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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 05-04-08
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] José Manuel Barroso congratulates Ibrahim al-Jaafari on his
nomination as Prime Minister of Iraq
[02] La Commission donne son feu vert Ă l'acquisition de Scaldia et
Papeteries de France par Stora Enso
[03] La Commission approuve l'acquisition de Marionnaud Parfumeries par AS
Watson
[04] High-speed internet access via the electricity grid : Commission seeks
to create new market opportunities
[05] Transport de fret maritime : inauguration de la ligne Toulon -
Civitavecchia
[06] Population projections 2004-2050 : EU25 population rises until 2025,
then falls ; working age population expected to decrease by 52 million by
2050
[07] Commission to participate in major civil protection exercise taking
place in France
[08] Exploratory mission to Northern Caucasus (9-16 April)A European
Commission team will travel to Moscow, Chechnya, Ingushetia and North
Ossetia from 9-16 April to explore the scope for an EU contribution to
social and economic recovery in the Northern Caucasus. The aim is to
clarify the most pressing needs and identify workable options for for an EU
contribution. The Commission is already the largest international donor of
humanitarian assistance in the region, and this mission will look into how
EU aid can now be extended into broader recovery activities. The team of
officials will visit the political leadership of the three republics, and
will visit the Health, Education and Economy ministries in each case. They
will also meet other representatives of the international assistance
community active in the region.
[09] Autre matériel diffusé
Midday Express of 2005-04-08
Reference: MEX/05/0408
Date: 08/04/2005
EXME05 / 8.4
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
08/04/05
[01] José Manuel Barroso congratulates Ibrahim al-Jaafari on his
nomination as Prime Minister of Iraq
The President of the European Commission has sent the following message :
"On behalf of the European Commission and on my own, I would like to extend
my warmest congratulations to you on your nomination as Prime Minister of
the Republic of Iraq. I wish you great success in tackling the challenges
that lie ahead of you, and would like to emphasise that the European
Commission will continue to be a partner and supporter of the development
of a secure, stable and democratic Iraq. In view of the various tasks that
lie ahead for the Iraqi transitional government, I am happy to assure you
that the European Commission stands ready to provide assistance in these
tasks, including support to take the political and constitutional process
forward. I am looking forward to working hand in hand with you and your
government."
[02] La Commission donne son feu vert Ă l'acquisition de Scaldia et
Papeteries de France par Stora Enso
La Commission européenne a autorisé, en vertu du règlement européen sur
les concentrations, le projet d'acquisition de Scaldia et Papeteries de
France, des entreprises de négoce de papier respectivement néerlandaise
et française, par Stora Enso, un groupe industriel international basé en
Finlande. La Commission est parvenue à la conclusion que l'opération
n'entraverait pas de façon significative une concurrence effective dans
l'EEE ou dans une partie substantielle de celui-ci, et elle a donc
approuvé la concentration.
[03] La Commission approuve l'acquisition de Marionnaud Parfumeries par AS
Watson
La Commission européenne a autorisé, en vertu du règlement communautaire
sur les concentrations, l'offre publique d'achat lancée par AS Watson –
propriété de Hutchinson Whampoa Limited – sur l'ensemble des actions de
Marionnaud Parfumeries, une société opérant essentiellement dans le
secteur de la vente au détail de parfums et de cosmétiques de luxe. La
Commission est parvenue Ă la conclusion que les chevauchements des
activités étaient minimes et que l'acquisition n'entraverait pas de
façon significative une concurrence effective dans l'EEE ou dans une
partie substantielle de celui-ci.
[04] High-speed internet access via the electricity grid : Commission seeks
to create new market opportunities
Using electric power supply lines to offer low-cost high speed internet
access will be made easier thanks to a European Commission recommendation
issued today. The recommendation, which is addressed to the Member States,
aims to clarify rules on using electric power cables to carry electronic
communication data. The Commission thereby intends to boost competition by
opening up the market to new suppliers of high-speed "broadband"
connections via the electricity grid. Internet access via power lines has
so far taken hold in only a few urban areas, but the potential is huge :
the EU has 200 million power lines running directly into houses, schools
and businesses.
[05] Transport de fret maritime : inauguration de la ligne Toulon -
Civitavecchia
Le Vice-Président de la Commission européenne en charge des Transports,
Jacques Barrot, s'est félicité de l'inauguration, aujourd'hui, de la
nouvelle ligne maritime mise en place par les armateurs européens Louis
Dreyfus Armateurs et Grimaldi entre les ports de Toulon et de Civitavecchia
(Rome). Ce service, avec trois départs par semaine, est destiné aux
transporteurs routiers entre la France et l'Italie. "Cette initiative est
courageuse. J'espère qu'elle se développera pour présenter une
véritable alternative au franchissement des Alpes par la route", a
déclaré le Vice-Président.
[06] Population projections 2004-2050 : EU25 population rises until 2025,
then falls ; working age population expected to decrease by 52 million by
2050
Over the next two decades the total population of the EU25 is expected to
increase by more than 13 million inhabitants, from 456.8 million on 1
January 2004 to 470.1 million on 1 January 2025. Population growth in the
EU25 until 2025 will be mainly due to net migration, since total deaths in
the EU25 will outnumber total births from 2010. The effect of net migration
will no longer outweigh the natural decrease after 2025, when the
population will start to decline gradually. The population will reach 449.8
million on 1 January 2050, that is a decrease of more than 20 million
inhabitants compared to 2025. Over the whole projection period the EU25
population will decrease by 1.5%, resulting from a 0.4% increase for the
EU15 and a 11.7% decrease for the ten new Member States. The share of the
population of working age (between 15 and 64) in the total population is
expected to decrease strongly in the EU25, from 67.2% in 2004 to 56.7% in
2050, that is a fall of 52 million inhabitants of working age. The share of
the population aged between 0 and 14 will also be reduced, from 16.4% in
2004 to 13.4% in 2050, while the proportion of elderly people (aged 65 and
more) is expected to almost double over this period, from 16.4% in 2004 to
29.9% in 2050. This information on population projections in the EU25,
Bulgaria and Romania, issued by Eurostat, has been derived from the
analysis and extrapolation of demographic trends. Given the length of the
projection period, results should be considered with caution.
[07] Commission to participate in major civil protection exercise taking
place in France
European Commission Vice-President Franco Frattini, responsible for freedom,
security and justice, will represent the Commission at a major European
technological accident exercise, Euratech 2005, which will take place in
France, at Portes-lès-Valence (Drôme department) from 10 to 14 April. Mr
Frattini will be at the site on 12 April, accompanied by French Interior
Minister Dominique de Villepin and other personalities. Euratech 2005 is co-
financed by the European Union, and is a real-life exercise with fire and
chemical components, the development and dissemination of a cloud of toxic
gas and neighbouring population rushed to shelters. The aim of the exercise
is to test the command chain of a country which has been hit by a major
technological accident and to put into action the European Union's Civil
Protection Mechanism by asking assistance from the other EU Member States,
through the Mechanism's Monitoring and Information Centre. Four Member
States, in addition to France, are playing an active part in this exercise
: Germany, Belgium, Italy and the Czech Republic.
[08] Exploratory mission to Northern Caucasus (9-16 April)A European
Commission team will travel to Moscow, Chechnya, Ingushetia and North
Ossetia from 9-16 April to explore the scope for an EU contribution to
social and economic recovery in the Northern Caucasus. The aim is to
clarify the most pressing needs and identify workable options for for an EU
contribution. The Commission is already the largest international donor of
humanitarian assistance in the region, and this mission will look into how
EU aid can now be extended into broader recovery activities. The team of
officials will visit the political leadership of the three republics, and
will visit the Health, Education and Economy ministries in each case. They
will also meet other representatives of the international assistance
community active in the region.
[09] Autre matériel diffusé
Power line communications : questions and answers
Preparation of Eurogroup and Council of Economics and Finance Ministers (11-
12, Luxembourg)
How does the European Commission deal with ethical issues within its
Framework Programme for Research and Development?
Speech by Margot Wallström : "Why the Constitution is needed for social
Europe" at Socialist and Social Democratic Group Leaders meeting (07/04)
Calendrier du 11 au 15 avril 2005
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
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