The Week in Europe 11-12/11/01

EU news in brief

Romano Prodi welcomes agreement on climate change

European Commission President Romano Prodi welcomed agreement on climate change: "I am delighted that the Climate Change Conference in Marrakech has reached agreement on implementation of the Kyoto Protocol. I congratulate the Moroccan Chairman of the Conference on this significant achievement. The European Commission has played a crucial role in marshalling arguments and support for Kyoto and Commissioner Margot Wallström deserves our special thanks. Future generations will have cause to be grateful for the steps we are taking today to preserve our planet."

The EU has reached its objective to make the Kyoto Protocol - the international framework to cut greenhouse gas emissions - operational. After two weeks of difficult negotiations, the 7th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Climate Change (COP7) in Marrakech has ended with an agreement on the operational rules to fight climate change. The package agreed upon includes decisions on compliance rules, the so-called "flexible mechanisms" and monitoring and reporting obligations for Parties. All Parties agreed that the package would be sufficient for the timely ratification of the Kyoto Protocol. The Protocol has to be ratified by 55 Parties representing 55% of industrialised countries' greenhouse gas emissions.

[Background text MEMO/01/364]

Pascal Lamy hails China's accession to WTO as "the greatest leap in the history of the organisation"

European Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy declared the following in Doha on Saturday 10 November: "Although we are only at the beginning of the Ministerial, we now have a first and highly important achievement to celebrate. In welcoming China as a new member of the WTO, we expand our membership by 1.2 billion people, that is to say by a quarter. This decision is historic: it is the WTO's greatest leap in the history of the organisation. Congratulations are in first place due to China. This has been a long and arduous negotiation, one that took a full fifteen years to complete. In retrospect, the history of the last fifteen years of negotiations has also been the history of China's own reform process, its gradual opening up, and its integration into the world economy. The phenomenal 7% compound average annual growth rates, which are expected to continue in the future, testify to the success of the government's economic policies. People in China are on average four times as wealthy today as they were in 1978, when the open door policy was started. That is a unique achievement for a country of its size. So even if at times the WTO negotiations have been difficult for Chinese and WTO negotiators alike, today we can pride ourselves on the results achieved and rejoice in having made new friends in the process. I'm glad to see most of them here with us today. We must now turn to the future, and I look forward to working together, hand-in-hand with China, to strengthen further the multilateral trading system."

For the overall assessment over the results of the WTO 4th Ministerial, Doha, 14 November, 2001, for the European Union see MEMO/01/371

Speech by Romano Prodi, President of the European Commission, ”AN ENLARGED AND MORE UNITED EUROPE, A GLOBAL PLAYER - Challenges and Opportunities in the New Century” to the College of Europe, Bruges, 12 November 2001

If we want enlargement to be a success, if we want Europe to keep the solidity, the weight, the capacity to decide and to act which are needed in order to respond to the demands of its citizens, we need a new common impetus that cannot be provided by the Commission alone. It has to come from the joint action of all the institutions together.

Between now and the next European elections, every meeting of the Union's heads of state and government will need extraordinary commitment and cohesion. Parliament will be called upon to show the same commitment, with a great debate on general direction and policy to form a solemn moment in the parliamentary year. The Commission will be doing everything in its power to ensure that an enlarged and more united Europe is prepared to face the challenges of the twenty-first century, and to take its place as a strong and responsible player on the world stage.

[Full speech SPEECH/01/528]

The Commission welcomes positive findings of Court of Auditors' Report for 2000 and is ready to address criticisms

"I welcome the positive findings of the Court which will work as an encouragement for all of us in the Commission to continue on the path of internal reform," commented Budget Commissioner Michaele Schreyer on the Court's report. ”I especially welcomed the Court's support for our proposal on the recasting of the Financial Regulation, which is one of the most important steps in improving the financial management of EU funds. I hope Parliament and the Council will decide soon on this proposal". She added: "Constructive criticism from the Court is useful, because it shows us the way forward. Many errors are corrected each year after the Court's test. Evaluations or changes suggested by the Court in their report are already taking place. The standards of the Court of Auditors are high but so are the expectations of the European taxpayers for the money that we manage on their behalf. That is why we are working hard to meet these standards in co-operation with Member States, which co-manage more than 80% of the EU Budget.”

[Background text IP/01/1568]

Commission President Romano Prodi welcomes progress on enlargement of the European Union

Statement by Romano Prodi on the adoption by the Commission of reports on enlargement of the European Union on 13 November 2001:

«We are on a steady course. Enlargement, the historical duty of the Union and political priority of my Commission, is within our grasp. It can be achieved within the framework of existing policies and financial perspectives for the period 2000-2006. We will bring forward ideas and proposals on the future of these policies in due course. The necessary reforms will be carried out, but the imperative of enlargement cannot be questioned. The way is open for the peaceful and democratic unification of our continent.»

Better management and improved accountability through externalisation of management of Community programmes

The Commission has adopted more specific measures in two major areas of its externalisation policy concerning the management of Community programmes: the management of Community programmes through networks of national agencies and the outsourcing of technical and administrative assistance in the execution of Community programmes. Budget Commissioner Michaele Schreyer declared: ”Externalisation allows better management because the scarce permanent staff of the Commission can only be assigned to its essential tasks. But it is clear that externalisation cannot not absolve the Commission of the responsibilities conferred by the Treaties, of the implementing powers delegated to it by the Council or its responsibility to implement the budget. Certain limits and constraints have to be observed when tasks are externalised. The continuity of the chain of responsibility must be maintained. This dual necessity of improved management and responsibility is fully reflected in the principles and the instruments decided by the Commission.”

[Background text IP/01/1577]

European tourism: Commission maps out ideas for the sector's future

The European Commission has presented its ideas on how best to exploit the European tourism sector's competitive potential. Outlined in a Communication on "Working together for the Future of European Tourism", the Commission highlights the need to enhance co-operation on and the consistency of tourism policies among the stakeholders involved in tourism. These include the European Commission, Member States, regional and local authorities, industry associations, and tourist destinations. The Commission aims in particular to foster tourism's competitiveness and sustainability. Underlining tourism's contribution to sustainable development, with a special focus on environmental and cultural resources, is high on the list of recommendations, in accordance with the "Agenda 21" guidelines. With a view to providing the tourism industry with a political platform and improving co-operation and co-ordination, an annual European Tourism Forum, a key interface with stakeholder groups, is proposed. The Commission also presented a report on the impact on the sector of the September 11 terrorist attacks. It expects the knock-on effects of these attacks on tourism in Europe to be rather limited in scope and time: if properly implemented, the measures foreseen in the Communication should help alleviate the impact of any long-term negative effects.

For further information please visit:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/enterprise/services/tourism/index_en.htm

[Background text IP/01/1582]

Money laundering: Commission welcomes European Parliament's approval of new Directive

The European Commission has welcomed the approval by the European Parliament's plenary session in Strasbourg on 13th November of the proposal to upgrade the EU's money laundering Directive. The text now approved by the Parliament had been agreed in a conciliation procedure between the Parliament and the EU's Council of Ministers (see IP/01/1441). The Directive will be definitively adopted once the text has also been approved by the Council, expected shortly. It would have to be implemented by Member States within eighteen months of its final adoption.

[Background text IP/01/1580]

"New WTO round slap in the face for isolationism," says EU Farm Commissioner Fischler

Marking the launch of the new WTO Trade Round in Doha/Qatar, EU Agriculture Commissioner Franz Fischler declared: "When we came to Doha, I made clear that Europe would take a constructive position on agriculture, that we were in for a deal. Today, we made it happen. We have the new round Europe has been pushing for so hard. This is good news. It is good news not only for Europe, but for all the members of the WTO. A new trade round is a slap in the face for isolationism. The European Union has delivered. We have shown the necessary flexibility. Today we have kicked off a party where everyone gets a prize. Agriculture was one, but not the only key point in the end game. I do not know whether we have written trade history today. But I do know that history will remember these days in Doha, when the free world backed multilateralism by opposing isolationism, when developing and developed countries opted for trade instead of terrorism.

[Background text IP/01/1584]

Byrne calls for a "Constitution for Europe"

David Byrne, European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, on 14 November addressed the Irish Senate, the Upper Chamber of the Irish Parliament. He is the first Irish Commissioner to be accorded this honour. He welcomed the establishment of the National Forum on Europe in Ireland, chaired by Senator Maurice Hayes, which was set up to discuss the outcome of the Irish Nice Referendum and to focus on the future of Europe debate. For his part, Commissioner Byrne shared with Senators, and through them the wider Irish public, some of his own ideas on the shape of a new Europe, or as he put it, "a new track for Europe".

[Background text IP/01/1585, for full text of speech see SPEECH/01/532]

Illegal immigration: Commission proposes a balanced approach

The European Commission approved a Communication on a common policy on illegal immigration. It is hereby demonstrating its readiness to act as a catalyst in the debate in Europe on this aspect of the broader phenomenon of migration, which so often has tragic human consequences, in order to identify practical and coherent measures to be taken within the time-scale laid down in the Treaty of Amsterdam.

[Background text IP/01/1602]

Commission provides a further 15 million Euro for victims of the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan

The EU Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) has released details of a further humanitarian aid decision worth €15 million for victims of the crisis in Afghanistan. This new funding decision will support the work of various NGO and UN agency partners in catering for the basic needs of the affected population. Resident populations and internally displaced people (IDPs) in drought affected areas will be the main beneficiaries of this latest EU aid decision. Poul Nielson, the Commissioner responsible for development and humanitarian aid, reiterated the EU's "solidarity with the victims of this unfolding tragedy". He also highlighted the importance of delivering relief inside Afghanistan. "This decision is a good illustration of the effective partnership we have with tried and tested aid agencies operating in the humanitarian front line. Working together, we are doing our utmost to ensure that the relief gets through to those who need it most."

[Background text IP/01/1598]

Eurostat news releases

Increased effort in R&D in 1999 and 2000; Large differences between Southern and Nordic countries

Research and Development (R&D) expenditure increased strongly in the EU in 1999 (+5.6% in constant prices) and provisional data show that it continued to rise in 2000, however at a slower pace (+2.3%).

While the share of R&D expenditure in GDP decreased in the EU from 1.90% in 1995 to 1.86% in 1997, the ratio regained its 1995 level at the end of the nineties: 1.92% in 1999 and 1.90% in 2000. However, the gap with the United States and Japan, which spent respective shares of their GDP of 2.64% and 3.04% on R&D in 1999, remained important. In 2000, R&D personnel represented 1.34% of the EU labour force (compared to 1.27% in 1995), confirming the slight increase observed during the last five years. This information comes from the latest report on R&D in Europe published by Eurostat.

[Background text STAT/01/119]

October 2001 - Euro-zone annual inflation down to 2.4% ; EU15 down to 2.2%

Euro-zone annual inflation fell from 2.5% in September to 2.4% in October, Eurostat reports. A year earlier the rate was 2.7%. EU15 annual inflation fell from 2.4% in September to 2.2% in October. A year earlier the rate was 2.4%. Highest annual rates were in the Netherlands (5.0%), Portugal (4.2%) and Ireland (3.8%); lowest rates were in the United Kingdom (1.2%), Luxembourg (1.7%) and France (1.8%). Compared with September 2001, annual inflation rose in two Member States, fell in ten, and was unchanged in three.

[Background text STAT/01/120]

Enlargement news

Enlargement well on track, 10 candidates aim to complete negotiations in 2002

In its yearly reports, the European Commission underlines the substantial progress made by all candidate countries towards meeting the accession criteria for EU membership. However, the Commission also calls for further efforts to ensure the proper implementation and enforcement of European Union's rules and standards (the 'acquis communautaire') before accession. To this end, the Commission will set out an action plan to help candidate countries reinforce their administrative and judicial capacity. The negotiations will continue to be based on the same principles that have been followed so far, in particular according to the merits of each country. The negotiations will proceed in line with the 'road map' and the timetable endorsed by the European Council, which foresee conclusion of the negotiations with the best prepared countries by the end of 2002. The EU will not create new conditions for accession. This means that on all forthcoming issues, in particular those with important financial implications like agriculture, regional policy and budget, due to be addressed in the first half of 2002, the Commission will make negotiation proposals based on the existing 'acquis' and budgetary framework. The Commission considers the latter as sufficient to accommodate up to ten new Member States. Negotiations can therefore be concluded independently of decisions for financing the EU after 2006, and of other reforms in agriculture, regional policy or the future of Europe. Given the present pace of negotiations, the Commission should be able to make recommendations before the end of 2002 on those candidate countries who are ready for accession.

The Strategy Paper and the Regular Report on the Czech Republic are available at www.evropska-unie.cz,at europa.eu.int/comm/enlargement you can find also the others reports.

Anna Diamantopoulou welcomes Hungary's agreement to shadow Community employment strategy in run-up to accession

Visiting Budapest on 16 November, Employment and Social Affairs Commissioner Anna Diamantopoulou and Hungarian Minister István Stumpf of the Prime Minister's office signed a joint assessment by the Commission and Hungary of the country's progress in preparing its labour market for EU membership. The assessment already carried out for five other candidate countries recognises Hungary's success in moving towards a market economy, increasing its productivity and cutting joblessness to 6.4% of the workforce. However, it also points to low overall employment rate of 56.4% (EU-15: 64.3%) and points to the need for more work incentives in the tax and benefit systems and a better match between labour demand and supply. Welcoming the agreement, Diamantopoulou said that Hungary was making clear its commitment to the EU's fundamental goals of competitiveness, employment and social cohesion.

[Background text IP/01/1587]

Commission proposes delayed access to cabotage road haulage for some new members

The European Commission proposed on November 8 that road hauliers from some of the candidate countries should have full access to the cabotage market of member states only several years after their accession. At the same time these candidate countries would be able to close their own cabotage markets. Coming on the heels of the EU demand for delays before salaried workers from new member states can work across the EU, this new draft common position demonstrates that it is not just the candidates that in certain sectors need transition provisions in their accession treaties: in some sensitive sectors the EU does, too.

The Commission notes, after discussions with the member states and the EU road haulage sector, that opening up of the cabotage markets immediately would risk damage and disruption to the national markets of the current member states. This is mainly because the costs of transport operators from most candidate countries are still significantly below the EU average.

For the Czech Republic, Estonia, Lithuania and Slovakia - which have requested no (or only limited) transition periods in the area of road transport - the Commission recommends reciprocal restrictions for just four years after accession. However, there would also be a safeguard clause that any member state could invoke for a further year in order to extend the restriction on access to cabotage in cases of serious disturbances of all or part of its national market.

Informační centrum Evropské unie při Delegaci Evropské komise v České republice

European Union Information Centre of the Delegation of the European Commission to the Czech Republic

Rytířská 31, 110 00 Praha 1, Česká republika

Tel.: (+420 2) 216 10 142 Fax: (+420 2) 216 10 144

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