|
|
|
European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 08-06-24
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Standard Eurobarometer 69, Spring 2008: Inflation and unemployment are
major concerns for European citizens. Levels of trust in the EU
Institutions remains stable, as does support for membership of the EU
[02] La Commission ouvre de nouvelles perspectives en matière de transport
avec la région des Balkans occidentaux
[03] Commission goes to court over damages suffered from elevators cartel
[04] GDP per inhabitant varied by one to seven across the EU27 Member
States
[05] Déficit de € 54 milliards du commerce extérieur de l'UE27 avec la
Russie en 2007
[06] Europe to make researchers’ lives easier: launch of a user-friendly
web portal for Researchers
[07] Commission clears acquisition of Forso by Sofinco and Saracen
[08] Happy birthday, EU Cohesion Policy! Looking back on the first 20 years
[09] Major boost for trade in goods between EU Member States
[10] Réforme de la PAC: la Commission se félicite de l’adoption du
nouveau régime de soutien en faveur du coton
[11] "Ageing well": European Commission unleashes €600m for development
of new digital solutions for Europe's elderly people
[12] Mergers: Commission approves takeover of Austrian retail chain ADEG by
REWE Group, subject to conditions
[13] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express of 2008-06-24
Reference: MEX/08/0624
Date: 24/06/2008
EXME08 / 24.06
MIDDAY EXPRESS
News from the Communication Directorate General's midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction Générale Communicationb
24/06/08
[01] Standard Eurobarometer 69, Spring 2008: Inflation and unemployment are
major concerns for European citizens. Levels of trust in the EU
Institutions remains stable, as does support for membership of the EU
Margot Wallström, Vice-President of the European Commission, responsible
for Institutional Relations and Communication Strategy, said: "These
results reflect the current economic difficulties and show the need for the
EU to continue with its policy agenda aimed at improving the quality of
people's daily lives. Nonetheless, I am reassured that the level of trust
in the EU remains high."
[02] La Commission ouvre de nouvelles perspectives en matière de transport
avec la région des Balkans occidentaux
La Commission européenne a ouvert aujourd'hui les négociations sur la
création d'une Communauté de transport avec la région des Balkans
occidentaux. Cette première réunion, qui s’est tenue Bruxelles avec
les Ministres des Transports de la région des Balkans occidentaux, sera
suivie l'automne de réunions techniques en vue de conclure le traité
instituant cette Communauté de transport en 2009.
[03] Commission goes to court over damages suffered from elevators cartel
The European Commission has filed cases with the Tribunal de Commerce in
Brussels seeking compensation from four lifts companies for damages
suffered from inflated prices for the installation and maintenance of lifts
and escalators. In 2007 these companies were found by the Commission to
have operated illegal cartels in several countries, in breach of EC Treaty
rules on cartels and restrictive business practices (see <a href="http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/07/209&format=HTML&aged=1&language=EN&guiLanguage=en">IP/07/209).
No final amount of the damage can yet be calculated, given the complexity
and variety of contractual relations, but it is expected that expert
assessments in the context of the court cases will help identify the total
amount of overpayment suffered. The Commission's action covers claims for
its own buildings and those of other EU institutions, both in Brussels and
Luxembourg.
[04] GDP per inhabitant varied by one to seven across the EU27 Member
States
Based on first preliminary estimates for 2007, Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
per inhabitant expressed in Purchasing Power Standards (PPS) varied from
38% to 276% of the average across the EU27 Member States. GDP per
inhabitant was around the EU27 average in 2007 in Spain, Italy, Greece and
Cyprus. Austria, Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, Finland, the United Kingdom,
Germany and France were between 10% and 30% above the average, while the
highest levels of GDP per inhabitant in the EU were registered in
Luxembourg4, Ireland and the Netherlands. Slovenia, the Czech Republic,
Malta, Portugal and Estonia were between 10% and 30% lower than the EU27
average. Slovakia, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia and Poland were between 30%
and 50% lower, while both Romania and Bulgaria were about 60 percent below
the EU27 average. These figures for GDP per inhabitant, expressed in PPS,
are published by Eurostat. They cover the 27 EU Member States, the three
candidate countries, three EFTA countries and two Western Balkan countries.
[05] Déficit de € 54 milliards du commerce extérieur de l'UE27 avec la
Russie en 2007
Entre 2000 et 2007, les échanges de biens entre l'UE27 et la Russie ont
presque triplé en valeur: les exportations ont progressé de € 23
milliards € 89 milliards, tandis que les importations ont augmenté de
€ 64 milliards € 144 milliards. En conséquence, le déficit du
commerce extérieur de l'UE27 avec la Russie s'est accru, passant de € 41
milliards en 2000 € 54 milliards en 2007. Ce déficit accru a été
dû aux importations d'énergie, qui sont passées de € 36 milliards en
2000 € 94 milliards en 2007. La part de la Russie dans le total du
commerce extérieur de biens de l’UE27 a presque doublé entre 2000 et
2007. En 2007, la Russie comptait pour un peu plus de 7% des exportations
de l'UE27 et 10% des importations de l'UE27. Elle était ainsi le
troisième partenaire commercial de l'UE27, après les États-Unis et la
Chine.À l’occasion du 21ème sommet Union européenne - Russie, qui se
tiendra les 26 et 27 juin Hanti-Mansijsk en Russie, Eurostat publie des
données sur le commerce entre la Russie et l’UE et sur leurs
investissements mutuels.
[06] Europe to make researchers’ lives easier: launch of a user-friendly
web portal for Researchers
In Brussels today, EU Science and Research Commissioner, Janez Potočnik,
launched EURAXESS – Researchers in Motion, the new brand overarching four
initiatives for researchers to promote their mobility and career
development. EU Commissioner Janez Potočnik, and Philippe Busquin, Member
of European Parliament, joined research partners from across Europe to
celebrate the 5th anniversary of the European Researcher’s Mobility
Portal – embedded in the new EURAXESS Web Portal. <a
href="http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/index_en.cfm">http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/index_en.cfm
[07] Commission clears acquisition of Forso by Sofinco and Saracen
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger
Regulation to the acquisition of joint control of Forso Nordic AB (Forso)
of Sweden by Sofinco SA of France, a wholly owned subsidiary of Crédit
Agricole, and Saracen HoldCo AB (Saracen) of Sweden. Sofinco is active in
consumer financing. Saracen is the holding company of Ford Motor Company
car manufacturer. Forso provides financing and administrative services. The
operation was examined under the simplified merger review procedure.
[08] Happy birthday, EU Cohesion Policy! Looking back on the first 20 years
The President of the Commission, José Manuel Barroso, Danuta Hübner,
Commissioner for Regional Policy, and Vladimίr `pidla, Commissioner for
Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, take part in an event
including a panel debate on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of
Cohesion Policy today in Brussels. The debate will look back on the
policy's rationale and 20 years of achievement, as well as considering
future issues and challenges. A special issue of PANORAMA magazine will be
published this month to mark the anniversary. See DG Regional Policy's
website for a new presentation on the policy's history: <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/policy/history/index_en.htm">http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/policy/history/index_en.htm
Rediffusion
[09] Major boost for trade in goods between EU Member States
The internal market for goods in the European Union will get a major boost
after the final approval by Member States today of a broad package of
measures which removes the remaining obstacles in this field. It will bring
particular benefits for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), who will
no longer be discouraged from doing business outside their domestic
markets. Existing market surveillance systems for industrial products will
be strengthened and aligned with import controls. These measures will
reinforce the role and credibility of CE marking. In addition, trade in
goods which do not fall under EU-legislation will be improved. From now on
a Member States that intends to refuse market access will have the duty to
talk to the enterprise and to give detailed objective reasons for any
possible refusal, making life for companies easier. The package of measures
will have an impact on a large number of industrial sectors, representing a
market volume of around € 1500 billion a year.
[10] Réforme de la PAC: la Commission se félicite de l’adoption du
nouveau régime de soutien en faveur du coton
Mariann Fischer Boel, membre de la Commission chargé de l’agriculture et
du développement rural, a salué aujourd’hui l’adoption par le
Conseil de la réforme du régime de soutien communautaire en faveur du
coton. Cette réforme maintient 65 % des aides «découplées» (c'est- -
dire indépendantes de la production), les 35 % restant demeurant liés
la production de coton, sous la forme de paiements la surface. Des
programmes de restructuration nationaux sont mis en place pour faciliter la
restructuration du secteur de l'égrenage et améliorer la qualité et la
commercialisation du coton produit. Le nouveau régime remplacera le
régime d’aide actuel, qui a été annulé par la Cour de justice le 7
septembre 2006.
[11] "Ageing well": European Commission unleashes €600m for development
of new digital solutions for Europe's elderly people
By 2020, 25% of the EU's population will be over 65. To respond to this
growing demographic challenge, the Council of Ministers approved today a
Commission plan to make Europe a hub for developing digital technologies
designed to help older people to continue living independently at home. The
proposal, presented by the Commission on 14 June 2007, will provide some
additional €150 million funding to a new European Joint Research
Programme, resulting in a total investment of over €600 million. Through
this new programme companies will be able to develop highly innovative
digital products and services to improve the lives of older people at home,
in the workplace and in society in general. Smart devices for improving
security at home, mobile solutions for vital sign monitoring and user
friendly interfaces for those with impaired vision or hearing – all of
which will improve the quality of life of elderly people, their careers and
families. The plan had already been approved by the European Parliament on
13 March in a first reading (Rapporteur: Neena Gill). 20 EU Member States,
as well as Israel, Norway and Switzerland will participate in this Joint
Research Programme.
[12] Mergers: Commission approves takeover of Austrian retail chain ADEG by
REWE Group, subject to conditions
The European Commission has approved under the EU Merger Regulation the
proposed takeover of ADEG of Austria by the German REWE Group, subject to
conditions. Both parties are active on the Austrian retail and wholesale
markets for everyday consumer goods. The Commission was concerned that the
strength of the combined company in certain Austrian regions could lead to
higher prices for everyday consumer goods in Austria. During the
Commission's preliminary investigation REWE proposed to divest outlets in
the relevant regions. These commitments removed the Commission's concerns
and it therefore concluded that the transaction would not significantly
impede effective competition in the European Economic Area (EEA) or any
substantial part of it.
[13] Autre matériel diffusé
• Memo on "Aho Report" on EU High-Tech Research: A Wake-up Call for
Innovation in Europe, says Commissioner Reding
• Speech by Commissioner Rehn 'With patience and determination the EU can
steer progress in the Western Balkans', Brussels
• Speech by Commissioner McCreevy 'The EU Internal Market for Postal
Services – creating it together', Brussels
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
|
