Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/1999-11-17-Speech-3-156"

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"Mr President, Mr Lamy, this morning the President-in-Office of the Council reminded us of the importance of the agriculture portfolio in the WTO negotiations, and I thank him for this. You already know that farmers in Europe are going to have to make great efforts to adapt in order to apply the Berlin compromise which, last March, represented the acceptable balance for the fifteen Member States of the European Union. You know that developing countries must be able to count on Europe in order to guarantee the legitimate rapid expansion of their own agriculture which is often the major sector in their economic development. You know that the United States is demonstrating today that the market alone finds it difficult to guarantee agricultural revenue. You must also know, then, that we are counting specifically on you to ensure that the WTO negotiations result in the outcome that we expect. Regarding access to the market, how is it possible not to recognise that Europe is not the well-defended fortress that it is unjustly accused of being, since we are the leading importer worldwide with a deficit trade balance in the food processing sector? This reality, Commissioner, must make it possible for you to campaign so that markets are opened up and tariff barriers are reduced according to gradual processes, varying according to sector. As for market protection mechanisms, if they must be adjusted, should they not be retained or reinforced for particular countries, and I refer to developing countries in particular? Regarding internal support, how is it possible not to make the most of the fact that Agenda 2000 is leading to a significant reduction in the overall extent of support, at a time when the United States are adopting a policy which goes in the opposite direction? This situation must make it possible for you to ensure that the blue box and the green box accepted at Marrakech are retained, and that the peace clause is renewed. Regarding export subsidies, how is it possible not to capitalise on the strategy of reduction which we are undertaking with the new common agricultural policy? This development must give you the possibility of demanding transparency and handling of the various forms of export aid used by our competitors. Commissioner, the Berlin Agreement was drawn up in order to give the European Union real room for manoeuvre in the Millennium Round. We have no doubt that you will be able to make use of this by building on the concept of multi-functionality which makes it possible to meet the various expectations of our societies as regards food quality, employment and sustainable rural development, the protection and conservation of the natural heritage and also regarding the balance between regions. This approach must afford Europe the opportunity to be open to interesting possibilities of alliance. This is why we are counting on you to take the offensive in these negotiations, in which you may count on our critical support."@en1

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