Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-01-28-Speech-3-174"
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"en.20040128.14.3-174"2
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"Mr President, these are indeed challenging times for the European Union’s textile and clothing industry. In that context, I am delighted to welcome the Commission’s communication on this matter. The region I represent, the East Midlands, has the largest cluster of clothing companies in the United Kingdom and has the second largest clothing and textile industry in Europe. Many of my constituents working in this industry have been made redundant time after time and they see manufacturing moving to the low-wage economies of developing countries. It is understandable that to these workers, who are still in such vulnerable positions, protectionist measures seem an attractive proposition. However, in the long term this is not the way to deal with the problems facing the industry today. In today’s global economy the EU is never going to be able to compete on price alone and nor should it. The EU should maximise the advantages of well-trained workers who are motivated, skilled and experienced.
We have succeeded in this industry in the past and we can continue to do so in the future. There are different, innovative ways to face the challenges of increasing global competition. For some businesses EU funding has proved to be an important tool in boosting competitiveness. The East Midlands Textile Association runs numerous projects – funded through the European Regional Development Fund – which assist companies: projects such as MAS, which helps small businesses in the region to branch out into new markets, or the Business ICT Bureau, which provides an expert source of ICT help specific to the needs of the textile sector. These are good examples of how funding is being used to help establish networks between local organisations working in the same area. While funding programmes are beneficial, they are also short-term in nature. I know that work is being done to ensure that maximum long-term economic benefit will be gained by harnessing the East Midlands textile cluster.
For other businesses the answer may be to look towards technical textiles, ranging from specialist heat- and chemical-resistant materials to flight socks designed to reduce the risk of deep vein thrombosis. I should like to raise a note of caution here. For some companies the correct response to the challenges is to look to the high-tech field, but it is not an option available to everyone. It would be easy to say that companies are resistant to change. If you look at small organisations with just a few employees and tight profit margins it is much more difficult for those companies to make the significant investment in research that will come more easily to the bigger players.
My final point is that the head office of the trade union, KFAT, is in Leicester, my home town. That union has informed the debate about the future of the textile industry. I, like the industry, the trade unions and those who work in it, look forward to the implementation of the Commission’s proposals."@en1
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