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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 01-10-24
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
Midday Express 24/10/2001
[I] Résultats de la Commission du 23 octobre 2001 - Outcome of Commission
meeting of 23 October
[01] La Commission propose la ratification du protocole de Kyoto et un
système d'échange de droits d'émission
La Commission européenne a adopté un important ensemble d'initiatives en
vue de lutter contre le changement climatique. Il s'agit d'une proposition
de ratification du protocole de Kyoto par l'UE, d'un projet de directive
concernant l'échange de droits d'émission de gaz à effet de serre dans l'UE
et d'une communication présentant d'autres mesures destinées à réduire les
émissions de gaz à effet de serre. La Commission réaffirme ainsi
l'engagement de l'UE de mettre en vigueur le protocole de Kyoto avant le
sommet mondial sur le développement durable ("Rio+10") qui se tiendra à
Johannesburg en septembre 2002 et d'atteindre l'objectif fixé à Kyoto.
Margot Wallström, membre de la Commission chargée de l'environnement, a
déclaré : "Avec ces propositions, nous tentons de concrétiser l'ambition de
l'Union européenne de montrer la voie dans la lutte contre le changement
climatique. En présentant, parallèlement à l'instrument de ratification,
des propositions en vue de la mise en œuvre d'un système d'échange de
droits d'émission et d'autres mesures de réduction des émissions, nous
voulons prouver que nous sommes déterminés à honorer les engagements que
nous avons pris. J'espère que les autres parties au protocole de Kyoto
agiront elles aussi rapidement en vue de sa ratification et de sa mise en
œuvre. Nous n'avons pas de temps à perdre dans notre lutte contre le
changement climatique." Elle a ajouté : "Le système d'échange de droits
d'émission constituera un élément important de notre stratégie de réduction
des émissions avec un rapport coût/efficacité maximal."
[02] Airlines left without insurance following the attacks in the US :
Commission authorises UK to grant emergency aid measures
The European Commission continues to act swiftly to counteract the impact
of the terrorist attacks in the United States on air transport. It has
authorised emergency aid granted by the United Kingdom to airlines left
without adequate insurance against the risks of terrorism and acts of war
following the attacks of 11 September. Without this aid, which is granted
for a period of one month, planes would have been grounded from 24
September onwards. The Commission is currently examining the compatibility
of similar emergency aid schemes notified by the other Member States and
plans to adopt new decisions in the coming days.
[03] Company taxation : Commission suggests single consolidated tax base
The European Commission has just presented a strategy for company taxation
in the EU. The Commission believes that company taxation systems in the EU
have failed to keep up with developments such as globalisation, economic
integration in the Internal Market and Economic and Monetary Union. A new
approach is needed. There are large variations - up to 30% - in effective
company tax rates across the EU. Economic modelling suggests that the
differences in effective tax rates are attributable mainly to differences
in national statutory tax rates rather than to differences in the size of
the tax base. The Commission continues to believe that company tax rates
are a matter for Member States to decide. Furthermore, the Commission has
identified a number of tax obstacles to cross-border economic activity in
the Internal Market where EU action is necessary and proposes a two-track
strategy to remove them. The Commission plans a number of targeted measures
on such issues as the extension of the Directives on dividends and mergers,
cross border loss relief, transfer pricing, and double taxation
conventions. At the same time, the Commission believes that companies must
in the longer term be allowed a consolidated corporate tax base for their
EU wide activities to avoid the current costly inefficiencies of fifteen
separate sets of tax rules. The Commission in its study has identified a
number of ways of achieving a consolidated base and it plans to launch and
lead a wide-ranging and detailed debate on the subject.
[04] Unleashing the economic potential of Europe's public sector
information for future development of European Content
The European Commission has adopted a Communication aiming to improve the
exploitation of public sector information throughout Europe. The purpose is
to remove the many barriers content companies are facing trying to develop
the next generation of cross-border information services and products based
on public sector information. The overall aim is to put these European
companies on an equal footing with companies in other markets such as the
US, where simpler access and re-use regimes have led to a market up to five
times larger than that in Europe. While the Communication comprises a set
of European-level measures to facilitate the re-use of government
information resources, the Commission is also considering to ease the
existing barriers through a directive.
[05] La Commission adopte une décision sur le contrôle des relations entre
La Poste et les entreprises de routage en France
La Commission européenne a adopté une décision relative aux modalités de
contrôle des relations entre La Poste française et les entreprises de
routage spécialisées dans le conditionnement et la préparation de courrier.
La Commission voit un conflit d'intérêt dans les relations entre La Poste
et les entreprises de routage dans la mesure où la première est à la fois
concurrente de ces entreprises privées et leur partenaire obligé en raison
du monopole postal. Ce conflit d'intérêt, de l'avis de la Commission,
l'incite à abuser de sa position dominante. Dans la mesure où la
réglementation française ne prévoit pas des modalités de contrôle
suffisamment efficaces et indépendantes pour neutraliser ce conflit
d'intérêt, la Commission considère que la l'Etat français s'est mis en
contravention avec l'article 86(1) en liaison avec l'article 82 du traité.
[06] Commission reports on economic and budgetary developments in Ireland
The European Commission has adopted a report to the Council on the economic
and budgetary developments in Ireland in 2001. The report is a response to
an invitation contained in the Council Recommendation addressed to Ireland
on 12 February 2001 (IP/01/105). Unexpected developments, like the crisis
in the agricultural sector and the world economic slow-down, are slowing
down the economy considerably and thereby reducing inflationary pressures.
Moreover, the implementation of the budget in 2001 has kept expenditure
under control. The tax-preferred saving scheme and the tax recovery scheme
introduced after the recommendation have also eased some of the short-term
demand pressures. Much of the force of the inconsistency addressed in the
Recommendation between the Irish budgetary plans and the goal of economic
stability have therefore been reduced. Despite these developments
overheating is diminishing very slowly and underlying inflation still
persists. Continued vigilance in the preparation of the 2002 budget is
therefore justified.
[07] Commission proposes transition periods for candidate countries for
excise duties on cigarettes
Taking into account the need to safeguard the functioning of the internal
market, as well as the political, economic and social implications for the
candidate countries of an immediate alignment on the EU legislation (the
'acquis communautaire'), the European Commission has proposed to grant
limited transition periods for excise duties on cigarettes. Ranging from
two to three years according to the candidate countries, these periods will
have to be accompanied by plans with clearly defined stages for the
application of the 'acquis' in the countries concerned. This proposal, made
at the initiative of Enlargement Commissioner Günter Verheugen, will have
to be approved by the Member States before being negotiated with the
candidates.
[08] Commission moves against UK over travellers' rights to bring home
alcohol and tobacco
The European Commission has decided to send the United Kingdom a formal
request for information about its application of EU law relating to excise
duties on tobacco and alcohol. All EU citizens have a right to buy tobacco
and alcohol in other Member States, duty paid, for non-commercial use and
to bring these products home. The Commission is concerned that the controls
currently being applied at UK ports and airports, and the sanctions being
applied when UK excise duty law is breached, may breach the EU rules which
give travellers the right to buy abroad. The Commission's request for
information will take the form of a so-called "letter of formal notice",
the first stage of the infringement procedure used to ensure that all EU
Member States uphold the rules agreed at European level. The British
authorities have two months to respond to the letter of formal notice. In
the absence of a satisfactory reply, the Commission may proceed to the
second stage of the infringement procedure a formal request for the UK to
change its practices, in the form of a reasoned opinion. Ultimately, the
Commission can refer a Member State to the European Court of Justice for
failure to apply EU law properly.
[09] La Commission approuve l'apport de capitaux effectué en 1999 en faveur
de Santana Motor (Andalucia) ainsi qu'une aide régionale à cette entreprise
La Commission européenne vient de décider qu'une injection de capital
effectuée en faveur du constructeur automobile espagnol Santana Motor en
1999 ne constituait pas une aide d'Etat. Elle a également approuvé
partiellement une aide à l'investissement accordée à cette même entreprise
en liaison avec son plan stratégique pour 1998-2006.
[II] Other news - Autres nouvelles
[10] Statement by European Commission President Romano Prodi on
decommissioning of arms in Northern Ireland
"I welcome the decision to decommission arms in Northern Ireland. Violence
has no place in a democracy. The European Union is founded on values of
peace, reconciliation and respect for all traditions. I hope that the
people of Northern Ireland will now be able to play their part in the life
of the European Union free from the threat of violence."
[11] Commission clears acquisition of Heller Financial by GE Capital
The European Commission has cleared the proposed acquisition of Heller
Financial by GE Capital, both of the United States. While these two
companies have overlapping activities in the Europe in factoring (a form of
working capital financing) and in the provision of equipment finance to
companies, the transaction does not raise any competition concerns.
[12] Transport aérien : la Commission considère que l'accord CE-Suisse doit
faire l'objet d'une application anticipée
La Commission européenne considère que l'impact des décisions prises en
faveur de Swissair et Crossair a des répercussions directes et immédiates
sur le transport aérien en Europe. En effet, ces compagnies sont en
concurrence directe avec leurs homologues communautaires, qui font face à
la même situation de crise. Les accords bilatéraux étant sur le point
d'être ratifiés, et d'entrer en vigueur, aucune décision en faveur d'une
compagnie couverte par ces accords ne saurait être prise sans une
vérification complète de sa compatibilité avec le droit communautaire dans
le transport aérien. En conséquence, à l'instar de l'accord sur le
transport routier, la Commission considère que les termes de l'accord
Communauté Européenne (CE) - Suisse sur le transport aérien doivent d'ores
et déjà être appliqués.
[13] BSE : Scientific Steering Committee publishes opinion on potential
risk of BSE in sheep and goats
The Scientific Steering Committee, advising the European Commission on
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathies (BSE) and other multi-disciplinary
consumer health issues, today published an opinion about the safety of
sheep and goat products if BSE were to be confirmed or become probable in
these small ruminants. The SSC had been asked to address these questions in
view of a possible confirmation of the presence of BSE in sheep brains in
ongoing experiments in the UK as announced by the UK Food Standards Agency
in August this year. The UK government department responsible for the
experiments however informed on October 18th that the brain materials from
the early 1990's that were used in the tests were unsuitable for the
purpose.
[14] Welfare of animals during transport : Council approves mandate for
negotiating international rules
The Agriculture Council meeting yesterday in Luxembourg agreed to mandate
the European Commission to negotiate on behalf of the EU the ongoing review
of the European Convention of the Council of Europe for the protection of
animals during international transport. This convention is legally binding
once adopted. The negotiation mandate covers all areas which fall into EU
competence. Matters of national competence like transport of animals for
non-commercial reasons and transport less than 50km will be negotiated by
the Member States. Agriculture Ministers defined also guidelines for these
negotiations : the Commission must seek to ensure that a high level of
animal protection is extended to international animal transports outside
the EU borders, and that the provisions of the new convention are in line
with existing EU legislation. Subsequent scientific developments and
practical experience have to be taken into account. The rules of the new
Convention are expected to be agreed in 2002.
[15] EU confirms imports not to blame for US steel industry woes as US
International Trade Commission announces investigation findings
The European Commission yesterday expressed strong concern and renewed
disappointment as the United States International Trade Commission (USITC)
issued the results of the first part of its investigation into the
difficulties faced by the US steel industry, launched in June. The ITC now
has two months to propose remedies to the US Government. These could lead
to significant restrictions on US imports of steel from third countries.
The US President will subsequently have to decide on whether or not to take
action and whether to follow the ITC's recommendations. Reacting to the
news Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy said : "We disagree with the ITC's
findings. We shall continue watch this matter closely. As I have said
before, if the US decides to close its market as a result of this
investigation it should be in no doubt that we will take this matter up in
the WTO. Shifting responsibility for the problems facing the US steel
industry onto the rest of the world by imposing protectionist measures will
only make matters worse."
[16] EU Election Observation Mission deployed in Nicaragua
In view of the 4 November general elections in Nicaragua, the EU has
deployed an Election Observation Mission (EOM) in Nicaragua. The decision
follows an invitation from the Nicaraguan Government issued last April and
an exploratory mission which visited the country in June.
[17] Commission backs efforts of Ecuadorian Government to promote
preventive alternative development in Northern provinces
Yesterday, at the meeting of the Consultative Group for Ecuador hosted by
the Belgian Presidency of the European Union in Brussels, Mr Heinz Moeller
Freile, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Ecuador, presented
his Government's Preventive Alternative Development and Social Welfare
Programme. The European Commission welcomed this programme and stated that
its assistance programmes give priority to the Northern provinces : more
than euro 57 million will be made available for projects in this region in
the period 2002-2006.
[18] EU sex equality rules and Mother Christmas
The European Commission has rejected as 'a marketing prank' the claim by
the Woolworths store that they are forced to sell Mother Christmas outfits
alongside their Father Christmas suits or risk breaching the EU's gender
equality rules. The Commission pointed out that EU rules aim to prevent
discrimination against female employees at work and have nothing at all to
do with the characteristics of goods sold in shops.
[19] Mergers approved under the simplified procedure
Solectron corporation (USA) / C-MAC Industries Inc. (Canada)
Atle AB (Sweden) / Pricerunner AB (Sweden)
Alcoa Inc. (USA) / BHP Billiton plc (UK & AUS)
[20] Autre matériel diffusé
Note sur les résultats du Conseil Agriculture
Speech by David Byrne : "Preparedness on bio-terrorism" at the Agriculture
Council (23/10, Luxembourg)
Discours de M. Prodi : "L'ora della vera solidarietà" au Parlement européen
(Strasbourg)
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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