Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-02-15-Speech-2-120"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20000215.6.2-120"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:translated text |
"Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, the report on additives in animal feedingstuffs concerns the technical and economic problem of restoring the competitive balance between different additives in feedingstuffs and between producers of these additives. Yet after the serious dioxin crisis which affected Belgium and other European countries last summer we cannot just view this issue in terms of competition. You may recall, even though this passed virtually unnoticed by the general public, that the Commission’s scientific experts discovered industrial residues of dioxin-loaded chemical lime in the pulp of citrus fruit imported from Brazil. We must therefore closely examine all the elements of the chain involved in the manufacture of feedingstuffs for production animals. Incidentally, it is ironic that the problem is much less serious for the feedingstuffs of our dogs, cats and other domestic animals. Is it because of cut-throat and globalised competition that industrialists have allowed this sector to become a way of recycling all the waste from the agri-foodstuffs industry?
Such a serious issue cannot be limited to a technical debate, even though it is the directive itself which limits the authorisation of antibiotics and other growth promoters. The precautions which we are preparing to take in respect of feedingstuffs must also be applied to the food for the very farm animals which reach our plates. As forcefully underlined by this report, labelling is an absolute necessity so that each farmer on his holding is aware of all the ingredients in the feed which he is giving his livestock. He must also know whether his bag of protein granules includes GMOs as these components could represent a risk to public health. In any case, the precautionary principle requires these products to be clearly traceable at all stages of their marketing.
However, before labelling we need clear rules. Straight questions must be asked about the real end-use of animal meal, for example. Although we are looking at all the problems caused by these products in ethical and health terms, it is their use which must be questioned today. In this respect, the chapter of the White Paper on food safety which deals with feedingstuffs must serve as a working basis for going beyond mere commercial questions. The Commission has on many occasions used the farm-to-table example which our colleague in the PPE Group has just underlined. This is a good idea but it must be made to be meaningful and, to do this, the problems linked to animals and those linked to consumer health must be dealt with at the same time.
This is why it is essential to approve Amendment No 2 to Recital 4 which avoids the risks of the monopoly which would arise if companies which were the first to be authorised to place an additive on the market were to remain the only ones able to continue marketing it during the re-evaluation procedure. Also, Amendments Nos 4 and 5 to the new Article 2a must be approved as these will ensure that genetically modified additives are clearly identified as such, thus allowing users to make fully informed decisions."@en1
|
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples