. The aid will
help create jobs, has no negative impact on competition and, in any case,
remains within the 26%-ceiling of aid allowable under the applicable rules
for this project.
[07] Commission authorises aid for a new farm investment programme in
Bavaria (Germany)
The European Commission has today authorised Germany (Bavaria) to pay
national aid worth a total of € 335 million over four years for the
introduction of a new investment programme. Its aim is to promote
investments on farms which help to stabilise and improve farm incomes and
improve living, working and production conditions. The duration of the
programme is limited until 31 December 2005.
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[08] Public procurement : Commission requests Germany, Italy and Sweden to
rectify breaches of EU law in awarding contracts
The European Commission has sent formal requests to Germany, Italy and
Sweden to rectify irregularities in the award of certain public contracts
for the purchase of services. In Germany, contracts were awarded in three
regions without the open tendering procedures required by the EC Treaty and
the public procurement Directives, which aim to open up public procurement
to competition. These contracts were for waste disposal in the Landkreis
Friesland, sewage water treatment and energy supply in Jever and for the
development and marketing of a new services park in the city of Limburg. In
Italy, the Piedmont region awarded a contract for technical assistance in
the management of European funds according to criteria incompatible with
the Directives. In Sweden, a contract for bus transport services was also
awarded according to inappropriate criteria. When a major public contract
is awarded without all eligible European tenderers having a chance to bid
and/or awarded according to inappropriate criteria, European enterprises
are deprived of their right to compete equitably for the contract concerned
and safeguards against corruption are weakened. Moreover, the authorities
awarding the contract - and therefore the taxpayer - may receive a worse or
more expensive service than might have been provided had the correct
procedures been applied. These formal requests to Germany, Italy and Sweden
take the form of so-called "reasoned opinions", the second stage of
infringement procedures under Article 226 of the EC Treaty. If the Member
States do not comply within two months, the Commission may refer the cases
to the Court of Justice.
[09] David Byrne critique l'annulation du Grand Prix de Belgique de Formule
1 motivée par l'interdiction de la publicité pour le tabac
David Byrne, commissaire européen chargé de la santé et de la protection
des consommateurs, a critiqué la décision de la commission Formule 1 de la
Fédération internationale automobile (FIA) de supprimer le Grand Prix de
Belgique de Spa-Francorchamps en raison de la loi belge interdisant la
publicité pour le tabac. "Quel type de signal pour les fans de course
automobile ? L'argent sale des grands cigarettiers est-il plus important
pour la Formule 1 que l'esprit du sport et l'attachement de ses fans à ce
circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, qui est incontestablement l'un des plus
spectaculaires du monde ? Le tabac n'a pas sa place dans les manifestations
sportives internationales. Même le Conseil mondial du sport automobile l'a
admis lorsqu'il a annoncé qu'il s'est engagé à bannir la publicité pour le
tabac et le parrainage par l'industrie du tabac du sport automobile
international au niveau mondial à partir de 2006", a déclaré M. Byrne.
[10] Commission provides over €17 million extra in humanitarian aid for
Afghanistan
The European Commission has adopted a new humanitarian aid package worth
€17.645 million to support Afghan populations affected by years of conflict
and drought. The decision focuses on former refugees returning to
Afghanistan from neighbouring countries as well as on internally displaced
people (IDPs) and other vulnerable and drought-affected populations. The
aid is channelled through the Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) which comes
under the responsibility of Commissioner Poul Nielson, who stated : "The
humanitarian situation in Afghanistan is finely balanced. We need to
sustain levels of support so as not to jeopardise the fragile humanitarian
progress in the country. This decision is an important part of our ongoing
commitment to the people of Afghanistan. Helping people is not only a moral
imperative but also essential in consolidating the recovery process."
[11] Commission and China agree to establish consultation mechanism on
industrial products
Today in Brussels, European Enterprise Commissioner Erkki Liikanen, and Mr
Ge Zhirong, Vice-Minister of the General Administration of Quality,
Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People's Republic of China
(AQSIQ), signed an agreement to establish a consultation mechanism on
industrial products. The agreement will strengthen the cooperation and
exchange between both parties, and enhance the smooth development of trade
relations between China and the European Union (EU is China's third largest
trading partner and China EU's fourth largest). The agreement will extend
to all industrial products submitted to technical regulations. In addition,
in order to permit efficiency and transparency in this dialogue, it is
foreseen that the consultation mechanism could involve, if needed, proper
participation of producers' organisations and bodies responsible for
standardisation.
[12] Autre matériel diffusé
Eléments d'intervervention de M. Vitorino sur la Convention européenne
(29/10, PE)
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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