|
|
|
European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 04-12-16
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Avancée importante dans la surveillance de l'environnement depuis
l'espace
[02] Commission clears Slovak Telecom's acquisition of sole control over
EuroTel's mobile telephony business
[03] Commission clears acquisition of Idex by Industri Kapital
[04] Le taux d'inflation annuelle en baisse Ă 2,2% dans la zone euro et
dans l'UE25
[05] New EU guidelines will clarify businesses' obligations to inform the
authorities about dangerous products
[06] Pesticides : Markos Kyprianou se félicite de l'accord du Parlement et
du Conseil sur les limites maximales applicables aux résidus dans l'UE
[07] Technology Platform for Global Animal Health launched todayA
Technology Platform on "Global Animal Health" was announced today by the
European Commission. The technology platform, launched today at a
conference on animal diseases in Brussels, is a partnership led by industry
and supported by Development Commissioner Louis Michel, Science and
Research Commissioner Janez Potocnik and Health and Consumer Protection
Commissioner Markos Kyprianou. The initiative is being set up to tackle
major animal diseases in the developing world and in Europe.
[08] Stavros Dimas presents EU Emissions Trading Scheme to global audience
and pledges financial support for UNFCCC Registry System
[09] Tax incentives for Italian companies participating in trade fairs
abroad are illegal
[10] The internal market in sea transport services : Commission takes
Finland to court
[11] Economies d'Ă©nergie : la Commission renvoie le Luxembourg devant la
Cour de justice
[12] UK faces legal action for failure to implement Euratom health and
safety provisions against ionising radiation
[13] Marché intérieur de l'électricité : la Commission décide de
saisir la Cour de justice contre la Grèce
[14] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express of 2004-12-16
Reference: MEX/04/1216
Date: 16/12/2004
EXME04 / 16.12
MIDDAY EXPRESS
News from the Press and Communication Directorate General's midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction Général Presse etb
Communication
16/12/04
[01] Avancée importante dans la surveillance de l'environnement depuis
l'espace
Les scientifiques du Centre Commun de Recherche de la Commission
européenne ont mis au point une nouvelle méthode d'interprétation des
données transmises par les satellites d'observation de la terre. Les
satellites surveillent la nature, l'Ă©tat et l'Ă©volution de la
végétation terrestre. Les nouvelles capacités de surveillance
augmenteront les chances d'établir l'impact des grands phénomènes
climatiques, comme la sécheresse et la canicule qui ont durement touché
l'Europe occidentale en 2003. La méthode fait appel à des algorithmes
pratiques permettant d'interpréter les données de télédétection
recueillies par les capteurs dont sont équipés les satellites.
[02] Commission clears Slovak Telecom's acquisition of sole control over
EuroTel's mobile telephony business
The European Commission has granted approval under the EU Merger Regulation
of the acquisition by incumbent telecommunications operator Slovak Telecom
of full ownership of EuroTel Bratislava's mobile telephony business. As
Slovak Telecom is the majority shareholder in the target company and
already in the position to determine EuroTel's competitive behaviour to a
considerable extent, the Commission considers that the operation will not
significantly impede effective competition.
[03] Commission clears acquisition of Idex by Industri Kapital
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger
Regulation to the acquisition of sole control of French company Idex by
Industri Kapital of the Netherlands through a newly created holding company
Financiere Saint Michael controlled by Industri Kapital. Industri Kapital
is a private investment firm with a majority of investments in the
manufacturing, retail and services sectors. Idex operates mainly in the
energy sector but also to some minor extent in the waste management sector.
Idex is predominantly a services company with the exception of the
production of air-conditioning systems, which constitutes only a marginal
part of the company’s activities. The operation was examined under the
simplified merger review procedure.
[04] Le taux d'inflation annuelle en baisse Ă 2,2% dans la zone euro et
dans l'UE25
Le taux d'inflation annuel de la zone euro est passĂ© de 2,4% en octobre Ă
2,2% en novembre 2004, indique aujourd'hui Eurostat. Un an auparavant, il
s'élevait à 2,2%. Le taux d'inflation mensuel a été de -0,1% en novembre
2004. Le taux d'inflation annuel de l'UE25 a été de 2,2% en novembre 2004,
contre 2,3% en octobre. Un an auparavant, il s'Ă©levait Ă 2,1%. Le taux
d'inflation mensuel a été de 0,0% en novembre 2004. En novembre 2004, les
taux d'inflation annuels les plus bas ont été observés en Finlande (0,
2%), au Danemark (1,0%), en Suède (1,1%), aux Pays-Bas et au Royaume-Uni
(1,5% chacun), et les plus élevés en Lettonie (7,2%), en Slovaquie (6,0%),
en Hongrie (5,7%) et en Pologne (4,5%). Par rapport Ă octobre 2004, le taux
d'inflation annuel a augmenté dans six Etats membres, a baissé dans seize
et est resté stable dans trois.
[05] New EU guidelines will clarify businesses' obligations to inform the
authorities about dangerous products
The European Commission has adopted guidelines clarifying businesses'
duties to alert government authorities to unsafe products. Since January
this year the EU's General Product Safety Directive has made it obligatory
for producers and distributors to rapidly inform the relevant Member State
authorities if they find that a product they have helped place on the
market is unsafe (see IP/04/53). The new guidelines provide assistance on
when and how to make such a notification and clarify the deadlines within
which businesses must act. Once notified, the authority may, depending on
the nature of the risk, require the business to take further action –
such as tracing and withdrawing the products concerned or even organising a
product recall. The Member State may also notify the European Commission
about it if the product poses a serious risk and is marketed in several EU
countries. The Commission will then alert Member State authorities across
the EU via its RAPEX rapid alert system on product safety (see IP/04/183).
The Commission's weekly RAPEX alert about dangerous consumer products is
published on the Europa website. For more information see:
<a href="http://europa.eu.int/comm/consumers/cons_safe/prod_safe/gpsd/index_en.htm">http://europa.eu.int/comm/consumers/cons_safe/prod_safe/gpsd/index_en.htm
[06] Pesticides : Markos Kyprianou se félicite de l'accord du Parlement et
du Conseil sur les limites maximales applicables aux résidus dans l'UE
La Commission européenne se réjouit que le Parlement européen ait
adopté les amendements au règlement visant à harmoniser, à l'échelon
européen, les limites maximales de résidus (LMR) pour les pesticides
autorisés dans les produits d’origine végétale ou animale. Les
amendements adoptés par les députés européens ont également été
approuvés par le Conseil, ce qui ouvre la voie à une adoption définitive
du règlement par le Conseil dans les mois à venir. Le Commissaire chargé
de la santé et la protection des consommateurs, Markos Kyprianou, s'est
félicité de ce vote qui reflète l'accord auxquels sont parvenus la
Commission, le Conseil et le Parlement : "Cette législation limite dans
toute l'Europe les résidus de pesticides dans les denrées alimentaires,
en cela, elle apporte garanties et certitudes aux consommateurs tout en
facilitant les Ă©changes au sein de l'UE. Elle tient aussi compte des
différents régimes alimentaires prévalant en Europe et protège
explicitement des catégories vulnérables de la population comme les
enfants."
[07] Technology Platform for Global Animal Health launched todayA
Technology Platform on "Global Animal Health" was announced today by the
European Commission. The technology platform, launched today at a
conference on animal diseases in Brussels, is a partnership led by industry
and supported by Development Commissioner Louis Michel, Science and
Research Commissioner Janez Potocnik and Health and Consumer Protection
Commissioner Markos Kyprianou. The initiative is being set up to tackle
major animal diseases in the developing world and in Europe.
[08] Stavros Dimas presents EU Emissions Trading Scheme to global audience
and pledges financial support for UNFCCC Registry System
Speaking on 15 December to ministers from around the world at the annual UN
Climate Change Conference in Buenos Aires, European Environment
Commissioner Stavros Dimas presented the EU Emissions Trading System for
the first time to a global audience. Kicking off in 15 days, the EU Trading
Scheme will be the first international emissions trading system in the
world. Commissioner Dimas also announced that the Commission will provide
an additional €300,000 in funding for the development of the UNFCCC
Registry System, and donate software valued at €560,000. The EU is the
biggest sponsor of activities under the 1992 UN Framework Convention on
Climate Change and its Kyoto Protocol. Starting next year, it will also
assist developing countries with annually €369 million in addressing
climate change.
[09] Tax incentives for Italian companies participating in trade fairs
abroad are illegal
The European Commission has decided that special tax incentives for
companies taking part in trade fairs abroad (available under the 2004
Italian budget law) are illegal under EU state aid rules. The decision
follows an in-depth investigation opened in March 2004. The scheme distorts
competition because it is limited to exporting undertakings and has the
effect of improving the trading conditions of Italian companies in foreign
markets, including in other Member States. The aid has been enacted without
prior Commission approval and must be reimbursed by its beneficiaries.
However, the specific part of the aid paid over to SMEs participating for
the first time in a fair is compatible with EU rules and so will not have
to be repaid.
[10] The internal market in sea transport services : Commission takes
Finland to court
The European Commission has decided to bring an action against Finland
before the European Court of Justice for non-compliance with European
legislation protecting the principle of freedom to provide services for sea
transport between the Member States and between Member States and third
countries. Finnish legislation in fact allows cabotage services between two
Finnish ports to be taxed at different rates to international transport
services.
[11] Economies d'Ă©nergie : la Commission renvoie le Luxembourg devant la
Cour de justice
La Commission européenne a décidé de poursuivre la procédure légale
d'infraction à l'encontre du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg pour non respect de
la législation européenne sur l'étiquetage énergétique des
climatiseurs à usage domestique. Cette législation fait partie de
l'arsenal de mesures qui visent à maîtriser la demande énergétique dans
l'Union européenne.
[12] UK faces legal action for failure to implement Euratom health and
safety provisions against ionising radiation
The European Commission has decided to send a reasoned opinion to the
United Kingdom for failing to apply a requirement under specific provisions
of the Euratom treaty concerning intervention and remedial action for the
after-effects of past radioactive contamination.
[13] Marché intérieur de l'électricité : la Commission décide de
saisir la Cour de justice contre la Grèce
La Commission européenne a décidé d'engager une action en justice contre
la Grèce en raison de l'application incorrecte des exigences essentielles
de la directive concernant des règles communes pour le marché
intérieur de l'électricité. La Compagnie d'électricité grecque (DEI)
ne publie pas des comptes séparés ("dissociés") pour l'extraction de
lignite et la production d'électricité. La publication de comptes
séparés pour chaque activité d'une entreprise d'électricité est une
exigence essentielle pour assurer une véritable dissociation. Le but est
d'éviter les subventions croisées qui résulteraient d'une distorsion de
la concurrence.
[14] Autre matériel diffusé
Statement to the press by Marianne Fischer Boel on WTO negotiations
(Geneva)
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
|
