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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 05-04-04

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] Prévisions économiques de printemps de la Commission pour 2005-2006
  • [02] Commission clears acquisition of Sanitec by EQT
  • [03] Galileo : la Commission propose l'ouverture de négociations avec l'Argentine sur la navigation par satellite
  • [04] February 2005 compared to January 2005 : industrial producer prices up by 0.4% in euro-zone and EU25
  • [05] Benita Ferrero-Waldner welcomes US Deputy Secretary of State Zoellick
  • [06] Commission extends Sudan dye measures and reminds food operators of their responsibilities
  • [07] Commission seeks clarification on Bt10 from US authorities and Syngenta
  • [08] Douanes : séminaire sur la contrefaçon (04-07/04, Budapest)
  • [09] Autre matériel diffusé Midday Express of 2005-04-04 Reference: MEX/05/0404 Date: 04/04/2005 EXME05 / 4.4

    MIDDAY EXPRESS

    News from the Press and Communication Directorate General's midday briefing

    Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction Général Presse etb

    Communication

    04/04/05


  • [01] Prévisions économiques de printemps de la Commission pour 2005-2006

    A la suite du ralentissement de l'activité économique observé au second semestre de 2004, la croissance dans la zone euro et l'UE devrait revenir au potentiel dans le courant de 2005, sous l'effet de la progression de la demande intérieure. D'une manière générale, la croissance du PIB devrait se chiffrer à 1,6% dans la zone euro et à 2,0% dans l'UE (2,1% et 2, 3% respectivement en 2006). Quant à la croissance de l'emploi, elle devrait s'accélérer, tant dans la zone euro que dans l'UE, favorisant une légère baisse du chômage en 2006. Les finances publiques ne devraient pour leur part guère évoluer cette année, avec un déficit s'élevant à 2,6% du PIB dans l'UE comme dans la zone euro.

    [02] Commission clears acquisition of Sanitec by EQT

    The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger Regulation to the acquisition of sole control of Sanitec International S.A. (Sanitec) of Finland by Ceasar, controlled by EQT IV Fund (EQT IV) of Guernsey, the Channel Islands, itself part of the EQT Group. The EQT Group is a private equity portfolio company managing funds such as EQT IV Fund, and is ultimately controlled by Investor AB. Sanitec designs, manufactures and markets bathroom ceramics, bath and shower products. Ceasar is a new holding company created for the purpose of acquiring Sanitec. The operation was examined under the simplified merger review procedure.

    [03] Galileo : la Commission propose l'ouverture de négociations avec l'Argentine sur la navigation par satellite

    La Commission européenne a demandé aujourd'hui au Conseil d'approuver sa recommandation visant à entamer des négociations sur un accord de coopération avec l'Argentine pour la mise en place d'un système mondial de navigation par satellite (GNSS) à usage civil. "Cette proposition en vue d'un nouvel accord de coopération international souligne clairement le succès de Galileo et démontre une fois de plus l'intérêt général que suscite le projet", a déclaré Jacques Barrot, vice-président de la Commission chargé des transports. La Commission a l'intention d'entamer les négociations immédiatement après l'approbation du Conseil.

    [04] February 2005 compared to January 2005 : industrial producer prices up by 0.4% in euro-zone and EU25

    The euro-zone industrial producer price index rose by 0.4% in February 2005 compared with the previous month, according to Eurostat. In February 2005, EU25 prices also increased by 0.4%. In January 2005 prices rose by 0.6% in the euro-zone and by 0.7% in the EU25. In February 2005 compared to February 2004, industrial producer prices grew by 4.2% in the euro-zone and by 5.0% in the EU25.

    [05] Benita Ferrero-Waldner welcomes US Deputy Secretary of State Zoellick

    European Commissioner for External Relations and Neighbourhood Policy Benita Ferrrero-Waldner will today receive US Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick at the Commission Headquarters in Brussels. Mr Zoellick is a well-known interlocutor at the Commission as he served as US Trade Representative during the first term of President George W. Bush. This will be his first trip abroad in his new capacity. Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner said : "I am looking forward to meeting Bob Zoellick and working with him. We need to build on the very positive atmosphere established during President Bush's recent visit to Brussels, to make real progress towards our common objectives bilaterally and in the international arena." Issues for discussion are the preparation of the EU-US Summit in June, bilateral issues including the extension of the visa waiver programme to all new Member States, and foreign policy issues.

    [06] Commission extends Sudan dye measures and reminds food operators of their responsibilities

    The European Commission is extending controls for Sudan dyes to include imports of curcuma and virgin palm oil as well as chilli and chilli products, and has published a new leaflet to remind food and feed operators of their responsibilities for food safety. Member States today endorsed a Commission proposal to add curcuma and virgin palm oil to the list of food products which must be certified as free of Sudan dyes (Sudan I, II, III and Scarlet Red/Sudan IV), in order to be imported into the EU (see MEX/04/0121). The new Commission leaflet outlines the key obligations of food and feed operators when it comes to food safety.

    [07] Commission seeks clarification on Bt10 from US authorities and Syngenta

    The European Commission has written to the US authorities and to the biotechnology company Syngenta requesting clarification of the situation regarding the unauthorised genetically modified maize Bt10. According to the information received to date from the US authorities and from Syngenta, the developer of Bt10, up to 10 kg of Bt10 seed may have been exported inadvertently as Bt11 for research purposes to Spain and France. The resulting materials have all been destroyed. In addition, the Commission is informed that an estimated 1000 metric tonnes of Bt10 food and feed products may have entered the EU through the Bt11 export channels since 2001, the date from which the inadvertent release of Bt10 started. At a meeting on 31 March with representatives of Syngenta, officials of the Commission were informed that Bt10 included the gene conferring resistance to the antibiotic ampicillin.

    [08] Douanes : séminaire sur la contrefaçon (04-07/04, Budapest)

    La Commission européenne organise, en collaboration avec l'administration hongroise des douanes, un séminaire sur la lutte contre la contrefaçon et le piratage qui se tiendra du 4 au 7 avril à Budapest, en Hongrie. Cette manifestation réunira 130 experts en contrefaçon provenant des administrations douanières des Etats membres, des principaux partenaires commerciaux de l'UE tels que la Chine, les Etats-Unis et la Turquie et du monde des affaires avec pour objectif d'échanger des informations sur les dernières tendances et techniques de fraude. Le 6 avril, les participants procéderont à des contrôles opérationnels à différents postes frontières hongrois, sous la direction des meilleurs spécialistes en analyse de risque appliquée aux douanes. Les journalistes sont invités à participer à ces opérations et à assister à la conférence de presse, qui sera donnée le 7 avril à 13 heures.

    [09] Autre matériel diffusé

    Speech by Joe Borg : "Designing a European vision for the Oceans and Seas" at inauguration of the 10th Annual EC Maritime Law Course of the IMO International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI) (Malta) From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/

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