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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 03-06-16
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Commission reaction to Czech EU referendum
[02] EU unveils vision for the energy source of the 21st century : hydrogen
and fuel cell technology
[03] "L'économie fondée sur l'hydrogène un pont vers l'énergie durable"
[04] Fuel cells agreement : EU and US forge links to provide sustainable
energy sources for the future
[05] "Pour la diversité - Contre la discrimination" : Anna Diamantopoulou
intervient pour promouvoir la connaissance des nouvelles dispositions
européennes anti-discrimination
[06] "Who plays by the fisheries rules ?" - Commission launches public
compliance scoreboard on the internet
[07] Polluants organiques persistants : la Commission demande instamment à
l'UE de ratifier les accords internationaux
[08] La Commission met en place un groupe d'experts indépendants sur les
accidents dans le secteur du transport
[09] Avian influenza : first easing of restrictions in the Netherlands
[10] Monkey Pox virus : Commission bans the import prairie dogs and rodents
that could carry the disease
[11] L'UE est parmi les premiers à signer la convention-cadre pour la lutte
antitabac
[12] Commission approves take-over of Fortum shareholdings by E.ON
[13] "Pas de réforme de la PAC complète, pas de sécurité pour planifier
pour les agriculteurs", dit Franz Fischler
[14] Northern Dimension Action Plan
[15] Message of congratulations from Chris Patten on the occasion of the
solemn undertaking by the Prosecutor of the ICC, Luis Moreno Ocampo
[16] Erkki Liikanen to visit Slovakia and the Czech Republic
[17] Commission supports OIE global conference on animal welfare
[18] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express 16/06/2003
TXT: FR ENPDF:DOC:Midday Express 16/06/2003
[01] Commission reaction to Czech EU referendum
With a loud and clear "yes" to EU membership, the Czech people have now
joined their neighbours of Central Europe in freely deciding to end decades
of divisions and achieve peace, stability and prosperity on our continent.
The Commission pays tribute to the Czech citizens for their unambiguous
support. This outcome is to be seen, above all, as the achievement of Czech
society itself, which, during the dark years of communist dictatorship and
since the velvet revolution, was at the forefront of changes and
courageously carried out tough reforms to transform the country into a
modern democracy and a functioning market economy. The Commission is
convinced that the Czech republic, located at the heart of Europe, with its
rich historic and cultural heritage, will take full advantage of EU
membership and play a central role in the forthcoming developments of the
European Union. Commenting on the results, Commission President Romano
Prodi said : "This is a good day for Europe, another proof that our peoples
belong together. I warmly welcome the Czech people as a member of the
European democratic family." Enlargement Commissioner Günter Verheugen said
: "The 'Prague spring' in 1968 convinced me that there is not much anyone
can teach the Czechs about freedom, democracy and human rights. The entire
EU will benefit from the Czech particular sensitivity on questions of equal
treatment, human rights, equal opportunities and in the handling of
relations with our neighbours."
[02] EU unveils vision for the energy source of the 21st century : hydrogen
and fuel cell technology
Could most people in Europe be driving cars fuelled by hydrogen in just a
few decades time ? Does hydrogen represent the new frontier of global
energy and transport ? The report on "Hydrogen and fuel cells a vision for
our future" presented today by a high-level expert group to the Commission,
sets out scenarios for the widespread use of this clean technology of the
future. The report, discussed by Commission President Romano Prodi, Vice-
President and Energy and Transport Commissioner Loyola de Palacio and
Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin at a major conference in Brussels,
recommends launching a Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Technology Platform to bring
together key players in this sector. The Platform should provide the basis
for an effective public-private business partnership, and identify research
and development, and deployment priorities for the future. The report also
highlights the need for a range of regulatory, fiscal and financial
measures to help make an everyday reality of the hydrogen technology and
its many potential uses.
[03] "L'économie fondée sur l'hydrogène un pont vers l'énergie durable"
Les 16 et 17 juin le groupe de haut niveau sur l'hydrogène et les piles à
combustible présentera à Bruxelles son premier rapport sur ce secteur
prometteur. L'hydrogène et les piles à combustible sont considérés par
beaucoup comme des solutions énergétiques clés pour le XXIe siècle, car ils
permettent la production non polluante et efficace d'électricité et de
chaleur à partir d'un large éventail de sources d'énergie primaires. En
octobre 2002, la Commission a établi le groupe de haut niveau pour les
technologies de l'hydrogène et des piles à combustible, qui se compose de
personnalités éminentes représentant les parties intéressées du secteur en
question. Il s'agit de déterminer quelle contribution l'hydrogène et les
piles à combustible peuvent apporter dans la réalisation de l'objectif de
l'Union européenne en matière de systèmes énergétiques durables, et
d'examiner ce qui devrait être fait au niveau européen pour trouver les
réponses adéquates au niveau de la recherche, de l'industrie et de l'action
politique.
[04] Fuel cells agreement : EU and US forge links to provide sustainable
energy sources for the future
In the transition to a hydrogen economy, fuel cells could provide the
planet with a sustainable energy supply to replace rapidly diminishing
fossil fuels. Turning this vision into a reality took a further step
forward today with the signing of a EU-US co-operation agreement on fuel
cells technology. The agreement brokered by European Research Commissioner
Philippe Busquin and the US Secretary or Energy, Mr Spencer Abraham, aims
to strengthen research links, by bringing together EU and US researchers
from both the public and private sectors. Key challenges for fuel cells to
become commercially competitive are cost reductions, improved performance
and durability. Research and technological development will explore how
these barriers can be overcome. The Commission and the US Government will
discuss shortly joint EU-US research projects in this field.
[05] "Pour la diversité - Contre la discrimination" : Anna Diamantopoulou
intervient pour promouvoir la connaissance des nouvelles dispositions
européennes anti-discrimination
Connaîtriez-vous vos droits si vous étiez victime de discrimination ? Selon
une nouvelle enquête Eurobaromètre sur les attitudes vis-à-vis de la
discrimination, seul un Européen sur trois répond par l'affirmative.
Sensibiliser les gens à leurs droits est l'un des objectifs clés d'une
nouvelle campagne européenne d'une durée de cinq ans, destinée à lutter
contre la discrimination fondée sur la race ou l'origine ethnique, la
religion ou les convictions, l'âge, un handicap ou l'orientation sexuelle.
Cette campagne a été lancée aujourd'hui à Bruxelles par Anna Diamantopoulou,
membre de la Commission responsable de l'emploi et des affaires sociales.
Le lancement intervient à la veille de l'entrée en vigueur de deux
nouvelles directives européennes anti-discrimination.
[06] "Who plays by the fisheries rules ?" - Commission launches public
compliance scoreboard on the internet
Today, the European Commission launched a public scoreboard on compliance
with EU fisheries rules. The publicly accessible scoreboard is part of the
new, more transparent and efficient Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). This
Commission initiative represents a clear and accessible source of
information about Member States' compliance with their obligations in a
number of areas of the CFP. It also provides information about the state of
infringement procedures in relation to fisheries. It highlights the problem
of overfishing. According to the scoreboard, 76% of all infringement
procedures against Member States for failure to comply with fisheries
obligations relate to cases of overfishing. The scoreboard also shows
weaknesses in Member States' compliance with their obligations to collect
and transmit data to the Commission at specified intervals. These
weaknesses are partly responsible for overfishing. This is particularly
alarming at a time when a growing number of fish stocks are in danger of
collapse.
[07] Polluants organiques persistants : la Commission demande instamment à
l'UE de ratifier les accords internationaux
La Commission européenne a proposé que l'Union européenne ratifie deux
accords internationaux relatifs aux polluants organiques persistants (POP).
Ces accords, la convention de Stockholm et le protocole de la CEE-ONU
relatif aux POP, visent à faire disparaître progressivement les substances
chimiques les plus toxiques du monde en contrôlant leur production, leur
utilisation, leur importation, leur exportation, leurs émissions et leur
élimination. Dans le même temps, la Commission a décidé de proposer un
règlement en vertu duquel les obligations résultant des accords
internationaux seront exécutées et qui permettra à l'UE de ratifier
rapidement les accords.
[08] La Commission met en place un groupe d'experts indépendants sur les
accidents dans le secteur du transport
La Commission européenne a annoncé aujourd'hui sa décision de mettre en
place un "groupe d'experts pour conseiller la Commission sur une stratégie
en matière d'accidents du transport". Des enquêtes techniques indépendantes
visant à découvrir les causes profondes des accidents du transport
pourraient renforcer la sécurité en jouant un rôle préventif. La mission du
groupe d'experts sera de conseiller la Commission quant à la nécessité
d'améliorer la législation existante et, si nécessaire, de présenter de
nouvelles initiatives concernant l'ensemble des modes de transport, y
compris le transport de l'énergie (oléoducs et gazoducs).
[09] Avian influenza : first easing of restrictions in the Netherlands
On 13 June, the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health
agreed to re-authorise as of 18 June the export of live poultry and
hatching eggs from certain parts of the Netherlands, provided no further
outbreaks or suspicions are recorded. Restrictions remain in place for the
five provinces with surveillance zones. No further decisions were taken for
Belgium and Germany.
[10] Monkey Pox virus : Commission bans the import prairie dogs and rodents
that could carry the disease
The Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health (SCFCAH) agreed
unanimously to ban the import of prairie dogs (Cynomys sp.) from the USA
and rodents of non domestic species and squirrels from Sub Saharan Africa
because of the risks of monkey pox disease. The decision will now soon be
adopted by the European Commission. Monkey pox is an animal disease which
is not present in the European Union. In human beings the disease is
usually mild but the clinical symptoms may evoke chicken pox or small pox.
The presence of the disease has been confirmed in prairie dogs in certain
parts of the USA. The information available cannot exclude the possibility
that contamination of prairie dogs is linked to contacts with rodents of
non domestic species (Gambian rat) imported from Africa where the disease
is endemic. The known reservoirs in the endemic zone are squirrels and
rodents of non domestic species in the African rain forest. Despite the
name of the name of the disease, monkeys and primates are infected
accidentally through direct or close contact with infected reservoir hosts.
The SCFCAH concluded that it is appropriate to take measures to ban the
import of prairie dogs from the USA and reservoir species from the endemic
zone.
[11] L'UE est parmi les premiers à signer la convention-cadre pour la lutte
antitabac
David Byrne, le commissaire européen chargé de la santé et de la protection
des consommateurs et la présidence grecque du Conseil sont parmi les
premiers à signer aujourd'hui à Genève la convention-cadre pour la lutte
antitabac au nom de l'Union européenne. La convention est ouverte à la
signature à partir d'aujourd'hui. Dès que 40 pays l'auront ratifiée, elle
aura force de loi dans ces pays et dans les pays qui la ratifieront par la
suite. La convention antitabac est une convention mixte, qui doit être
ratifiée à la fois par l'Union et par ses Etats membres. Avant la cérémonie
de ratification, Gro Harlem Brundtland remettra le prix spécial de la
journée mondiale sans tabac du directeur général de l'OMS à David Byrne
pour sa "contribution remarquable à la lutte européenne et mondiale contre
le tabac". L'UE a joué un rôle prépondérant dans l'élaboration et la
promotion des politiques de lutte contre le tabac au sein de l'Union ainsi
que dans le processus d'adoption de la convention antitabac.
[12] Commission approves take-over of Fortum shareholdings by E.ON
The European Commission has approved the take-over by German energy company
E.ON AG of three regional electricity utilities controlled by the Finish
Fortum Corporation : Fortum Kraftwerk Burghausen GmbH (Germany), Edenderry
Power Ltd. (Ireland) and Fortum Distribution Smaland AB (Sweden). Given the
minimal overlaps produced by the transaction in the market for power
generation and supply in Germany, the Commission has decided not to oppose
the operation.
[13] "Pas de réforme de la PAC complète, pas de sécurité pour planifier
pour les agriculteurs", dit Franz Fischler
Lors d'une conférence de presse le 13 juin, le Commissaire européen à
l'Agriculture Franz Fischler à souligné que l'UE était bien partie pour
être en mesure d'adopter, dès la semaine suivante, une réforme complète et
équilibrée de l'agriculture. "Les pourparlers bilatéraux très approfondis
ont été extrêmement utiles pour les Etats membres, mais aussi pour la
présidence et pour la Commission ; à tous, ils ont apporté des éléments de
réflexion quant aux points à propos desquels des compromis judicieux
peuvent se concrétiser, et aux moyens à mettre en œuvre à cet effet. Les
travaux étant interrompus jusqu'à mardi, nous allons tous pouvoir mettre
cette pause à profit pour mener une réflexion approfondie. Nous devons nous
décider : voulons-nous donner à nos agriculteurs une perspective claire
jusqu'en 2013, ou bien nous contenterons-nous d'une simple évaluation à mi-
parcours ? Dans la seconde hypothèse, il faut avoir la franchise de dire
aux agriculteurs que nous serons très vite acculés à la nécessité de mener
un débat sur trois thèmes récurrents, à savoir la réforme, le financement
et les excédents, en particulier de beurre. Si l'on se contente d'une
réforme au rabais, qui donnerait de nouveaux arguments à nos détracteurs,
tant en Europe que dans le reste du monde, pour saper la politique agricole,
on ne servira ni les agriculteurs, ni les contribuables, ni les
consommateurs. Le seul résultat d'une telle réformette, ce serait d'imposer,
à échéance de quelques années, un nouveau débat sur la réforme. Voilà
pourquoi je suis fermement résolu à arrêter maintenant une réforme complète,
qui permette de remédier aux insuffisances de la politique agricole et donc
de la renforcer", a-t-il dit.
[14] Northern Dimension Action Plan
The European Commission has adopted its proposals to the Council for the
Second Northern Dimension Action Plan. This sets out a framework of
priorities, objectives and actions to be pursued in the implementation of
the Northern Dimension in the external and cross-border policies of the
European Union over the period 2004-2006. Chris Patten, Commissioner for
External Relations said : "The clear focus given by the Action Plan, both
at the policy level and in terms of concrete priority actions, will be
instrumental in helping the Northern Dimension region as a whole seize the
opportunities offered by EU enlargement. In particular, and within the
context of our Wider Europe policy, it will also help strengthen our
cooperation with the Russian Federation, and with North-West Russia as a
neighbour."
[15] Message of congratulations from Chris Patten on the occasion of the
solemn undertaking by the Prosecutor of the ICC, Luis Moreno Ocampo
"I extend my warmest congratulations to you on the occasion of your solemn
undertaking in open court to exercise your functions impartially and
conscientiously as Prosecutor in the International Criminal Court. As
Prosecutor, you and your Office will play a vital role in initiating
investigations and conducting trials designed to bring to justice those who
have committed the most serious crimes of international concern. I wish you
well in the discharge of those duties. You will be aware that the European
Union has been a staunch supporter of the ICC with strong political,
diplomatic and financial backing for the new court. I have no doubt that
the EU will continue to offer full support to the ICC as it translates the
commitment of those States which have ratified the Rome Statute into
concrete action to combat impunity and advance international justice."
[16] Erkki Liikanen to visit Slovakia and the Czech Republic
European Enterprise and Information Society Commissioner Erkki Liikanen
will travel to Slovakia and the Czech Republic on 16 and 17 June 2003 to
discuss policy initiatives and progress in implementing EU legislation
("acquis communautaire") in the areas of industrial goods and
telecommunications before these countries' accession on 1 May 2004. In the
Czech Republic, Commissioner Liikanen will arrive only a couple of days
after the Czech referendum on EU accession (77,3% in favour of accession),
on June 13 and 14, 2003. He will meet among others, Mr Urban, Minister of
Industry and Trade, Mr Mlynar, Minister of Informatics, Mr Kohout, State
Secretary for European Integration. He will also meet business
representatives and participate in the EEMA conference, the European forum
for electronic business. In Slovakia the Commissioner will meet, among
others, Mr Nemcsics, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Economy and
Mr Prokopovic, Minister of Transport, Post and Telecommunications and
participate in the conference "TELE.COM 2003".
[17] Commission supports OIE global conference on animal welfare
In order to engage stakeholders and explain the International Animal Health
Organization's (OIE) new strategy on animal welfare, the OIE will convene
the "First Global Conference on Animal Welfare" in Paris, France on 23-25
February 2004. European Commissioner David Byrne, responsible for Health
and Consumer Protection, will attend the conference. The Commission is
actively involved in the organisation of this conference. In addition to
providing logistical support and conference interpretation, the Commission
will assist with the publication of the conference proceedings as an
educational tool. The best way to achieve the harmonisation of
international standards in the field of animal welfare is by basing
standards on the best scientific knowledge available. For over 75 years,
the OIE has played a key role in protecting animal health world-wide, thus
becoming the world organisation for animal health, recognised by the World
Trade Organization (WTO). Due to the essential relationship between animal
health and animal welfare, the representatives of its 164 Member Countries
asked the OIE to take the international lead role in animal welfare. The
February conference will bring together stakeholders (governmental
authorities, scientists, private sector and non-profit NGOs) from around
the world to support the OIE in its animal welfare activities and to assess
how they could contribute most effectively. It will also support the OIE in
a science-based approach to the development of international standards for
the welfare of animals in agriculture and aquaculture. Further information:
a specific website for this conference has been established at the
following address: http://www.oie.int/eng/Welfare_2004/home.htm. Requests
for press accreditation should be sent to Maria Zampaglione (m.zampaglione@oie.int)
[18] Autre matériel diffusé
Speech by Romano Prodi : "The European project in the world: between values
and politics" at the Fondazione Don Tonino Bello (13/06, Lecce)
Speech by Pascal Lamy : "EU's enlargement will contribute to the deepening
of EU-China relations" at the EU Chamber of Commerce in China (13/06,
Beijing)
Speech by Loyola de Palacio : "Energy and Transport policy and deployment
of hydrogen and fuel cells" at the hydrogen economy conference
Discours de M. Busquin : "Recherche et Développement : réaliser le
potentiel de l'hydrogène et des piles à combustible" à la Conférence sur
l'économie de l'hydrogène
Speech by Romano Prodi : "The energy vector of the future" at the
Conference on the Hydrogen Economy
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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