Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-01-17-Speech-2-292"
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"en.20060117.22.2-292"2
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"Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, this debate and subsequent vote will finally bring to a close more than a year of work in this Chamber, and I should like to highlight Mr Fruteau’s constructive approach, and express my backing for his reports. Rather than being the end of the road, however, this moment marks the start of a process of development in the sector.
Turning to you, Commissioner, I should like to say that the trend towards viewing the market as the be-all –and end-all has had devastating consequences, although we have helped somewhat to mitigate those consequences. If such a reform is, rightly, deemed inevitable, that is already cause to be wary of its effects. This is because, since the positions of the Council and Parliament came closer together, it has revolved around a drastic price cut of 36% in four years. Deregulation via price works in the interests of the large producers, which can continue to grow to the detriment of the environment and exploit even further an under-paid workforce outside Europe. It is also in the interests of the major users, who will buy sugar a great deal cheaper on the world market without this being reflected in the price of the end product, thereby maximising their profits. That is their definition of development, not to be confused with our concept of development.
On the other side of the coin, deregulation via price is damaging to the small producers here in Europe and, even more so, in the ACP countries and the least developed countries, who will sell their sugar for less and may even have to stop producing, without any viable alternative source of income. Nor will this be of benefit to small consumers: there are strong indications that they will not be paying any less. In Europe, moreover, some countries will stop producing and others will carry on with some difficulty, both for producers and for firms and their employees.
I should like, if I may, to introduce a particularly Belgian flavour at this point. I would welcome the possibility of restructuring in the chicory sector with a view to producing inulin, for which prospects are good. I tabled some amendments in this regard and I thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for accepting them. With regard to the Council, which is set to meet in February, I hope that greater prominence will be given to the amount of aid earmarked for farmers and to the conditions that firms seeking restructuring aid need to meet. I shall be keeping a close eye on this."@en1
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