Week in Europe 03/09-09/09/01

13.09.2001 | Euroskop

EU news in brief

Euro: Eurobarometer highlights challenge of building citizens' confidence

The number of euro-area citizens considering themselves well informed about the euro continues to increase, albeit at a low pace, at the beginning of the second semester of 2001. According to the latest Eurobarometer survey on the euro carried out over June / July 2001 by the European Commission, 73% of those questioned know the 1 January 2002 date of euro introduction and 53% consider themselves well informed. In line with the collectively agreed information strategy, the general public will become the focus of the national information campaigns - co-financed by the European Commission and the ECB information campaign as of September 2001. The Commission recognises that the challenge is huge but notes that preparations are taking off. Full text of the Eurobarometer can be downloaded from http://europa.eu.int/comm/economy_finance/document/euro/barometers/flash98_3en.pdf [Background text IP/01/1236]

Life Sciences and Biotechnology: Launch of public consultation

The Commission launched a wide public consultation on life sciences and biotechnology, in preparation for a policy initiative planned later this year. The Commission has issued a consultation document - "Towards a strategic vision of life sciences and biotechnology" - mapping the wide range of issues linked to the biotechnological revolution. 0n 27th-28th September, the Commission will host a stakeholder conference bringing together the many interested parties, to drive forward a broad and constructive public debate on biotechnology in Europe. At the March 2001 European Council in Stockholm, the Commission stressed the need for Europe to master the frontier technologies that are fundamental to the transition towards a knowledge-based and sustainable economy. Recognising also that life sciences and biotechnology give rise to complex ethical, social and economic issues, the Commission undertook to draw up a comprehensive policy paper by the end of 2001. With this initiative, the Commission wishes to contribute to the development of a forward-looking strategic approach to biotechnology in Europe. The Commission will present an action plan for new EU biotech initiatives and propose recommendations for Member States, local authorities, industry and other stakeholders, in line with the subsidiarity principle and the White Paper on Governance. The Consultation document can be found a new EUROPA website http://europa.eu.int/comm/biotechnology. [Background text IP/01/1240]

Commissioner Nielson outlines his vision on food security in the world

Speaking on 5 Spetember at the Conference on 'Sustainable Food Security for all by 2020', organised by the International Food Policy Research Institute, Mr Nielson stresses that food security for all is a top priority for the Commission. "With close to 800 million people still suffering from hunger and malnutrition, the attention given to food security is a moral imperative", states Mr Nielson. The Commissioner uses this keynote speech to set out the Commission's policy on food security in the run up to the upcoming World Food Summit due to be held later this year and the actions that need to be taken by the international community and national governments. The Commissioner argues that the best way to achieve food security is to implement a broad-based policy for sustainable growth and poverty reduction and explains the measures the Commission is taking to achieve this goal. Mr Nielson states " Economic growth is a necessary condition for food security but on its own it is not enough. Above all, it is also essential to strengthen people's access to food by tackling poverty. " The new overall development policy fo the EC focuses on poverty reduction as the overarching objective and includes food security as one of the six priority areas. The European Union provides more than half of the total development aid in the world and the main trading partner with developing countries. [SPEECH/01/367]

Free circulation of judgments on parental responsibility: an essential element for the protection of children in Europe

The European Commission adopted a proposal that establishes in concrete form the fundamental right of children - of married or unmarried couples - to maintain relations with both parents even when parents decide to reside in different parts of Europe. This proposal for mutual recognition of judgements on parental responsibility establishes for the first time a clear legal framework for jurisdiction and recognition and enforcement of those judgements throughout the Community. See also web address:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/justice_home/unit/civil_en.htm

[Background text IP/01/1243]

Commission proposes a complete listing of food ingredients and allergens

The Commission issued a proposal for an amendment to the food labelling Directive (2000/13/EC) which is intended to ensure that all consumers are informed of the complete contents of foodstuffs and to enable consumers with allergies to identify any allergenic ingredients that may be present. The proposal will abolish the "25% rule" which currently means that it is not obligatory to label the components of compound ingredients that make up less than 25% of the final food product. Today's proposal means that all ingredients intentionally added will have to be included on the label. The proposal will also establish a list of ingredients liable to cause allergies or intolerances and will include alcoholic beverages if they contain an ingredient on the allergen list.

[Background text IP/01/1244]

Commissioner Patten visited Skopje on 6-7 September 2001

Commissioner for External Relations Chris Patten and Mr. Javier Solana, EU High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy, visited Skopje on 6-7 September. Commissioner Patten focused on particular on the substantial package of additional assistance which the European Commission has drawn up to support the recently signed Framework Agreement, and how that assistance can be delivered promptly. He stressed that this help is closely tied to the full implementation of the provisions of the Framework Agreement. In addition, the Commission, through ECHO, has been providing significant humanitarian aid to fYROM throughout the Balkans crises. Before the outbreak of fighting in the northern part of fYROM, ECHO was already funding projects for an amount of EUR6.3 million and in May 2001 it was decided to allocate additional EUR3.15 million to fYROM. This decision provided for basic support to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from the recent crisis, in terms of food assistance and, when the situation allowed it, community services for the IDPs and returnees. On 31 July the European Commission (EC) approved EUR1.5 million for emergency humanitarian assistance to refugees fleeing to Kosovo from fYROM. An additional EUR1 million is foreseen to be adopted by the Commission in the coming days for this purpose.

[Background text IP/01/1242]

July 2001 - Industrial producer prices down 0.4% in euro-zone ; -0.3% in EU15

The euro-zone industrial producer price index fell by 0.4% in July 2001 compared with the previous month. EU15 prices decreased by 0.3%. In June the index remained stable in both areas. In July 2001 compared to July 2000 industrial producer prices rose by 2.3% in the euro-zone and by 2.1% in the EU15, confirming the slowdown of price increases observed since October 2000. In July and compared to the previous month, the evolution of the different sectors was similar in both the euro-zone and the EU15. Energy dropped by 1.4% in the euro-zone and by 1.3% in the EU15. In both areas intermediate goods decreased by 0.2%, while capital goods, durable and non-durable consumer goods gained 0.1%.

[Background text 92/2001]

Euro-zone external trade surplus euro 5.0 billion in June 2001 ; euro 4.4 billion deficit for EU15

According to first estimates by Eurostat, euro-zone trade with the rest of the world in June 2001 was a euro 5.0 billion surplus, compared with +2.5 billion in June 2000. The revised May 2001 surplus was 0.6 billion, against +1.0 billion in May 2000. Euro-zone trade recorded a surplus of 2.2 billion for the first half of 2001, compared with +0.9 billion in 2000. The first estimate for June 2001 extra-EU15 trade was a euro 4.4 billion deficit, compared with -6.1 billion in June 2000. In May 2001, there was a revised deficit of 5.7 billion, against -6.7 billion in May 2000. There was a deficit estimated at 44.9 billion in the first six months of 2001 compared with -45.9 billion in 2000. [Background text 93/2001]

Countdown to a strategy on lifelong learning

In Brussels on Monday the Commission will host the biggest ever European gathering of civil society organisations to discuss a Europe-wide lifelong learning strategy. In collaboration with a specially formed platform of seven key NGOs, the Commission has invited representatives of more than 35 non-governmental organisations, large and small businesses, education and training providers, trade unions, human resource specialists and trainers and researchers. [Background text IP/01/1251]

Young Europeans defeat Margot Wallström

European Environment Commissioner Margot Wallström admitted defeat in the bet she entered with the European Youth Climate Campaign "The BET" at the UN Conference on Climate Change (COP6) in the Hague in November 2000. By reaching the Kyoto Protocol target of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 8% in 88 schools from at least 8 countries in as little as 8 months The BET could claim victory. The young climate campaigners saved 4.306.000 kg of C02 through this action, although falling short of their ambitious objective of 8.000.000 kg. The Commissioner's defeat implies that she must cycle to work over the next four weeks. At an event in Remerschen, Luxembourg, where the results of The BET were made public Commissioner Wallström said : "I hoped to lose, and let the environment win, when I entered this bet. When fighting climate change we shouldn't forget what we as citizens can do in our everyday life. This is what the youth campaigners and all the participants in The BET have demonstrated, with their ambitious and enthusiastic initiative. If multiplied by millions of people, many small steps can make a big difference." The European Environment Agency acted as referee of The BET, which counts 291 schools from 16 European countries among its participants. More information available on www.wett.lu/finalevent.htm

Internal Market: Round tables on mutual recognition and free movement of industrial products

Over 140 people attended the round tables organised by the European Commission on 6 September 2001 in Brussels. They reported on the problems encountered in intra-Community trade in certain products in sectors where harmonisation is non-existent or incomplete. On the basis of the actual cases or practical examples presented at the round tables, the economic operators and administrations conducted an interesting and thorough exchange of views, thus obtaining greater insight into the problems encountered and revealing some of what lies beneath the tip of the iceberg. A large majority of the participants wanted to see an improvement in the working of mutual recognition through targetted actions. [Background text MEMO/01/289]

Enlargement news

Statement by Enlargement Commissioner Günter Verheugen on Cyprus

"The European Commission has contributed actively to the efforts of the UN Secretary General to bring about a resumption of the talks aimed at finding a solution to the Cyprus problem. My meeting with the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community, Mr Denktash, in Zurich on 27 August underlined the EU's clear preference for a solution to be reached before enlargement, although this is not pre-condition for Cyprus's accession. Against this background I am very disappointed that Mr Denktash has not accepted the UN Secretary General's invitation to talks on 12 September. The Commission considers that the window of opportunity for reaching a solution before accession remains open and encourages all interested parties to undertake all efforts with this aim in view."

European Parliament enlargement reports

The European Parliament discussed at its plenary session on 4 September 2001 (see the agenda) the EU enlargement process and adopted its resolutions on the 12 candidate countries currently negotiating their accession to the EU.

European Parliament confirms its support for enlargement

The European Parliament adopted a resolution on the EU's enlargement on 5 September, which confirms its support for this process. The resolution calls on EU governments to conclude accession treaties with the candidate by the end of 2002 to enable those applicant countries, which are ready, to be able to participate in the 2004 European elections. The resolution also urges the EU to improve its mechanisms for modifying the Treaties. It says that the current "antique, non-transparent and unintelligible process is bound to alienate" the general public. The Parliament believes that candidate countries should have an advisory role in all preparations for the next intergovernmental conference on EU reform, scheduled for 2004.

The Parliament believes that the EU should intensify its public information campaign to promote the benefits of enlargement to people both in Member States and applicant countries.

The resolution believes that the cost of enlargement can be covered by current the EU budgetary framework until 2006, without raising the ceiling of expenditure above 1.27 percent of the EU's GDP.

EU to liberalise agriculture trade with candidates

The European Commission plans to pursue further liberalisation of agricultural trade between the EU and candidate countries. EU Agriculture Commissioner Franz Fischler would like to open talks with the candidates and liberalise trade in farm products from the middle of 2002.

In the first round of farm trade liberalisation between the EU and the candidates, Central and Eastern European agricultural exports exempt from duty are scheduled to increase from 37 percent to 77 percent. These agreements entered into force on July 2000. EU agricultural exports exempt from duty to the Central and Eastern European candidate countries are scheduled to increase from 20 percent to 37 percent.