20 octobre 2021 Pierre Perrin-Monlouis
News from the Press and Communication Directorate General’s midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction Général Presse et Communication
12 / 09 / 05
UN World Summit 2005 : José Manuel Barroso challenges others to match EU’s commitments on development goals
On the eve of the UN World Summit, the President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso challenged wealthy nations to match the European Union’s drive to help countries fulfil the Millennium Development Goals. “The 2005 UN World Summit is a unique opportunity to show Europe’s determination to keep our promises to the developing world and to bring others with us.” On the UN reforms, he said : “The UN is as essential today as it was 60 years ago, but we need to ensure that it is equipped to face up to modern challenges. The new Peacebuilding Commission will help us all achieve sustainable peace in addressing more effectively the needs of countries emerging from conflict – and the EU, with its strong track record in conflict prevention and post conflict reconstruction, aims to be an active participant.”
Objectifs du Millénaire pour le Développement : cinq ans après, un coup d’accélérateur s’impose
Lors du Sommet du Millénaire des Nations Unies, en 2000, 191 Etats se sont engagés à atteindre huit objectifs à l’horizon 2015 pour éradiquer la pauvreté et réduire les inégalités dans le monde. Cinq ans après, il est temps de faire un premier bilan et d’en tirer les conséquences. Et il est force de constater qu’un coup d’accélérateur est indispensable si l’on veut relever le défi dans les délais établis. L’Union européenne, premier donateur d’aide mondial, a pris ses responsabilités à travers des engagements fermes pour “faire plus, faire mieux, faire plus vite”.
Peter Mandelson and Mariann Fischer Boel to Washington DC for Doha talks
European Commissioners for Trade Peter Mandelson and Agriculture Mariann Fischer Boel will be in Washington DC this week for meetings with their US counterparts on the Doha Round. On Tuesday evening, they will meet US Trade Representative Rob Portman and US Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns on the agriculture component of the talks. On Wednesday morning Commissioner Mandelson and Ambassador Portman will have further discussions on the Doha Round and other EU-US bilateral trade issues. Commissioner Fischer Boel will remain in Washington until Friday for meetings with Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick and senior Members of Congress and a further bilateral with Ambassador Portman.
Commission presents revised banana tariff proposal
The European Commission presented today a revised proposal of €187/tonne for most favoured nation (MFN) suppliers of bananas. The new tariff is intended to replace as of 1 January 2006 the present regime based on tariff quotas for MFN – mostly Latin American – supplying countries. The Commission’s proposal also maintains an equivalent level of preference for ACP bananas through a tariff quota for 775,000 tonnes at zero duty. The proposed MFN tariff is designed to maintain total market access for MFN suppliers, in line with the results of the WTO arbitration, which had been established after a request of Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama and Venezuela. The Commission will now engage in consultations with its Latin American partners according to the procedure set out in the Annex to the WTO waiver on the EU-ACP Partnership Agreement (Cotonou waiver) for the introduction of the tariff only regime as from 1 January 2006.
Commission adopts regulation to clear blocked Chinese textile imports
Today the European Commission has adopted by written procedure a regulation providing the legal grounds for Member States to begin issuing import licenses to Chinese exports currently blocked from entering the European Union. The regulation will be published in the Official Journal tomorrow, September 13, and will come into force on Wednesday September 14. At this time, Member States will have the legal grounds to issue import licences to the relevant products.
Western Balkans : Commission proposes renewal of the current trade preferences until 2010 to foster economic development, prosperity and political stability in the region
Today the European Commission has adopted a proposal for a Council Regulation extending until 2010 the autonomous trade preferences which the EU grants to the Western Balkans. For the last five years, these trade preferences have been a key instrument in the revitalisation of the Western Balkan economies by providing privileged access to the EU market. More stable economic development in turn fosters political stability in the entire region.
Commission proposes to open aviation negotiations with New Zealand
The European Commission proposed today to open aviation negotiations with New Zealand. These negotiations will seek further opening of the respective air markets and enhanced regulatory cooperation. Vice-President Jacques Barrot, in charge of transport, said : “The single aviation market in the EU with open market access and high regulatory standards has created huge benefits for the EU aviation industry and consumers. I believe that this success can be repeated in our aviation relations with New Zealand.”
Message du Président Barroso au personnel : “Nous devons faire plus simple et plus efficace”
C’est le message que le Président de la Commission européenne José Manuel Barroso a transmis ce matin au personnel de la Commission lors d’une session de questions-réponses. La rencontre a réuni plus de 400 fonctionnaires de la Commission et était accessible via intranet à tout le personnel. Le Président est intervenu sur les différents sujets qui préoccupent actuellement le personnel : le rôle de la Commission, les évolutions des politiques européennes, la place de l’Europe dans le monde et la politique du personnel.
First estimates for the second quarter of 2005 : EU25 current account deficit €22.4 billion ; €16.5 billion surplus on trade in services
The EU25 external current account recorded a deficit of €22.4 billion in the second quarter of 2005, as compared with a deficit of €5.0 billion in the second quarter of 2004 and a deficit of €22.5 billion in the first quarter of 2005. In the second quarter of 2005 the EU25 external balance of trade in services recorded a surplus of €16.5 billion as compared with a surplus of €14.3 billion in the second quarter of 2004 and a surplus of €7.7 billion in the first quarter of 2005. These provisional data, issued by Eurostat, will be subject to revision.
Deuxième trimestre 2005 comparé au premier trimestre 2005 : la production du secteur de la construction en hausse de 1,6% dans la zone euro ; hausse de 1,7% dans l’UE25
Dans le secteur de la construction, la production corrigée des variations saisonnières a progressé de 1,6% dans la zone euro et de 1,7% dans l’UE25 au deuxième trimestre 2005 par rapport au trimestre précédent. Au premier trimestre 2005, la production avait diminué de 1,9% dans la zone euro et de 1,3% dans l’UE25. Par rapport au deuxième trimestre 2004, la production a diminué au deuxième trimestre 2005 de 0,3% dans la zone euro et de 0,4% dans l’UE25, après respectivement -3,6% et -3,0% au premier trimestre 2005. Ces premières estimations sont diffusées par Eurostat.
Autre matériel diffusé
EU-UN relations
Support to peacebuilding : some examples of EU action
