Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-03-09-Speech-2-014"

Predicate	Value (sorted: default)
rdf:type	lpv_eu:Speech2
dcterms:Date	"2004-03-09"^^xsd:date2
dcterms:Is Part Of	lp_eu:Official feed and food controls2
dcterms:Language	"nl"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.20040309.2.2-014"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:2004-03-09-Speech-2-0152
lpv:speaker	lp:Margrietus van den Berg2
lpv:spokenAs	vice-chair; PES (1999-07-20--2004-07-19)3 unknown; Partij van de Arbeid (1999-07-20--2004-07-19)3 vice-chair; Committee on Development and Cooperation (2002-01-22--2004-07-19)3 member; Members from the European Parliament to the Joint Parliamentary Assembly of the Agreement between the African, Caribbean and Pacific States and the European Union (ACP-EU) (2002-02-06--2004-07-19)3 substitute; AFCO (2002-01-17--2004-07-19)3 member; Delegation for relations with the countries of Central America and Mexico (2002-02-07--2004-07-19)3
lpv:translated text	"Mr President, I am speaking today on behalf of Mrs Corbey, and should like to express five comments. First of all, transparency in food safety and the controlling of this are of course extremely important. More rules and greater control are not in themselves a guarantee of improved food safety: we can only put an end to tinkering with food if we also demand transparency. Information on businesses that have a rather casual attitude to food safety must be made public. Those who tinker lose customers. Transparency is an important condition for food safety, and we welcome the compromise reached. Secondly, the financing of the controls must be fair. We must combat unfair aid to businesses and unfair competition. Granting small businesses a discount enables us to accommodate this category of business, which is very important within the food sector, to some degree. My third comment concerns the proper, fair application of this legislation. Our group has been advocating equivalent controls and equivalent methods throughout the EU. It must not be the case that a cargo is rejected in Rotterdam on food safety grounds yet subsequently enters the EU via a different route. Our question to the Commission is as follows: can the Commission assure us that, in the interests of European citizens and of fair competition, it will monitor the proper implementation of this legislation closely? Fourthly, our group warmly welcomes the assistance that the EU is planning to give to developing countries to help them build capacity in order that they can comply with European food safety rules. This kills two birds with one stone: the EU increases the safety of imported food products, and developing countries obtain important assistance in taking measures capable of improving their food safety situation and thus their trading position. Food safety must not be a cover for protectionism. We also have to keep current events in mind here. In view of the outbreak of avian influenza in Asia, it is important that food safety is controlled right from the countries of origin. Can the Commission confirm that this and other Community legislation offers the EU effective protection against carry-over of contagious diseases such as avian influenza? Finally, it remains for me to make a comment of a general nature. On behalf of the Group of the Party of European Socialists, I should again like to thank Mrs Paulsen, and also the Council and the Commission, for their constructive work. We hope that this milestone brings an important piece of work over the past five years to a conclusion, and we look forward to hearing the Commission’s answers."@en1

Named graphs describing this resource:

The resource appears as object in 2 triples

Context graph