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Cette opration concerne les marchs des tles en aciers non allis, des tles en aciers allis et des tles en aciers inoxydables.  Eu gard  la faiblesse des parts combines des parties dans la consommation communautaire de tles en aciers non allis et dans celle de tles en aciers allis,  l'existence d'un concurrent plus important sur le march des tles en aciers inoxydables et  la prsence de producteurs d'acier importants sur tous ces marchs, cette opration ne portera pas atteinte  la concurrence. <H3><A NAME="02">[02]</A> Dmarrage de l'Observatoire europen des phnomnes racistes et xnophobes  Vienne</H3> La premire runion du Conseil d'administration de l'Observatoire europen des phnomnes racistes et xnophobes aura lieu  Vienne les 21 et 22 janvier 1998 pour dfinir, entre autres, le programme d'activits pour 1998.  Cr en juin 1997 dans le cadre de l'Anne europenne contre le racisme, l'Observatoire a comme objectif principal de fournir  l'Union europenne et aux Etats membres des informations objectives, fiables et comparables  l'chelle europenne sur le racisme, la xnophobie et l'anti- smitisme, en vue d'amliorer l'change d'informations et d'expriences. &quot;La lutte contre le racisme au niveau europen ne peut tre vraiment efficace qu'en prsence d'une image claire et complte de la situation&quot;, a remarqu Padraig Flynn, Commissaire europen responsable pour les affaires sociales, en commentant le dmarrage de l'Observatoire.  &quot;Dans ce contexte, les activits de l'Observatoire constitueront un outil prcieux pour dvelopper ultrieurement les rsultats positifs de l'Anne europenne contre le racisme.&quot; <H3><A NAME="03">[03]</A> Hans van den Broek at the Fifth Barents Euro-Arctic Council</H3> At the Luxembourg European Council, the European Commission recommended that support be given to regional cooperation which has real added value and to which the parties directly concerned accord a clear priority.  The Barents Sea cooperation, fulfils these criteria.  Through activities such as the establishment of an inventory of regional trade barriers, its efforts to improve the region's transport and communication networks and to stimulate people-to-people contacts and activities with cultural and educational exchanges, Barents cooperation is playing a tangible role in the region.  Moreover it fosters good neighbourly relations in a region which is of special significance to the European Union (EU), not only for its economic potential but also as the EU's border area with important and close partners like Russia and Norway.  The direct involvement of regional and local authorities, non governmental organisations, businesses, and thousands of individuals is a key factor in ensuring the success of Barents cooperation.  Since 1991 a total of over ECU 300 million in grants has been made available for activities in the region.  In addition, the Finnish and Swedish parts of the region are benefiting from EIB loans for a value of over ECU 300 million.  These funds serve to finance major infrastructure projects. <H3><A NAME="04">[04]</A> Anita Gradin: The Commission's work programme in the field of Justice and Home affairs 1998</H3> Anita Gradin, European Commissioner responsible for the Justice and Home Affairs area, today informed the European Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties of the Commission's priorities within the Third Pillar in the year to come. She announced a number of initiatives that are still to be taken under the Maastricht Treaty.  In particular the Commission will have an active role to play in putting the action plan against organised crime into practice.  One important item being the conclusion of a cooperation pact against organised crime between the applicant countries and the Member States of the European Union (EU). Communications on credit and non cash payment fraud as well as on legal aid are also being prepared.  In the drugs field the UN General Assembly's special session on drugs will have a high priority.  Here the Commission wants to make an active contribution particularly in the field of synthetic drugs.  A completely new initiative on common asylum procedures is also under preparation.  &quot;My ambition here is to combine all decisions concerning procedures for examination of asylum applications in a coherent and legally binding instrument&quot;, Commissioner Gradin said.  She also pointed out that cooperation in the Justice and Home affairs field goes far beyond the borders of the EU.  Activities within the Transatlantic dialogue and in the Caribbean, Latin America, Southeast Asia and Africa will continue to be high on the agenda. <P><H4>MIDDAY EXPRESS</H4> <HR> <H4>From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <A HREF="http://europa.eu.int/">http://europa.eu.int/</A><BR> &copy; ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996</H4> <HR> <H5><A HREF="/news/europe/midex">Midday Express: News from the EU Commission Spokesman's Briefings</A> Directory - <A HREF="98-01-19.midex.html">Previous Article</A> - <A HREF="98-01-21.midex.html">Next Article</A></H5>   </TD>									<!-- END CENTRAL PAGE -->  </TR> </TABLE> <TABLE WIDTH="640" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0">			<!-- START BOTTOM -->  <TR>   <TD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="150" BGCOLOR="#FFCC66"><IMG SRC="/images/blank.gif" WIDTH="4" HEIGHT="1"></TD>   <TD VALIGN=BOTTOM WIDTH="10"><IMG SRC="/images/arch_yellow_bottom.gif" WIDTH="10" HEIGHT="11"></TD>   <TD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="480"><IMG SRC="/images/blank.gif" WIDTH="4" HEIGHT="1"></TD>  </TR>  <TR>   <TD VALIGN=BOTTOM WIDTH="150" BGCOLOR="#FFCC66"><IMG SRC="/images/arch_yellow_bottom_left.gif" WIDTH="16" HEIGHT="13"></TD>   <TD VALIGN=TOP ALIGN=RIGHT WIDTH="470" COLSPAN="2" BGCOLOR="#FFCC66"><A HREF="#top"><IMG SRC="/images/top.gif" ALT="Back to Top" BORDER="0" WIDTH="43" HEIGHT="15"></A></TD>  </TR> </TABLE>											<!-- END BOTTOM -->  <FONT>   <A HREF="/disclaimers/disclaim.html">Copyright</A>  1995-2002 <A HREF="http://www.hri.org/">HR-Net</A> (Hellenic Resources Network). 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