do-me/EUR-LEX huggingface dataset:
Euro exchange rates
Date: 2003-10-22
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: euro, exchange rate

22.10.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 253/1

I

(Information)

COMMISSION

Euro exchange rates (1)

21 October 2003

(2003/C 253/01)

1 euro =

USD

JPY

DKK

GBP

SEK

CHF

ISK

NOK

BGN

CYP

CZK

EEK

HUF

LTL

Currency

US dollar

Japanese yen

Danish krone

Pound sterling

Swedish krona

Swiss franc

Iceland króna

Norwegian krone

Bulgarian lev

Cyprus pound

Czech koruna

Estonian kroon

Hungarian forint

Lithuanian litas

Exchange
rate

1,1623

128,07

7,4319

0,6958

9,0435

1,5534

89,07

8,274

1,9465

LVL

MTL

PLN

ROL

SIT

SKK

TRL

AUD

CAD

Currency

Latvian lats

Maltese lira

Polish zloty

Romanian leu

Slovenian tolar

Slovak koruna

Turkish lira

Australian dollar

Canadian dollar

0,58394

HKD

Hong Kong dollar

31,805

NZD

New Zealand dollar

15,6466

SGD

Singapore dollar

Exchange
rate

0,6459

0,4277

4,5957

38 842

235,58

41,305

1 688 000

1,6784

1,5375

9,0121

1,9449

2,0293

256,45

KRW

South Korean won

1 373,72

3,4524

ZAR

South African rand

8,2817

___________
(1) Source: reference exchange rate published by the ECB.
Commission Regulation (EC) No 1857/2003 of 22 October 2003 on the issue of import licences for rice against applications submitted during the first 10 working days of October 2003 pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 327/98
Date: 2003-10-22
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: import licence, rice

23.10.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 272/9

COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 1857/2003

of 22 October 2003

on the issue of import licences for rice against applications submitted during the first 10 working
days of October 2003 pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 327/98

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1095/96 of 18
June 1996 on the implementation of concessions set out in
Schedule CXL drawn up in the wake of the conclusion of
GATT XXIV.6 negotiations (1),

Having regard to Council Decision 96/317/EC of 13 May 1996
concerning the conclusion of the results of consultations with
Thailand under GATT Article XXIII (2),

Having regard to Commission Regulation (EC) No 327/98 of
10 February 1998 opening and providing for the administra-
tion of certain tariff quotas for imports of rice and broken
rice (3), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 2458/2001 (4),
and in particular Article 5(2) thereof,

Examination of the quantities for which applications have been
submitted under the October 2003 tranche shows that licences
should be issued for the quantities applied for,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Import licences for rice against applications submitted during
the first 10 working days of October 2003 pursuant to Regula-
tion (EC) No 327/98 and notified to the Commission shall be
issued for the quantities applied for.

Article 2

Whereas:

This Regulation shall enter into force on 23 October 2003.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels, 22 October 2003.

For the Commission

J. M. SILVA RODRÍGUEZ

Agriculture Director-General

(1) OJ L 146, 20.6.1996, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 122, 22.5.1996, p. 15.
(3) OJ L 37, 11.2.1998, p. 5.
(4) OJ L 331, 15.12.2001, p. 10.

L 272/10

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

23.10.2003

ANNEX

Reduction percentages to be applied to quantities applied for under the tranche for October 2003 and quota use in
2003:

(a) semi-milled and wholly milled rice falling within CN code 1006 30

Origin

Reduction percentage for the
October 2003 tranche

Final use of the quota for 2003 in
percentage terms

United States of America

Thailand

Australia

Other origins

(1)

Issue for the quantity applied for.

(b) husked rice falling within CN code 1006 20

—

0 (1)

—

—

100

99,66

84,74

100

Origin

Reduction percentage for the
October 2003 tranche

Final use of the quota for 2003 in
percentage terms

United States of America

Thailand

Australia

Other origins

(c) broken rice CN code 1006 40 00

—

—

—

—

100

98,73

8,49

100

Origin

Final use of the quota for 2003 in percentage terms

Thailand

Australia

Guyana

United States of America

Other origins

100

100

100

100

100
Commission Regulation (EC) No 1855/2003 of 22 October 2003 establishing the standard import values for determining the entry price of certain fruit and vegetables
Date: 2003-10-22
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: citrus fruit, fruit vegetable, grape, import price, pip fruit, stone fruit

23.10.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 272/3

COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 1855/2003

of 22 October 2003

establishing the standard import values for determining the entry price of certain fruit and
vegetables

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

(2)

In compliance with the above criteria,
the standard
import values must be fixed at the levels set out in the
Annex to this Regulation,

Having regard to Commission Regulation (EC) No 3223/94 of
21 December 1994 on detailed rules for the application of the
import arrangements
last
amended by Regulation (EC) No 1947/2002 (2), and in parti-
cular Article 4(1) thereof,

fruit and vegetables (1), as

for

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Whereas:

(1)

Regulation (EC) No 3223/94 lays down, pursuant to the
outcome of the Uruguay Round multilateral trade nego-
tiations, the criteria whereby the Commission fixes the
standard values for imports from third countries,
in
respect of the products and periods stipulated in the
Annex thereto.

The standard import values referred to in Article 4 of Regula-
tion (EC) No 3223/94 shall be fixed as indicated in the Annex
hereto.

Article 2

This Regulation shall enter into force on 23 October 2003.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels, 22 October 2003.

For the Commission

J. M. SILVA RODRÍGUEZ

Agriculture Director-General

(1) OJ L 337, 24.12.1994, p. 66.
(2) OJ L 299, 1.11.2002, p. 17.

L 272/4

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

23.10.2003

to the Commission Regulation of 22 October 2003 establishing the standard import values for determining the
entry price of certain fruit and vegetables

ANNEX

CN code

0702 00 00

0707 00 05

0709 90 70

0805 50 10

0806 10 10

0808 10 20, 0808 10 50, 0808 10 90

0808 20 50

Third country code (1)

Standard import value

(EUR/100 kg)

052
060
064
096
204
999

052
999

052
999

052
388
524
528
999

052
400
508
999

052
060
388
400
404
720
800
804
999

052
060
064
999

66,1
52,7
83,6
51,1
68,4
64,4

112,4
112,4

71,2
71,2

88,0
66,7
91,8
77,0
80,9

103,6
185,4
242,3
177,1

69,1
38,7
77,5
72,0
80,0
33,5
160,1
104,3
79,4

104,3
44,5
59,6
69,5

(1) Country nomenclature as fixed by Commission Regulation (EC) No 2020/2001 (OJ L 273, 16.10.2001, p. 6). Code ‘999’ stands for

‘of other origin’.
Authorisation of State aid pursuant to Article 61 of the EEA Agreement and Article 1 (3) in Part I of Protocol 3 to the Surveillance and Court Agreement — The EFTA Surveillance Authority has decided that the notified measure is compatible with the EEA Agreement
Date: 2003-10-22
Institutions: EFTA Surveillance Authority
Subjects: EFTA Court, Norway, State aid, control of State aid, economic development

18.12.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 308/33

Authorisation of State aid pursuant to Article 61 of the EEA Agreement and Article 1 (3) in Part I
of Protocol 3 to the Surveillance and Court Agreement

The EFTA Surveillance Authority has decided that the notified measure is compatible with the
EEA Agreement

Date of adoption:

22 October 2003

(2003/C 308/10)

EFTA State:

Aid No:

Title:

Objective:

Legal basis:

Budget:

Duration:

Norway

SAM 030.03.005

The temporary regional loan scheme

To support economic development
outlying regions in Norway

in less favoured and

State Budget (St.prp. nr. 1 (2002-2003) and Budsjett-innst. S
nr. 8 (2003-2004)) and Act of 3 July 1992 No 97 (Lov om
Statens nærings- og distriktsutviklingsfond)

Credit line of NOK 500 million (some EUR 61 million) and a
loss fund of NOK 75 million (some EUR 9 million)

Until loans of NOK 500 million have been granted or the end
of 2004

The authentic text of the Decision, from which all confidential information has been removed, can be
found at:

http://www.eftasurv.int/fieldsofwork/fieldstateaid/stateaidregistry/
Prior notification of a concentration (Case COMP/M.3298 — Karolin Machine Tool/ABB I-R Waterjet) — Candidate case for simplified procedure (Text with EEA relevance)
Date: 2003-10-22
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: economic concentration, exchange of information, industrial enterprise, investment company, merger control

C 253/6

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

22.10.2003

Prior notification of a concentration

(Case COMP/M.3298 — Karolin Machine Tool/ABB I-R Waterjet)

Candidate case for simplified procedure

(2003/C 253/05)

(Text with EEA relevance)

On 14 October 2003 the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant
1.
to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 4064/89 (1), as
last amended by Regulation (EC)
No 1310/97 (2), by which the Swedish undertaking Karolin Machine Tool AB (‘KMT’), controlled by
Nordstjernan AB, acquires, within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Regulation, joint control of the
Swedish undertaking ABB I-R Waterjet Systems AB (‘Waterjet’) together with the Swedish ABB Group
(‘ABB’) by way of purchase of shares.

2.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

— KMT: production machinery and systems solutions for the engineering industry,

— Nordstjernan: investment company,

— Waterjet: high-pressure waterjet cutting machines,

— ABB: power and automation technologies.

3.
On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified concentration could fall within
the scope of Regulation (EEC) No 4064/89. However, the final decision on this point is reserved. Pursuant
to the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under
Regulation (EEC) No 4064/89 (3), it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under
the procedure set out in the notice.

The Commission invites interested third parties to submit

4.
proposed operation.

their possible observations on the

Observations must reach the Commission not later than 10 days following the date of this publication.
Observations can be sent by fax (No (32-2) 296 43 01 or 296 72 44) or by post, under reference
COMP/M.3298 — Karolin Machine Tool/ABB I-R Waterjet, to:

European Commission,
Directorate-General for Competition,
Merger Registry,
J-70,
B-1049 Brussels.

(1) OJ L 395, 30.12.1989, p. 1; corrigendum: OJ L 257, 21.9.1990, p. 13.
(2) OJ L 180, 9.7.1997, p. 1; corrigendum: OJ L 40, 13.2.1998, p. 17.
(3) OJ C 217, 29.7.2000, p. 32.
Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 87 and 88 of the EC Treaty — Cases where the Commission raises no objections (Text with EEA relevance)
Date: 2003-10-22
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Germany, State aid, advertising, control of State aid, sales promotion

22.10.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 253/5

Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 87 and 88 of the EC Treaty

Cases where the Commission raises no objections

(2003/C 253/03)

(Text with EEA relevance)

Date of adoption of the decision: 23.9.2003

Member State:

Germany (Sachsen)

Aid No:

Title:

Objective:

Legal basis:

Budget:

N 368/03

Aid for sales promotion measures

To support participation by undertakings in the food and agri-
cultural sector in advertising and sales promotion measures

Haushaltsordnung des Freistaates Sachsen

EUR 1 350 000 per year

Aid intensity or amount:

Variable

Duration:

Indefinite

The authentic text(s) of the decision, from which all confidential information has been removed, can be
found at

http://europa.eu.int/comm/secretariat_general/sgb/state_aids

Non-opposition to a notified concentration

(Case COMP/M.3246 — VW/PON/PON Financial Services)

(2003/C 253/04)

(Text with EEA relevance)

On 15 October 2003, the Commission decided not to oppose the above notified concentration and to
declare it compatible with the common market. This decision is based on Article 6(1)(b) of Council
Regulation (EEC) No 4064/89. The full text of the decision is only available in English and will be
made public after it is cleared of any business secrets it may contain. It will be available:

— as a paper version through the sales offices of the Office for Official Publications of the European

Communities (see list on the last page),

— in electronic form in the ‘CEN’ version of the CELEX database, under document No 303M3246. CELEX

is the computerised documentation system of European Community law.

For more information concerning subscriptions please contact:

EUR-OP,
Information, Marketing and Public Relations,
2, rue Mercier,
L-2985 Luxembourg.
Tel. (352) 29 29 427 18, fax (352) 29 29 427 09.
Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case COMP/M.3246 — VW/PON/PON Financial Services) (Text with EEA relevance)
Date: 2003-10-22
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: economic concentration, exchange of information, financial institution, merger control, motor vehicle industry

22.10.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 253/5

Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 87 and 88 of the EC Treaty

Cases where the Commission raises no objections

(2003/C 253/03)

(Text with EEA relevance)

Date of adoption of the decision: 23.9.2003

Member State:

Germany (Sachsen)

Aid No:

Title:

Objective:

Legal basis:

Budget:

N 368/03

Aid for sales promotion measures

To support participation by undertakings in the food and agri-
cultural sector in advertising and sales promotion measures

Haushaltsordnung des Freistaates Sachsen

EUR 1 350 000 per year

Aid intensity or amount:

Variable

Duration:

Indefinite

The authentic text(s) of the decision, from which all confidential information has been removed, can be
found at

http://europa.eu.int/comm/secretariat_general/sgb/state_aids

Non-opposition to a notified concentration

(Case COMP/M.3246 — VW/PON/PON Financial Services)

(2003/C 253/04)

(Text with EEA relevance)

On 15 October 2003, the Commission decided not to oppose the above notified concentration and to
declare it compatible with the common market. This decision is based on Article 6(1)(b) of Council
Regulation (EEC) No 4064/89. The full text of the decision is only available in English and will be
made public after it is cleared of any business secrets it may contain. It will be available:

— as a paper version through the sales offices of the Office for Official Publications of the European

Communities (see list on the last page),

— in electronic form in the ‘CEN’ version of the CELEX database, under document No 303M3246. CELEX

is the computerised documentation system of European Community law.

For more information concerning subscriptions please contact:

EUR-OP,
Information, Marketing and Public Relations,
2, rue Mercier,
L-2985 Luxembourg.
Tel. (352) 29 29 427 18, fax (352) 29 29 427 09.
Corrigendum to Commission Directive 2002/42/EC of 17 May 2002 amending the Annexes to Council Directives 86/362/EEC, 86/363/EEC and 90/642/EEC as regards the fixing of maximum levels for pesticide residues (bentazone and pyridate) in and on cereals, foodstuffs of animal origin and certain products of plant origin, including fruit and vegetables (OJ L 134 of 22.5.2002)
Date: 2003-10-22
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: animal product, cereals, foodstuff, fruit, health control, pesticide residue, plant health control, vegetable

L 271/26

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

22.10.2003

CORRIGENDA

Corrigendum to Commission Directive 2002/42/EC of 17 May 2002 amending the Annexes to Council Direc-
tives 86/362/EEC, 86/363/EEC and 90/642/EEC as regards the fixing of maximum levels for pesticide residues
(bentazone and pyridate) in and on cereals, foodstuffs of animal origin and certain products of plant origin,
including fruit and vegetables

(Official Journal of the European Communities L 134 of 22 May 2002)

On page 31, in the third row of the second column of the table in Article 2:

for:
read:

‘Other products (p) (*)’
‘Other products 0,05 (p) (*)’
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3107/03 by Adriana Poli Bortone (UEN) to the Commission. Trans-European networks.
Date: 2003-10-22
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Western Balkans, trans-European network, transport network, transport policy

C 70 E/220

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

20.3.2004

(2004/C 70 E/236)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3107/03

by Adriana Poli Bortone (UEN) to the Commission

(22 October 2003)

Subject: Trans-European networks

The Van Miert document, under heading 3, refers to Corridor 8.

However, the Commission proposal of 1 October 2003 no longer includes that corridor aming the
29 priority projects.

In reply to the protest of the Italian delegation to the Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council,
Commissioner de Palacio appears to have stated that the reason for its exclusion is the impossibility of
allowing access to the corridor to countries which are not as yet EU Member States.

This exclusion criterion has not, however, been applied to other priority projects that appear on the
1 October list, including No 7 (motorway route Igoumenitsa/Patras-Athens-Sofia-Budapest), No 18 (inland
waterway route Rhine/Meuse-Main-Danube) and No 22 (Rail line Athens-Sofia-Budapest-Vienna-Prague-
Nuremberg/Dresden).

Will the Commission reconsider the exclusion of Corridor 8 from the priority list, given its crucial
importance for the democratisation process in the Balkan region?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(26 November 2003)

The report of the high level group, which was composed of representatives of the 15 Member States, the
10 new ones, Bulgaria, Romania, EIB and the Commission and chaired by Mr Karel Van Miert, was
delivered to the Commission on 30 June 2003. It includes in list 3 (Other projects important for territorial
cohesion) the rail line Bari-Varna. This line is within the pan-European Corridor VIII as defined in the
Ministerial Conferences in Crete and Helsinki in 1994 and 1997.

The mandate of the high level group was to identify priority projects on the transEuropean transport
network (TEN-T). As Corridor VIII is located outside the territory of the Union, (with the exception of the
ports of Bari and Brindisi), and will remain so after enlargement, it was not within the mandate of the
group to consider it, or any other corridor, for inclusion in the list of TEN-T priority projects.

By the same logic the Commission did not include Corridor VIII in its proposal to modify Decision on the
TEN-T guidelines adopted on 1 October 2003 (1). Projects 18 and 22 which follow the route on certain
pan-European Corridors concern exclusively works located on the territory of the Union or Acceding
Countries.

(1) COM(2003) 564 final.

(2004/C 70 E/237)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3108/03

by Philip Claeys (NI) to the Commission

(22 October 2003)

Subject: Subsidies

Can the Commission state whether
organisations, who say they are engaged in the fight against racism?

it provides financial and/or other

support

to the following
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3121/03 by Nelly Maes (Verts/ALE) to the Council. Reduction of VAT on CDs and cassettes.
Date: 2003-10-22
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: VAT rate, cultural heritage, cultural identity, cultural policy, heritage protection, record

3.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 84 E/53

(2004/C 84 E/0059)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3121/03

by Nelly Maes (Verts/ALE) to the Council

(22 October 2003)

Subject: Reduction of VAT on CDs and cassettes

At the recent Ecofin Council in Luxembourg 7 October 2003, Commissioner Bolkestein announced that
the Commission was against any reduction of VAT on audio recording media and CDs as this might create
distortions of competition. A minority of members of the Council were in favour of lower rates.

Against the background of the current discussions in Unesco concerning the creation of an international
legal instrument to safeguard cultural diversity, will the Council examine whether a reduction of VAT is
feasible and desirable for CDs by new artists and/or artists singing in local or regional languages and/or
home-grown musicians (irrespective of whether or not they sing in their own language) and/or for certain
genres of music? At the opening of the recent Unesco conference, President Ciampi said that Italy
advocates the adoption of a legal
instrument on cultural diversity, guaranteeing every country the
protection of its own historical identity and the uniqueness of its physical and intangible cultural heritage.

Is the Council prepared to authorise some reduced VAT rates for CDs with the specific aim of safeguarding
cultural diversity?

If so, what steps will the Council take to bring this about in the near future?

If not, what measures does the Council consider have higher priority in safeguarding cultural diversity?

Reply

(8 March 2004)

The Commission proposal concerning reduced VAT rates is currently being examined by the Council.

Until those proceedings have been completed, the Council cannot reply to the Honourable Member’s
questions.

(2004/C 84 E/0060)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3127/03

by Jean Lambert (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(23 October 2003)

Subject: Bank accounts and freedom of movement

Is the Commission aware of the tensions that arise between regulations concerning prevention of money
laundering and freedom of movement of EU nationals?

It has come to my attention that EU nationals trying to set up a bank account in the UK are finding it
extremely difficult, if not impossible, due to the identification documents required. They are often unable
to get a UK bank account because they have no permanent address, and thus no utility bills, and unable to
get a permanent address because they have no bank reference. These rules amount to a hidden barrier to
the free employment of EU citizens in the UK.

Is there any action the Commission can recommend to assist those facing such difficulties?