Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-03-12-Speech-1-096"
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"en.20010312.7.1-096"2
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".
Mr President, it is deplorable that the draftsman of the opinion on the most important chapter in these negotiations – agriculture – should only have two minutes to speak. But never mind!
The first point to stress is that the negotiation of an agreement on trade in agricultural and food products only makes sense within a global agreement that also covers other sectors of the economy and other facets of society. The second point to stress is that the European Union must be willing to make an extra effort to reduce internal support in market access and export subsidies. For this effort, however, we must demand transparent rules and equivalent action from our trading partners. The third point is that it is considered essential that the peace clause and the special safeguard clause should be renewed in order to maintain stability in agricultural markets and farmers’ incomes. The fourth point has to do with the need to preserve the European agricultural model, characterised, as mentioned by Konrad Schwaiger, by the predominance of family businesses and the multifunctional role of agriculture in society. Yet we have to remember that we must preserve the primary function of agriculture, which is production. Otherwise, if we do not bear this in mind, our countryside will sooner or later become just an agricultural museum. Fifthly, it is important to highlight the initiative aimed at the less developed countries, but we must take steps to prevent this measure from being exploited by those not entitled to use it. As a final note, I should like to recall that the European Union is, today, the world’s largest importer of agricultural and food products, with a trade deficit of over USD 16 billion, and is, therefore, a net importer. The United States and all the members of the Cairns Group, on the other hand, are very much net exporters. In view of this situation, it is quite right that the European Union should be entitled to preserve its agricultural productive fabric, which is the basis for the economic vitality of its countryside. Falling into line over free trade, pure and simple, would not only mean yielding sheep-like to others’ strategic interests but, in time, it would also be a death sentence for our countryside."@en1
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