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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 99-01-25

Midday Express: News from the EU Commission Spokesman's Briefings Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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 Porte-Paroleb

25/01/99


CONTENTS / CONTENU

  • [01] Commission launches "One Stop Internet Shop for Business"
  • [02] L'UE a perçu des pays tiers des revenus d'investissements directs étrangers de 12,4 milliards d'euros en 1996
  • [03] Commission acts against United Kingdom for its continuing failure to fully curb water pollution by nitrates
  • [04] La Commission décide de poursuivre la France à propos de plans de gestion des déchets
  • [05] Franz Fischler : "A retreat from international markets is the wrong path to go down"
  • [06] Ritt Bjerregaard : "Environment must be integrated in other policy areas"

  • [01] Commission launches "One Stop Internet Shop for Business"

    A One Stop Internet Shop for Business wishing to know more about the business framework and opportunities in the Single Market has been created by the European Commission on the internet (http://europa.eu.int/business). This practical and accessible tool for businesses (especially small and medium-sized enterprises) can be used, free of charge, to answer many practical questions as it offers a gateway to data, information and advice from many existing sources. For example, the Internet Shop offers direct access to over 230 Euro Info Centres (EICs - the Commission's largest business advice network). It also gives free, direct access to public procurement tender notices published on the Tenders Electronic Daily (TED) data base and to Contact Points for Citizens and Business in Member States' administrations for resolving Single Market problems. The One Stop Internet Shop, available in the eleven languages of the European Union, is part of the Commission's "Dialogue with Citizens and Business" set up under the Single Market Action Plan.

    [02] L'UE a perçu des pays tiers des revenus d'investissements directs étrangers de 12,4 milliards d'euros en 1996

    (! embargo 12h !) L'Union européenne (UE) a perçu des pays tiers des revenus nets d'investissements directs étrangers (IDE) s'élevant à 12,4 milliards d'euros en 1996. Ce chiffre correspond au solde entre les 44,4 milliards perçus sur des actifs d'IDE et les 32,1 milliards versés à des pays non membres de l'UE sur des actifs investis dans l'UE, selon un rapport publié aujourd'hui par Eurostat, l'Office statistique des Communautés européennes à Luxembourg. Les flux de revenus nets ont été positifs avec la plupart des pays et régions partenaires. Les principales exceptions ont été les Etats-Unis et la Suisse : dans ces deux cas, les paiements de revenus d'IDE effectués par l'UE ont dépassé d'un tiers environ les recettes correspondantes. Plus de la moitié des revenus d'IDE perçus par l'UE (24,4 milliards) résultait d'investissements en Amérique (Amérique du Nord, du Sud et centrale). La plus grande part de ce montant, à savoir 17,6 milliards, provenait des Etats-Unis. Les investisseurs de l'UE ont perçu des revenus nets de plus de 7,6 milliards d'euros sur leurs IDE en Asie, ce qui correspond à 62% de la valeur totale de ces revenus. L'Asie occupe ainsi le premier rang au niveau mondial et sa part s'est accrue d'un cinquième par rapport à 1995. Le Japon fait exception dans ce contexte, les revenus d'IDE nets de l'UE en provenance de ce pays ayant diminué de 25% entre 1995 et 1996. En ce qui concerne les pays d'Europe non membres de l'UE, les revenus nets en provenance de la Norvège ont doublé en 1996 et dépassé 0,8 milliard d'euros, tandis que ceux provenant de la Hongrie se sont multipliés par dix entre 1995 et 1996, totalisant plus de 0,5 milliard d'euros. Les revenus nets en provenance de la République tchèque ont également connu un accroissement rapide, atteignant 0,25 milliard d'euros.

    [03] Commission acts against United Kingdom for its continuing failure to fully curb water pollution by nitrates

    The European Commission has decided to make an application to the European Court of Justice against the United Kingdom for non-respect of the European Union's (EU) Nitrates Directive (Council Directive 91/676/EEC concerning the protection of waters against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources). The Nitrates Directive aims to reduce water pollution caused by agricultural sources and to prevent further such pollution. It requires Member States to carry out monitoring of surface waters and groundwater, and to identify and designate vulnerable zones (ie zones affected by nitrate-related pollution) by 20 December 1993. Action programmes for such zones should be established by 20 December 1995 in order to control nitrate pollution from agricultural sources. Member States have the option of applying these action programmes throughout their territory. They must also adopt codes of good agricultural practice ; these are a binding part of action programmes.

    [04] La Commission décide de poursuivre la France à propos de plans de gestion des déchets

    La Commission européenne a décidé d'intenter auprès de la Cour de Justice européenne une action contre la France pour non-adoption et non- communication à la Commission de plans de gestion des déchets en application de trois Directives européennes : la Directive-cadre sur les déchets, la Directive sur les déchets dangereux et la Directive sur les déchets d'emballages. Les plans de gestion des déchets constituent un des éléments clés de l'approche communautaire en ce qui concerne les déchets, car ils doivent aider à atteindre les objectifs concernant la prévention ou la réduction de la production de déchets, la valorisation des déchets, leur élimination d'une manière non polluante et la mise en place d'un réseau intégré adéquat d'installations d'élimination dans toute l'Union européenne. Ces plans doivent couvrir le type, la quantité et l'origine des déchets à valoriser ou à éliminer, des exigences techniques générales, les arrangements spéciaux concernant certains déchets et les sites ou installations d'élimination adéquats.

    [05] Franz Fischler : "A retreat from international markets is the wrong path to go down"

    In the view of European Commission for Agriculture, Franz Fischler, a positive outcome of the "Agenda 2000" reforms to the common agricultural policy is the best precondition for the European Union to enter the forthcoming round of World Trade Organisation (WTO) trade talks with self- confidence. Speaking at the sixth East-West Agriculture Forum during the annual Green Week trade fair in Berlin on Saturday 23 January, Mr Fischler defended the Commission's strategy for the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) and called for a positive stance in the WTO negotiations. He said it was important not to overlook the fact that the most important motive for thinking about the future direction of the CAP came from inside and not outside. The Commissioner emphasised the need to strengthen European agriculture's multiple functions.

    [06] Ritt Bjerregaard : "Environment must be integrated in other policy areas"

    At a seminar today in Brussels on Environment and Employment, European Commissioner for the Environment, Ritt Bjerregaard, said that "there is increasing recognition that environmental improvements can only be achieved if the environment is integrated in other policy areas". The Commissioner mentioned a number of environmental sectors with an important job potential : "The achievement of the ambitious Kyoto agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 8% by the 2010 will lead to a creation of additional jobs of 1-2 million by the year 2010. The improvement of our cities will be an important element in our strategy to create job opportunities and a good quality of life. Environmental degradation is equally wide spread in rural areas where soil erosion and biodiversity pose major problems. We see in this area an increased use of organic farming. Furthermore, we can note a higher awareness with regard to protection of landscapes and protected habitats and sustainable forestry methods. The use of clean and integrated technologies enables companies to save costs because they avoid pollution and decrease the use of natural resources such as energy and water. Companies using such innovative solutions often gain a competitive advantage. They are therefore able to expand which leads indirectly to job creation. Today at least 3.5 million people in the European Union work in jobs related to the environment and there is room for improvement." The Commissioner concluded by saying that "we have to concretise the employment guidelines and to make different actors contribute to a successful implementation of them. Progress report on the employment guidelines by all Member States will be sent to the European Summit in June this year".

    MIDDAY EXPRESS


    From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
    © ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996


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