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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 00-04-17

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 Service Presse et Communicationb

17/04/2000


CONTENTS / CONTENU

  • [01] Dialogue with Business: Feedback Mechanism to improve business environment
  • [02] Ethiopia drought : Commission approves two million Euro for emergency food aid
  • [03] Commissioner Nielson delivers address to World Bank Development Committee on the theme of trade development and poverty reduction
  • [04] Colombia : Commission approves humanitarian aid worth 6.5 million Euro for internally displaced persons
  • [05] Commissioner Nielson delivers address to World Bank Development Committee on the theme of trade, development and poverty reduction
  • [06] Leader +, the Community Initiative for Rural Development Member States invited to present their applications

  • [01] Dialogue with Business: Feedback Mechanism to improve business environment

    The European Commission has launched today the 'Business Feedback Mechanism', a new initiative to ensure future policy making can take better account of the practical experience of European businesses operating in the Internal Market. Under this initiative, queries from business to 41 Euro Info Centres will be analysed in order to pinpoint which issues give rise to most problems for business. The Commission will be able to take account of this analysis, which will be available on-line, in future policy making. The 41 EICs participating in the scheme, covering all Member States, have been selected as the most representative of the 300 such Centres, which provide information, advice and assistance to business on EU-related issues. The 'Business Feedback Mechanism' initiative will help the Commission to fulfil the Lisbon European Council's request to 'pay particular attention to the impact and compliance costs of new proposals' and to 'pursue their Dialogue with Business and Citizens with this in mind'. The Dialogue with Business website (http://europa.eu.int/business) has received more than 2.5 million requests for information and advice since its launch in January 1999

    [02] Ethiopia drought : Commission approves two million Euro for emergency food aid

    The European Commission has cleared funding worth two million euro for emergency food aid in Ethiopia. The funding, channelled via the European Commission Humanitarian Office (ECHO), will enable the International Committee of the Red Cross to bring supplementary food rations to those most severely affected by the drought. This supplementary food ration of oil and UNIMIX, a fortified blend of soya and cornmeal, will be used in an emergency programme in four districts of southern Ethiopia to prevent the nutritional status of some 181,000 people from worsening. This special food ration for those worst affected by the drought is part of the European Commission's overall plan to ward off famine in Ethiopia. Separately, it is making bulk food aid of 432 526 tonnes available for this year, with another 110 00 tonnes due to arrive at the beginning of 2001. Further emergency aid will be made available this year via ECHO once needs have been assessed. (for more information: Michael Curtis tel.:296.59.32 fax: 296.79.12)

    [03] Commissioner Nielson delivers address to World Bank Development Committee on the theme of trade development and poverty reduction

    Mr Poul Nielson, Commissioner for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid, today addressed the Spring meeting of the World Bank Development Committee on the relationship between globalisation and trade liberalisation with development and poverty reduction. Mr Nielson argued notably that liberalisation should not be seen as an end in itself but as a means to fight poverty. This cannot be done in isolation from the necessary political action so as to ensure that the benefits of trade accrue to the poor.

    [04] Colombia : Commission approves humanitarian aid worth 6.5 million Euro for internally displaced persons

    The European Commission has cleared a package of aid worth 6.5 million Euro for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Colombia. The funding, channelled via the European Commission Humanitarian Office (ECHO), will enable the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Spanish Red Cross, Oxfam UK and several non-governmental organisations to carry out emergency aid projects as well as projects to support community integration in rural areas. Conflict with guerrilla and paramilitary groups for control of territory in rural areas has escalated over the past five years and led to a dramatic increase in the number of IDPs. Their number is now estimated at over 1 million. Humanitarian organisations will work on a regional basis, pooling their fields of competence in a joint effort to assist the IDPs. Aid will be provided to assist the return and/or resettlement process. It will include emergency assistance as well as help with restoring IDPs' self- sufficiency through agricultural rehabilitation activities or provision of psychological support. This assistance is also intended to help rebuild Colombia's social fabric and will involve local institutions in taking on responsibility for IDPs.

    [05] Commissioner Nielson delivers address to World Bank Development Committee on the theme of trade, development and poverty reduction

    Mr. Poul Nielson, Member of the European Commission responsible for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid, today addressed the Spring Meeting of the Development Committee. This is the first time the European Commission has been invited to attend both the open and restricted sessions of the meeting. The European Union (EU) was invited in its capacity as one of the world's largest donors.

    [06] Leader +, the Community Initiative for Rural Development Member States invited to present their applications

    The European Commission has adopted the final guidelines for the new community initiative for rural development, called LEADER+ and invites applications from Member States. LEADER+ like proceeding LEADER programs, encourages the active involvement of local rural communities in determining their own future. It retains the key features of the previous programs: integrated strategies to try to exploit all the local economic potential rather than a sector-by-sector approach; a bottom-up approach with a strong emphasis on active participation of the local population; and co-operation and networking between rural areas to share experiences and transfer know- how. The total community contribution for the period 2000-2006 will be 2020 million EUR at 1999 prices. The indicative allocation by Member State was announced last year (IP/99/744) Dialogue Commission-Sport: Monti explains how competition rules apply to sports

    Application of competition rules to the sports sector makes sense because of the growing economic interests in football, Olympic Games and other events, most clearly regarding broadcasting rights, European Competition Commissioner Mario Monti will tell a conference today gathering representatives of the sports world and Commission officials. Noting that the increasing economic importance of sports allowed for the creation of two million jobs in recent years, M. Monti will insist on the need to provide a level playing field between the different players including sports organisations, clubs and television companies while respecting the social role and integrity of sport.

    MIDDAY EXPRESS


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


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