[autom.vertaling] Middag Uitdrukkelijk van 2009-10-07 (en) - Hoofdinhoud
EXME09 / 07.10
MIDDAY EXPRESS
News from the Communication Directorate General's midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction Générale Communication
07 / 10 / 09
I. Résultats de la Commission du 7 octobre 2009 - Outcome of Commission meeting of 7 October 2009
In view of planned budget deficits of more than 3% in 2009, the European Commission today adopted reports under the corrective arm of the Stability and Growth Pact for Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Netherlands and Portugal. Taking due account of the economic background and all other relevant factors, the reports examine whether the deficits planned for 2009 remain close to the reference value and whether the excess is exceptional and temporary. The Commission concludes that this is not the case for any of the nine countries. Earlier this year, the Commission had already initiated excessive deficit procedures for another nine EU countries (see IP/09/274 and IP/09/752).
Today, the Commission launches "SETIS", the online Strategic Energy Technologies (SET-Plan) Information System, which provides the latest research results on the status, forecasts and R&D investment figures for low-carbon technologies. It underpins the effective strategic planning, conception and implementation of EU energy technology policy and serves notably to the implementation of the Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET Plan). SETIS assesses and monitors those technologies that have a significant potential to help Europe meet its energy and climate change targets, such as wind power, solar power, CCS or bioenergy. The Information System offers interactive tools to compare the maximum potential and energy production costs foreseen for the different technologies over time.
European Commission called public authorities, business, and researchers to join efforts in order to develop by 2020 the necessary technologies to address climate change, secure EU energy supply and ensure the competitiveness of our economies. In a proposal on "Investing in the development of low-carbon energy technologies", the Commission estimates that an additional investment of €50 billion in energy technology research will be needed over the next 10 years. This means almost tripling the annual investment in the European Union, from €3 to €8 billion. This represents a step forward in the implementation of the European Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan), the technology pillar of the EU's energy and climate policy. Different sources of funding are considered, from public and private sectors at national and EU level, to be used in a coordinated way will also help to push forward a fast growing industrial sector and to create jobs.
The European Commission has imposed fines totalling € 67 644 000 on seven companies - ABB, AREVA T&D, ALSTOM, Fuji Electrics, Hitachi and Toshiba - for violating the EC Treaty’s ban on cartels and restrictive business practices (Article 81). Siemens also participated but was not fined because it revealed the existence of the cartel in question to the Commission. Between 1999 and 2003, Japanese and European producers of power transformers operated an oral market sharing agreement, referred to as a "Gentlemen's Agreement", where they agreed that the Japanese members would not sell power transformers in Europe and that the European members would not sell power transformers in Japan. The power transformers in question are used to modify the voltage in electricity transmission networks. The fine for ABB was increased by 50% because it had previously taken part in a similar infringement.
The European Commission has approved, under EC Treaty state aid rules, a temporary increase of the guarantee for a portfolio of securities of German Landesbank WestLB. The aid measure amounts to €6.4 billion and is provided by SoFFin, a fund administrating the German support scheme for financial institutions. WestLB is currently in the process of implementing a restructuring plan that was approved by the Commission in May 2009 (see IP/09/741). The plan foresees, among other measures, the creation of a "bad bank", which will ensure that the bank can return to viability. The aid subject to today's decision is in line with the Commission's Communication on state aid to banks during the crisis (see IP/08/1495), as it is necessary for the creation of the "bad bank".
Other news
La Commission européenne a autorisé, en application du règlement CE sur les concentrations, le rachat de l'entreprise tchèque Pražská teplárenská, a.s (PT) par la société International Power Opatovice, a.s. (IPO), tchèque elle aussi, l’entreprise allemande EnBW AG et la ville de Prague. L’enquête de la Commission a montré que l'opération envisagée n'entraverait pas l’exercice d’une concurrence effective dans l'Espace économique européen (EEE) ou dans une partie substantielle de celui-ci.
The coordinators of the Trans-European Transport Network have presented Vice-President Antonio Tajani with their fourth and final report for their first mandate giving a detailed state of play of the priority projects for which they are responsible.
Mayors from both sides of the Atlantic have pledged today in Brussels to work together to highlight the key role played by the local and regional level in adapting to the effects of climate change. The leaders of big municipalities of Europe and America aim at ensuring recognition of this role in the conclusions of the UN climate change summit in Copenhagen next December.
Euro area (EA16) GDP fell by 0.2% and EU27 GDP by 0.3% during the second quarter of 2009, compared with the previous quarter, according to second estimates from Eurostat. In the first quarter of 2009, growth rates were -2.5% in the euro area and -2.4% in the EU27. In comparison with the same quarter of the previous year, seasonally adjusted GDP declined in the second quarter of 2009 by 4.8% in the euro area and by 4.9% in the EU27, after -4.9% and -4.8% respectively in the previous quarter. In the second quarter of 2009, among Member States for which seasonally adjusted GDP data are available, Slovakia (+2.2%) recorded the highest growth rate compared with the previous quarter, followed by Slovenia (+0.7%) and Poland (+0.5%).
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-European Entrepreneurial Regions Awards
The new European Entrepreneurial Region (EER) pilot scheme, created by the Committee of the Regions in partnership with the European Commission, will be launched on Wednesday, 7 October at 18:30, at the Committee of the Regions (JDE building, Atrium 6th floor) by Luc Van den Brande, President of the Committee of the regions and Günter Verheugen, Vice-President of the European Commission responsible for Enterprise and Industry. The EER aims to reward every year up to three EU regions with the most outstanding political vision to boost their entrepreneurial environment. The EER is a major contribution of the Committee of the Regions to speed up the implementation of the "Small Business Act for Europe" and to bring the "Think Small First" principle into reality. Please note that a short press point is foreseen after the EER launch with participation of all speakers. More information on European Entrepreneurial Regions
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-National education systems should commit to delivering meaningful qualifications
Cedefop’s 'Agora Conference' on qualifications for lifelong learning and employability (held in Thessaloniki, Greece, on 5-6 October) examined how qualifications are established, evaluated and renewed in today’s economy. There has been much change in this area in recent years, the aim being to make it easier for people to acquire new skills and improve their chances on the labour market. The conference concluded that education and training systems must make a stronger commitment to ensuring quality and engaging with the various economic sectors if the many present barriers to understanding and recognising qualifications are to be removed. About Cedefop: The European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop), an agency of the European Union based in Thessaloniki, Greece, supports European policy-making in the field of vocational education and training. www.cedefop.europa.eu http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/etv/news/default.asp?idnews=4808
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-Third vaccine for influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009
The European Commission has yesterday, following the positive scientific opinion issued on 1st October by the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMEA), authorised a third vaccine for the influenza pandemic, Celvapan® (Baxter). The vaccine has been authorised for use in all Member States of the EU and the EEA (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway). The European Commission has again acted immediately to do everything within its competencies to ensure that sufficient vaccines will be available before the start of the flu season to protect citizens. For more information: Details of the Regulatory process for the authorisation of antiviral medicines and vaccines in the protection against Pandemic Influenza (H1N1) 2009 can be found on: http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_threats/com/Influenza/docs/flu_staff4_en.pdf Detailed information on the vaccines can be found on the website of the European Medicines Agency http://www.emea.europa.eu/influenza/home.htm Regularly updated information on the Pandemic H1N1 2009 can be found on the websites of: European Commission, Directorate General Health and Consumers: http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_threats/com/Influenza/novelflu_en.htm European centre of Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC): http://ecdc.europa.eu/en/healthtopics/Pages/Influenza_A(H1N1)_Outbreak.aspx World Health Organization (WHO): http://www.who.int/en/
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-Autre matériel diffusé
• Memo Antitrust: Commission confirms surprise inspections in the pharmaceutical sector
• Memo Questions and answers on SETIS (SET-Plan Information System)
• Memo Antitrust: Commission action against cartels - Questions and answers
• Speech by Commissioner Borg 'Imagine what our maritime world will look like in a decade', Kiel
• Speech by Commissioner Reding 'The Future of the Internet and Europe's Digital Agenda', Brussels