Background Notes from the Spokesperson S Service for Journalists
AGENDA/07/5
Brussels, Friday 02 February
Top News from the European Commission
05 February – 04 March 2007
Background notes from the Spokesperson’s service for journalists
The European Commission reserves the right to make changes
Monday 05 and Tuesday 06 February: Conference "Food Quality Certification – Adding Value to Farm Produce"
The news:
Consumers, retailers and farmers rely increasingly on logos and certification schemes to help them identify and distinguish food produce. A wide range of quality certification schemes currently operate in Europe and their number continues to increase.
Over the last decade, European agriculture has made an important shift, emphasising quality and specialisation. Globalisation will only increase this tendency. Farmers and producers know and care about production and processing techniques, ingredients, and origin of raw materials. In the EU, they also have to follow high animal welfare, environmental and labour standards that cannot be imposed in respect of imported foods. Certification schemes provide a means by which producers can inform their ultimate customers about their products—and give guarantees that the information is well founded. Some certification schemes also operate in the area of assuring compliance with compulsory hygiene and food safety standards.
In order to better understand the potential for certification in the EU, the Commission's Directorate General for Agriculture and Rural Development is organising a conference on food quality certification schemes.
Following on from the 2-year "Food Quality Schemes" pilot project, undertaken by the Commission's research arm, the Joint Research Centre (JRC), the conference will mark a step-change from data and opinion gathering to consideration of policy options. The conference will examine how food quality schemes work, the economics of schemes, their operation in the internal market, and implications for global trade.
The event:
The Conference will be held at the Bedford Hotel in Brussels.
Monday 05 (10.00- 18.00):
- Opening speeches from Commissioners Mariann Fischer Boel (10.00) and Markos Kyprianou (10.30).
- 14.30- 18.00 – Workshops.
- Evening: Dinner reception.
Tuesday 06 (09.00 - 14.00):
- Morning: Final Plenary.
- 12.30: concluding remarks from Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel.
The sources:
European Commission websites:
"Food Quality Schemes" pilot project
The contacts:
Michael Mann+32 2 299 9780; Johan Reyniers +32 2 295 6728
Tuesday 06 February: Commission celebrates the Safer Internet Day
The news:
Safer Internet Day 2007, organised under the patronage of Information Society and Media Commissioner Viviane Reding, will be celebrated across more than 40 countries worldwide. This year, there will be a special focus on child safety and mobile phones.
Insafe, in cooperation with eTwinning, is organising a competition combining the educational use of Information and Communication Technology with awareness raising on the opportunities and threats related to use of internet and mobile phones.
More than 200 schools in 29 countries have worked in transnational pairs, using technology to cross geographical borders, to create awareness material on one of three themes: e-privacy, netiquette and power of images. The creations will be available in the 2007 Blogathon: a worldwide blog that opens every year on Safer Internet Day.
The event:
15 of Europe's leading mobile operators and content providers will sign the "European Framework on Safer Mobile Use by Younger Teenagers and Children" with the support of the Commission at a Press Conference by Commissioner of Information Society and Media, Mrs Viviane Reding, at 11.30 in the Berlaymon't Press Room, Brussels.
- EbS coverage
The sources:
IP/05/148
IP/06/1512
IP/06/1059
IP/06/126
SPEECH/06/374
European Commission websites:
Other websites:
The contacts:
Martin Selmayr +32 2 298 1230; Mona Lund +32 2 299 9020
Wednesday 07 February: Annual assessment of the stability and convergence programmes (second group of countries)
The news:
Each year, Member States submit to the Commission their budgetary projections for the following years (usually five). The projections are contained in so-called Stability Programmes, for those countries in the Eurozone, and Convergence Programmes for countries outside the euro area.
The programmes' goal is to outline a strategy in order to maintain or reach a balanced or surplus budgetary position on the medium term.
The Commission will assess these programmes in three or four stages, the second taking place on February 07, 2007.
The second list of countries includes that will be examined is: Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, and Poland.
As far as Poland is concerned, the Commission will also make a recommendation for the correction of its excessive deficit.
The event:
Adoption by the Commission.
The sources:
IP/06/1553
European Commission websites:
The contacts:
Amélia Torres +32 2 295 4629; Marisa González +32 2 295 1925
Wednesday 07 February: Bologna, Léon, Budapest in the spotlight at the European Mobility Awards 2007
The news:
The European Mobility Week Awards rewards the city judged to have had the most comprehensive action plan, the most innovative permanent measures to enhance sustainable mobility or the best communication strategy during the campaign. The three candidates are Bologna (Italy), Budapest (Hungary) and Léon (Spain).
The European Mobility Week is held every year from 16 to 22 September, and promotes sustainable forms of mobility in towns and cities, such as walking, cycling, using public transport and car-pooling. Mobility Week is coordinated by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Environment.
Participation has grown steadily since Mobility Week started in 2002. The theme of the 2007 campaign was 'You control climate change.' Some 1,321 towns and cities with a total of more than 200 million inhabitants took part. These included around 40 municipalities in non-EU countries, not only in Europe but also in Asia, Latin America and Canada.
The event:
The 2007 European Mobility Week Award Ceremony will be held between 14.00 and 15.00 at the Committee of the Regions. Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas will announce the winner from the 3 candidates.
The sources:
European Commission websites:
The contacts:
Barbara Helfferich +32 2 298 2010; Lone Mikkelsen +32 2 296 0567
Wednesday 07 February: Outcome of review of EU strategy to reduce CO2 emissions from passenger cars
The news:
Road transport generates more than one fifth of all CO2 emissions in the EU, with passenger cars being responsible for more than half of these emissions. CO2 is the main greenhouse gas, which contributes to climate change.
The EU strategy to reduce CO2 emissions from cars aims at ensuring that new cars emit on average no more than 120g CO2 per km by 2012. The Commission has undertaken a review of whether the strategy is on track to meet this target, and will announce the outcome and possible further measures to be taken.
The current strategy has three pillars. The main pillar comprises voluntary commitments by the European, Japanese and Korean motor industries to reduce the average emissions of their new cars to 140g CO2/km by 2008/2009 – a cut of around 25% from 1995 levels. The reduction to date, however, is only 12.4%, which the Commission has described as not satisfactory.
Consumer labelling of cars to show their fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, and taxation measures to encourage consumers to buy fuel-efficient cars, form the second and third pillars of the strategy.
The event:
Press Conference to be held after Midday's Briefing in the Press Room by Commissioner of Environment, Mr. Stavros Dimas, and Commissioner of Enterprise and Industry, Mr. Günter Verheugen.
- Ebs coverage
The sources:
IP/06/1134
European Commission websites:
- Infoclip
The contacts:
Barbara Helfferich +32 2 298 2010; Lone Mikkelsen +32 2 296 0567
Wednesday 07 February: A competitive automotive regulatory framework for the 21st century
The news:
The Commission will present a Communication on a competitive automotive regulatory framework on the basis of the CARS 21 final report, to enhance the EU industry's global competitiveness.
The Communication is the follow up of a broad consultation over the last two years, which has taken into account all aspects that are of great importance for the European car industry, like employment, further progress in road safety, taxation and good environmental performance of vehicles at a price affordable to the consumer.
CARS 21 (Competitive Automotive Regulatory System for the 21st Century) was launched by Vice-President Günter Verheugen on 13th January 2005. The Group brought together the key stakeholders in the automotive sector to conduct a comprehensive analysis into the competitiveness drivers of the European automotive industry.
The objective was to make recommendations for the short, medium and the long term public policy and regulatory framework for the European automotive industry to enhance global competitiveness and employment while sustaining further progress in safety and environmental performance at a price affordable to the consumer.
The Group held a series of meetings throughout 2005 and adopted its final report on 12 December 2005.
The event:
Press Conference to be held after Midday's Briefing in the Press Room by Commissioner of Environment, Mr. Stavros Dimas, and Commissioner of Enterprise and Industry, Mr. Günter Verheugen.
- Ebs coverage
The sources:
IP/06/447
IP/05/31
IP/05/1564
European Commission website:
The contacts:
Ton van Lierop +32 2 296 6565; Catherine Bunyan +32 2 299 6512
Thursday 08 February: Commission to propose legislation on Environmental Crime
The news:
Offences such as the illegal emission of hazardous substances into the air, water or soil, the illegal shipment of waste or the illegal trade in endangered species can have devastating effects on human health and the environment. They also undermine the efficiency of EU environmental legislation. Therefore, they should be subject to effective sanctions throughout the European Union. The definition of environmental crimes varies greatly from one Member State to another and in many Member States, the levels of sanctions are insufficient.
To remedy this situation, the Commission intends to propose a directive that obliges Member States to consider certain serious offences against the environment as criminal acts and to ensure that they are effectively sanctioned. The aim is to ensure that safe-havens for environmental crime will no longer exist within the European Union.
The event:
Press conference by Commissioner of Environment Mr. Stavros Dimas and Vice-President and Commissioner of Justice, Freedom and Security, Mr. Franco Frattini at 11.30 in the Berlaymont's Press room, Brussels.
- Ebs coverage
Backgroung briefing with experts from DG JLS and DG ENV at 11.00. Place– tbc.
The sources:
European Commission websites:
The contacts:
Barbara Helfferich +32 2 298 2010; Lone Mikkelsen +32 2 296 0567
Friso Roscam Abbing +32 2 296 6746; Riccardo Mosca +32 2 226 1404
Thursday 08 February: Modern consumer rules - Commission acts to boost consumer confidence in a digital age
The news:
The new Bulgarian Commissioner for Consumer Affairs, Mrs. Meglena Kunava, will launch a drive to fundamentally overhaul core EU consumer contract rules to meet the challenges of a digital world.
Basic EU consumer contract rights – including the right to a two year guarantee, a ban on unfair contract terms in small print and the right to send back goods within 7 days bought over the internet were put in place over the last 20 years. Consumers have moved on, with online e-consumption distant markets are only just a click away. But just as in the physical world in the 80s, the EU online single market is not coming alive because regulatory barriers are holding it back.
The "Review of the Consumer Acquis" sets out to build consumer confidence in cross border markets with a clear and coherent set of rules which empower consumers to make sound choices and ensure adequate protection when things go wrong. Clear legal rules will also incentivise operators, particularly SMEs to venture beyond borders untapping the potential for integration for the retail side of the market.
This review is the first major step in an overall new approach to consumer policy which will be fully outlined in a strategy in March, within Commissioner Kuneva's first 100 days in office.
The event:
The press conference by the new Bulgarian Commissioner for Consumer Affairs Meglena Kuneva, will be held after the Midday Briefing at the Berlaymont's Press Room. This is the Commissioner's first press conference since taking office after Bulgaria joined the European Union on 1st January 2007.
- EbS Coverage
Technical briefing on the Review of the Consumer Acquis by Agne Pantelouri and Giuseppe Abbamonte to (follow after the press conference in the Press Room.
- EbS Coverage
The sources:
European Commission websites:
The contacts:
Helen Kearns +32 2 298 76 38 or +32 498 98 76 38
Sunday 11 February: A big push for the European film industry – official launch of the new MEDIA 2007 programme
The news:
"The Wind that shakes the barley" by Ken Loach, "Volver" by Pedro Almodovar, "L'enfant " by the Dardenne brothers, "Le Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain" by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, "La vita e bella" by Begnini, "Underground" by de Kusturica, but also documentaries and animation films such as "La marche de l'empereur" by Luc Jacquet, "Mondovino" by Jonathan Nossiter, "Les Triplettes de Belleville" by Sylvain Chomet – these are just some examples of very successful European films which - over the past years – have received substantial support by the European MEDIA programme. There are 300 new film projects funded by MEDIA every year…
Adopted by the European Parliament and the Council in November 2006, MEDIA 2007 will be officially launched by Commissioner Reding at the Berlin Film Festival (8-18 Feb. 2007).
MEDIA 2007 is the new EU support programme for the European audiovisual industry with a € 755 million budget over seven years (2007-2013).
MEDIA 2007 is divided into five action lines which represent its main activities and receive different shares of the earmarked money: Distribution (55%), Development (20%), Promotion (9%), Training (7%), Horizontal actions (5%) and Pilot projects ( 4%).
The MEDIA programme exists already for over 15 years and has given support to thousands of European films (feature films, documentaries, cartoons, etc.). MEDIA 2007 is the follow-up programme of MEDIA plus and MEDIA training which injected € 513 million into the European audiovisual industry from 2001 to 2006.
The events:
The Berlin Cinema Festival and market takes place form 8 to 18 February in the German capital.
Reception and speech by Viviane Reding, Commissioner for Information Society and Media, at the Berlin Festival at 19.00 – 22.00, DZ Bank, Pariser Platz 3, Berlin.
- EbS Coverage of the reception of Commissioner V. Reding
The sources:
EU-Decision on the adoption of MEDIA 2007 (Nov. 2006)
European Commission websites:
- Stockshots available: 4 video clips on success stories and on the Berlin Film Festival
The contacts:
Martin Selmayr +32 2 298 12 30;Mona Lund +32 2 299 90 20 -
Tuesday 13 February: Annual assessment of the stability and convergence programmes (third group of countries)
The news:
Each year, Member States submit to the Commission their budgetary projections for the following years (usually five). The projections are contained in so-called Stability Programmes, for those countries in the Eurozone, and Convergence Programmes for countries outside the euro area.
The programmes' goal is to outline a strategy in order to maintain or reach a balanced or surplus budgetary position on the medium term.
The Commission will assess these programmes in three or four stages, the third taking place on February 13, 2007.
The third list of countries that will be examined is not yet cast in stone and is likely to be announced in February.
The event:
Adoption by the Commission.
The sources:
European Commission websites:
The contacts:
Amélia Torres +32 2 295 4629; Marisa González +32 2 295 1925
Wednesday 14 February: Internal market of goods - The New Approach and Mutual recognition
The news:
The Commission will now come forward with concrete proposals to simplify the legal framework in the area of technical harmonisation for the future and make the existing legislation in the field of products more coherent. The aim of the proposals is to make life for businesses easier by offering a more transparent legal framework, at lesser costs and lesser administrative burden allowing the swift, but safe, introduction of new products.
20 years ago, European product legislation was revolutionised by what was then called the “New Approach” method. This consisted of making harmonisation possible based on the simple condition that the producer can guarantee that its products are safe. The CE marking assures consumers the products fulfil European Standards.
The New Approach has been instrumental in opening up the single. It is a simple and flexible regulatory technique. Mutually agreed voluntary standards throughout the EU contribute to better regulation, stimulate business competitiveness and remove barriers to trade.
It covers entire product sectors (e.g.: household appliances, construction materials, medical devices, measuring instruments, lifts, and recreational craft). Together, the trading volume of the products covered only by the major sectors is estimated to exceed €1500 billion per year.
Still, in June 2006 the Commission launched a consultation and sought stakeholders' views on how the system could be improved.
The event:
Press conference by Vice-President Verheugen in the Bermaymont's Press Room. Date and Time - tbc.
- EbS Coverage
The sources:
IP/06/778
MEMO/05/168
European Commission websites:
The contacts:
Ton Van Lierop + 32 2 296 6565; Catherine Bunyan + 32 2 299 6512
Wednesday 14 February: Electricity Market fusion between Belgium, France and the Netherlands
The news:
RTE has planned to organize together with Elia and Tennet, the Belgium and Dutch TSOs, and also with the three power exchanges concerned (Powernext, Belpex, APX), a special event to highlight the successful trilateral coupling of the French, Belgian and Dutch electricity markets.
The event would provide the Commission and the Ministers an opportunity to demonstrate that cross-border interconnection initiatives have already been introduced, whilst calling for urgent improvements to develop effective energy infrastructures along the lines of the January 10 priority interconnection plan.
In practice, since it began on 21 November 2006, the trilateral coupling of the three electricity markets has been helping to harmonize prices in the three countries concerned, and results in a single price whenever there are sufficient exchange capacities to implement all the desired cross-border transactions. In doing so, it has been improving liquidity on the three power exchanges, and could eventually pave the way for a single European electricity market.