Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-03-08-Speech-1-132"
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"en.20040308.10.1-132"2
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"Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, drugs are a problem common to all Member States, and there is clearly, therefore, a need for the fight against drugs to be given a European dimension, which we have already seen at work in actions ranging from adopting legal instruments to combat the manufacture and trafficking of drugs, to cooperating with producer countries and promoting measures to prevent drug addiction and to combat this phenomenon.
Parliament is being consulted a second time, now that the Council has finally reached agreement, following two years of negotiations. The rapporteur, Mr Oostlander, proposes that no amendments should be tabled because, since it has taken the Council such a long time to reach agreement, it would be preferable if we adopted the text as proposed.
I agree with this opinion; the fact that an agreement has been concluded on this matter is useful in itself. At least we have taken one step forwards, albeit a small one – a step that is crucial because it could provide an incentive for the European Union to achieve judicial cooperation in criminal matters. I know that my own country, Portugal, welcomes this draft framework decision, which does not raise specific difficulties as regards our own legal system. The definitions used in the framework decision are based on already-existing UN Conventions on the fight against drug trafficking, and cannot be described as particularly tough; they constitute the lowest achievable common denominator. All types of trafficking, production and sale will now be punished. Furthermore, the sanctions envisaged by the Member States must be effective, proportionate and act as a deterrent, and should include custodial sentences. To conclude, the level of sanctions will increase in line with the quantity and nature of the drugs that are trafficked, and according to whether the offences are committed by a criminal organisation.
On the other hand, we must attempt to dissuade the phenomenon of drug tourism, and we can only welcome the news given by the Dutch Justice Minister that his government is seeking to do just this, by tightening up legislation to restrict sales in ‘coffee shops’ to residents."@en1
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