Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-03-15-Speech-3-187"
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"en.20000315.6.3-187"2
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"Mr President, we are dealing here with amendments to a directive concerning the intra-Community trade in bovine animals and swine. I would like to start by congratulating the rapporteur on his report and agreeing very strongly with the remarks he has just made. I suggested a single amendment during the committee stage of the debate, which was accepted by the committee, regarding the need for Member States to put in place a proper system of spot checks, inspections and controls to ensure the efficient implementation of these regulations. My amendment calls upon the Commission to monitor the Member States to see that they carry out the necessary inspections set out in these regulations, because if we are to mount a successful campaign to contain and eradicate tuberculosis and brucellosis, then the proper implementation of these regulations will be essential.
May I also say that, sadly, these regulations are at the present time largely academic in respect of my own Member State because of course we have been banned from exporting live bovine animals from the UK for the past four years. Indeed, even the export of dead bovines is still being blocked in certain countries because although the ban on the export of beef from the UK was lifted on 1 August 1999, it is, as we all know, still being illegally maintained by France and Germany to this very day.
In the case of the pig sector the export trade is also suffering because during the past two years the pig industry has experienced acute difficulties. Indeed in Scotland, my own country, we have witnessed a 25% reduction in the national herd in the past twelve months. Unless urgent action is taken by the UK Government, a further 25% will go within the next few months. Now, this appalling situation has been brought about by a combination of issues involving the strength of sterling, the gold-plating of welfare and hygiene standards, which have been imposed on the industry by the UK Government, and the extra costs arising out of the BSE crisis. These factors are driving UK pig farmers out of business as more and more cheap imports are sourced by retailers and supermarkets in the UK.
Now it transpires that the situation could deteriorate even further as EU applicant countries from Central and Eastern Europe are projected to increase their net exports of pigmeat by nearly 300% by the year 2006. At the same time they will be seeking derogations from the EU to enable them to produce pork to welfare and hygiene standards that would be considered illegal under current EU law.
If Britain is once again to reactivate a dynamic intra-Community trade in bovine animals and swine, then immediate help is required to alleviate the catastrophic situation affecting rural Britain and affecting our pig and beef sectors in particular. I hope this message is getting through to the British Chancellor of the Exchequer."@en1
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