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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 04-04-16

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>


CONTENTS / CONTENU

  • [01] Commission proposes banana import quantities for new Member States
  • [02] Detailed rules for implementing Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 on GM food and feed published
  • [03] Commission clears joint acquisition of Secfinex by Fortis and Société Générale
  • [04] Commission indicator forecasts euro area quarterly GDP growth of 0.3% to 0.7% for both the 1st and 2nd quarters of 2004
  • [05] Mars 2004 : le taux d'inflation annuel de la zone euro en hausse à 1, 7% ; le taux de l'UE15 stable à 1,5%
  • [06] Deuxième estimation pour le quatrième trimestre 2003 : le PIB de la zone euro en hausse de 0,3% et celui de l'UE15 de 0,4% ; +0,6% et +0,9% respectivement par rapport au quatrième trimestre 2002
  • [07] Autre matériel diffusé Midday Express 16/04/2004 TXT: FR ENPDF:DOC:Midday Express 16/04/2004

  • [01] Commission proposes banana import quantities for new Member States

    Today, the European Commission presented transitional measures for banana imports into the ten new Member States to the Management Committee for Bananas. The Regulation would fix an additional quantity of bananas of 300, 000 tonnes to supply the market of new Member States for the period May- December 2004. This additional quantity would be fixed on a transitional basis, and should in no way prejudge the outcome of the negotiations in the context of the Article XXIV (6) GATT in which the European Union is to engage in the coming weeks. This additional quantity would provide the new Member States with a sufficient supply of bananas. The Regulation also defines the necessary transitional measures for managing the additional quantity as of 1 May 2004 in the enlarged EU.

    [02] Detailed rules for implementing Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 on GM food and feed published

    The European Commission has adopted implementing rules that are necessary for the operation of the Genetically Modified (GM) Food and Feed Regulation ((EC) No 1829/2003). Firstly, the implementing rules concern applications for authorisation of new GM food and feed. They specify how these applications should be prepared and presented. Applications must clearly identify the scope of the application, indicate what parts are confidential and must include amongst other a monitoring plan, a labelling proposal and a detection method for the new GM food or feed. The implementing rules also specify how applications submitted under other current Community legislation will be (automatically) converted into applications under the new GM food and feed law which enters into application on 18 April. Secondly, the rules also cover how notifications of existing food and feed products should be prepared and presented. The notifications must show that the products are safe and do not mislead the consumer, must clearly identify the scope of the application and what parts are confidential and must include a detection method and samples of the products. Thirdly, for the adventitious or technically unavoidable presence of non-authorised GM material the rules specify that the Commission will draw up a list with the GM material that is not authorised but has received a positive risk assessment by one of the former Scientific Committees or by European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The list will also indicate if a detection method is available for this GM material. The presence of this material in food or feed will be tolerated up to 0.5%. The implementing rules are published in the OJ L 102/14 of 7 April 2004 http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/pri/en/oj/dat/2004/l_102/l_10220040407en00140025.pdf. More information also in Questions and Answers on GMOs - MEMO/04/85.

    [03] Commission clears joint acquisition of Secfinex by Fortis and Société Générale

    The European Commission has granted clearance under the Merger Regulation to the acquisition of joint control of the UK undertaking Secfinex Limited by Fortis Bank (Nederland) N.V. and the French undertaking Société Générale S.A. The joint venture, Secfinex, will develop an electronic platform for the lending and borrowing of securities. Secfinex will offer its services on the market on a lasting basis and will have its own software. Any loans by the parents, according to the parties, will take place at market conditions. (The operation, notified on 11 March 2004, was examined under the simplified merger review procedure)

    [04] Commission indicator forecasts euro area quarterly GDP growth of 0.3% to 0.7% for both the 1st and 2nd quarters of 2004

    The indicator-based model for quarterly GDP growth for the euro area, developed by the European Commission's Directorate General for Economic and Financial Affairs, forecasts a range of 0.3% to 0.7% for GDP growth in the first and second quarters of 2004, unchanged compared to the previous release. This is in line with the gradual acceleration of growth projected in the Commission Spring forecasts for the first half of 2004.

    [05] Mars 2004 : le taux d'inflation annuel de la zone euro en hausse à 1, 7% ; le taux de l'UE15 stable à 1,5%

    Le taux d'inflation annuel de la zone euro a augmenté de 1,6% en février à 1,7% en mars 2004, indique aujourd'hui Eurostat, l'Office statistique des Communautés européennes. Un an auparavant, le taux était de 2,4%. Le taux d'inflation annuel de l'UE15 était de 1,5% en mars 2004, soit le même taux que celui de février. Un an auparavant, il s'élevait à 2,3%. Le taux d'inflation annuel de l'EEE était de 1,5% en mars 2004.

    [06] Deuxième estimation pour le quatrième trimestre 2003 : le PIB de la zone euro en hausse de 0,3% et celui de l'UE15 de 0,4% ; +0,6% et +0,9% respectivement par rapport au quatrième trimestre 2002

    Au cours du quatrième trimestre 2003, le Produit Intérieur Brut (PIB) de la zone euro a augmenté de 0,3% et celui de l'UE15 de 0,4% par rapport au trimestre précédent, selon les estimations publiées aujourd'hui par Eurostat, l'Office Statistique des Communautés européennes. Au cours du troisième trimestre 2003, les taux de croissance avaient été de +0,4% dans les deux zones.

    [07] Autre matériel diffusé

    Question and answers on the regulation of GMOs in the EU

    Speech by Franz Fischler : "The facts on the Commission proposal to reform the Mediterranean products" at videoconference with Greek journalists (15/04)

    Calendrier du 18 au 25 avril 2004


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


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