Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2008-09-24-Speech-3-395"

Predicate	Value (sorted: default)
rdf:type	lpv_eu:Speech2
dcterms:Date	"2008-09-24"^^xsd:date2
dcterms:Is Part Of	lp_eu:White Paper on Nutrition, Overweight and Obesity-related health issues (debate)2
dcterms:Language	"sv"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.20080924.34.3-395"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:2008-09-24-Speech-3-3962
lpv:speaker	lp:Jens Holm2
lpv:spokenAs	member; EUL/NGL (2006-09-27--2009-07-13)3 substitute; Delegation for relations with Switzerland, Iceland and Norway and to the European Economic Area (EEA) Joint Parliamentary Committee (2006-10-10--2009-07-13)3 member; Delegation to the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly (2006-10-12--2009-07-13)3 member; ENVI (2007-01-31--2009-07-13)3 substitute; INTA (2007-01-31--2009-07-13)3 member; Temporary Committee on Climate Change (2007-05-10--2009-02-04)3 substitute; CONT (2007-01-31--2009-07-13)3 unknown; Vänsterpartiet (2006-09-27--2009-07-13)3
lpv:translated text	". A third of Europeans suffer from overweight and obesity. A substantial share of the Member States’ health budgets has to be allocated to combating the problems raised by overweight. Furthermore, the overweight problem reflects socio-economic inequity. People on low incomes are worst affected since they consume more sugar and saturated fats. Quite simply, they have a poorer diet. It is clearly the task of policy to create the best possible conditions for people to eat more healthily. That is exactly what Mr Foglietta sets out to do in this report. He therefore has the support of the Group of the European United Left. The report calls for the EU to be more flexible in allowing the Member States to apply lower VAT rates for healthy food and higher rates for what we should eat less of. It is an important demand which I hope EU leaders will listen to. What does the Commission have to say about this? Can the Commission come back with a review of the EU VAT Directive allowing more flexibility in the Member States, so that we can get to pay less VAT on healthy food, for example? Another question to the Commission concerns trans-fats. We know that trans-fats are bad for us. That has been established by authorities in the Member States, as well as by EFSA, the EU’s own Food Safety Authority. At a hearing in the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety on 1 April this year, Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou said that trans-fat is definitely not good for health, there is no doubt about it. In this report we call for a ban on trans-fats, but the Commission refuses to propose it. Mrs Vassiliou will not even allow individual Member States to go further and introduce national bans. Now the Commission has a chance to withdraw from this unhealthy position. When shall we get a ban on trans-fats? Can the Commission at least guarantee Member States freedom to ban trans-fats if they wish to? Meat is another dimension of the public health problem, as the previous speaker, Mrs Buitenweg, pointed out. Meat consumption is soaring across the world. If nothing is done, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) warns that the already high consumption of meat will double by 2050. Meat contains saturated fats and contributes to obesity. Furthermore, the meat industry is seriously helping to hasten climate change. The EU should phase out subsidies to the meat industry; yet, in the budget for 2007 alone, over 45 million euros were appropriated just for the marketing costs of the meat industry. It is counter-productive and, besides, a bizarre waste of taxpayers’ money. The phasing out of these meat subsidies and a strategy for reduced meat consumption should be self-evident measures for better health in the EU."@en1
lpv:videoURI	<go to Events_and_structure europarl>2

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