Europese Commissie spoort Hongarije aan tot extra maatregelen inzake begrotingstekort (en)

woensdag 16 februari 2005

News from the Press and Communication Directorate General's midday briefing

Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction Général Presse et Communication

16 / 02 / 05


I. Résultats de la Commission de ce jour -
Outcome of today's Commission meeting

La Commission européenne a adopté un plan visant à renforcer les droits des passagers dans tous les modes de transport public. De plus, elle a adopté deux propositions législatives concernant le transport aérien : la première garantit aux personnes à mobilité réduite le même accès à ce mode de transport que n'importe quel passager ; la seconde vise à garantir le droit de tout passager d'être informé au préalable de l'identité de son transporteur aérien. Ce plan d'ensemble complète les droits déjà établis pour les passagers aériens qui entrent en vigueur demain 17 février (voir IP/05/181), et les propositions déjà sur la table du Conseil et du Parlement sur le droit des passagers dans le transport ferroviaire international. "L'Europe renforce les droits des citoyens. C'est une mesure sociale importante que la Commission propose, qui permettra aux personnes âgées et à mobilité réduite de voyager en Europe dans les meilleures conditions possibles", a déclaré Jacques Barrot, vice-président de la Commission européenne responsable des transports.

As of 17 February, citizens will enjoy new rights when flying. Thanks to a new Regulation applicable in all the Member States, greater protection is being afforded to air passengers in the event of denied boarding, flight cancellation or long delays.

Having examined their respective updated multi-annual stability and convergence programmes, the European Commission concludes that Spain fully meets the requirements of having a budget close to balance or at surplus as set in the Stability and Growth Pact, but should embrace pension reform more vigorously to address the costs of an ageing population. Outside the euro zone, Cyprus is on track to correct its excessive deficit by 2005 as recommended by the Council, whereas Latvia deserves praise for having lowered its deficit targets compared to the May 2004 programme. Lithuania is called upon to make further progress towards a budgetary position of close-to-balance and to allocate higher-than-budgeted revenues and unspent expenditure this end. Slovenia is also urged to seize every opportunity to accelerate the reduction of its deficit and to improve the long-term sustainability of its public finances. Finally, the Commission encourages the UK to maintain its deficit below 3% of GDP in the current financial year and to aim for a close-to-balance position in the medium term. The Commission's recommendations on these six programmes as well as on the updated convergence programme of Hungary also assessed today (see IP/05/184) will be on the agenda of the European Union finance ministers' meeting on 8 March.

The European Commission has recommended that Hungary takes additional steps to correct its budget deficit in order to ensure a healthier budgetary path. The recommendation follows the conclusion by the European Union Finance Ministers last month that the country had not done enough to reduce its excessive deficit. The new recommendations, made under Article 104.7 of the EU Treaty, also take into account the Commission's assessment of Hungary's updated convergence programme.

The European Commission has approved a €27 million scheme in Germany to provide innovation aid to shipbuilding. The scheme is the first of its kind to be approved after the entry into force in January 2004 of the Commission's framework on state aid to shipbuilding (see IP/03/1607). The framework introduced revised rules on aid in support of innovation in the shipbuilding sector, in line with the goals of the Lisbon agenda, and more specifically the goals of the LeaderSHIP 2015 programme to improve the sector's competitiveness (see IP/03/1464).

The European Commission has decided to refer Germany to the Court of Justice for failure to comply with a Commission decision of 30 October 2002. That decision ruled that aid given by the German Land of Thuringia to German porcelain manufacturer Kahla Porzellan GmbH and its successor company Kahla/Thüringen Porzellan GmbH was incompatible with the EC Treaty because it was liable to distort competition within the Single Market and must be recovered from the beneficiaries (see IP/02/1588). More than two years after the decision was adopted, it has not been fully implemented by Germany. The Commission has therefore decided to apply to the Court in order to have its decision enforced.


II. Other news - Autres nouvelles

The European Commission joins 140 nations in celebrating the entry into force today of the Kyoto Protocol, which gives the international community its most powerful instrument yet to combat global climate change. Industrialised countries that have ratified the Protocol are legally obliged to meet their targets for limiting or reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2012. The EU has already made this binding for Member States under EU law.

Aujourd'hui a lieu le troisième sommet sur l'observation de la Terre, organisé par la Commission européenne à Bruxelles. Les représentants d'environ 60 nations et de plus de 40 organisations internationales approuveront un plan décennal prévoyant des mesures concrètes en vue d'une coopération approfondie dans le domaine de l'observation de la Terre. Ce plan devrait permettre, durant la prochaine décennie, d'améliorer notre connaissance de la Terre et de son fonctionnement. Cette initiative, dont les retombées seront mondiales, apportera aux habitants et aux économies de la planète de meilleures conditions sanitaires et de sécurité et leur permettra de mieux satisfaire leurs besoins journaliers essentiels. L'objectif est de créer un système d'observation, de prévision et de protection reflétant les interactions qui existent au niveau du globe et de fournir ainsi les connaissances scientifiques sur la base desquelles il sera possible d'élaborer des politiques et des décisions viables.

In a week that sees European development ministers meet for the first time under the Luxembourg Presidency, ministers from across the world come together to develop a Global Earth Observation System of Systems, and the anniversary of the signing of the Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change, the European Commission launches a dedicated Environmental Information System based on satellite and computer-mapping technologies. This tool, developed by the Joint Research Centre, supports EU development activities in Africa, by providing information on food needs, helping the European Commission Humanitarian Office provide aid in the aftermath of natural disasters and other emergencies, and assisting long-term development through sustainable management of natural resources.

  • Commission approves new BSE tests, opening up competition in the field

The European Commission today approved seven new rapid BSE tests : CediTect BSE test, Enfer TSE Kit version 2.0, IDEXX HerdChek BSE Antigen Test Kit (EIA), Institut Pourquier Speed'it BSE, Prionics Check PrioSTRIP, Roboscreen Beta Prion BSE EIA Test Kit, Roche Applied Science PrionScreen. This means that there are now a total of 12 tests that can be used to monitor BSE, which considerably opens up competition in this field. Following a laboratory evaluation carried out by the Commission and subsequent field trials carried out by the test producers under the supervision of the Joint Research Centre (JRC), the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recommended that the seven new tests should be approved for use. The tests are designed to detect BSE in brain material collected from animals at the slaughterhouse or which have died on the farm. Until now, tests designed to detect BSE in live animals have not been evaluated. In the EU all healthy bovine cattle slaughtered at an age above 30 months and all fallen stock above 24 months have to be tested for BSE, with some derogations for some countries. The five previously approved tests can also be used to check for TSE in sheep and goats. Formal evaluations of additional tests for this purpose are ongoing.

  • Remarks from Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner on the occasion of the funeral of Rafik Hariri

"The cruel bomb attack which caused the death of Mr Rafik Hariri, former Prime Minister of the Republic of Lebanon, was a contemptible act that the European Commission condemns unreservedly. The Commission worked closely with Mr Hariri and his government in the past. Through his relentless efforts he became a symbol of Lebanon's journey towards reconciliation and reform. Violence has no place in a democracy and must not be allowed to obstruct it. There can be no greater tribute to the memory of Mr Hariri than the holding of free and fair legislative elections in Lebanon this spring, under the sovereign control of the Lebanese authorities. The Commission will continue to support reform efforts and Lebanon's maturing democracy - through the Association Agreement soon to enter into force, and in the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy. On behalf of the Commission, I wish to express my most sincere condolences and offer my deepest sympathy to the families of Mr Hariri and of the other victims."

European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, will visit Ukraine on 17 February, to meet President Viktor Yushchenko, Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko, Deputy Prime Minister on European Integration Oleh Rybachuk, and other senior ministers. The Commissioner's visit comes just days before the EU-Ukraine Cooperation Council is due to give final endorsement to an Action Plan under the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP). The visit is an opportunity to underline the EU's commitment to deepening political cooperation and economic integration with Ukraine, reflecting the changed political reality in the country.

  • Space Conference : Commission, NASA, ESA and other space agencies meet the press

Tomorrow, Thursday, 17 February, over 40 nations and around 20 international organisations will come together to discuss international cooperation in space, at the 'Winning through cooperation: sharing the benefits of space' conference, in Brussels. At this occasion, a "meet the press session" will be held at 1pm in the press center of the Charlemagne building (room S4, level 1). Apart from European Commission Vice-President Günter Verheugen, Jean-Jacques Dordain, Director General of ESA, John Schumacher, Chief of Staff of NASA, Marc Garneau, President of the Canadian Space Agency, G Madhaven Nair, Chairman Indian Space Research Organisation and Yoji Furuhama and Executive Director of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) are expected to attend the press call.

For more information on the space conference : http://europa.eu.int/space/esw

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