Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-04-05-Speech-3-336"
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"en.20060405.23.3-336"2
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".
Mr President, from the medical point of view we seem to be winning the war against avian influenza, because very few outbreaks of the disease have occurred and only isolated cases involving human beings have been reported. Where the media are concerned, however, the issue has been dealt with in a most unsatisfactory manner. No reliable and objective information on the threat of an epidemic was made available, nor was information provided on how to protect oneself in the case of an epidemic. The mass media made headline news out of every dead swan found.
Avian influenza is being presented as a further horseman of the Apocalypse. The information reaching the man in the street is anecdotal, disorganised and often inappropriate. Action by the veterinary services tends to run counter to common sense. Slaughtering entire flocks of domestic birds seems to be done for show, just for the sake of being seen to be doing something. It hardly makes sense, when millions of wild birds can spread the disease unhindered. In addition, there have been many cases of thoughtless cruelty. We have all seen on our television screens live birds rammed head downwards into sacks that were then handled as if they were sacks of potatoes. Furthermore, unfounded information was put about according to which avian influenza could also be transmitted to humans by cats. This led to a number of instances of negative treatment of the latter.
In view of this situation, it is hardly surprising that the market in poultry is in the grip of panic and threatened by disaster. It is therefore entirely appropriate to act in support of the market. This move deserves our full support, and I have in mind also the amendments aimed at increasing the degree of support. In particular, I would like to draw attention to the amendment tabled by the Union for Europe of the Nations Group aimed at increasing the level of support in the new Member States where farmers and breeders are in a particularly difficult situation, as they are only in receipt of partial direct payments.
The best way to support the poultry sector is to provide reliable information and calm the market down. It is best for this to be done by the European Commission, because the latter probably inspires greater confidence than national authorities in crisis situations of this nature. The Commission should disseminate clear information on how the disease spreads. In particular, it should state categorically that consumption of poultry meat does not represent a health risk. The media should also be asked to exercise restraint and avoid creating panic.
There are lessons to be learnt from this crisis. Should similar situations arise in the future, reliable information must be made available to the citizens at a much earlier stage."@en1
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