Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2008-10-08-Speech-3-201"
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"en.20081008.22.3-201"2
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"Madam President, like others here, I was in Geneva and was amazed and amused sometimes at how the WTO works. In this case, it did not.
For once the common agriculture policy was not directly in the firing line and I think that is to be welcomed. But agriculture at a more global level very definitely was still top of the agenda. The talks collapsed because India and China were concerned about protecting their farmers from agricultural import surges. I think the words of the Indian Trade Commissioner are worth repeating. Kamal Nath said: ‘This is the last mile we could not run because of an issue of livelihood security.’ India saw protection of its large and relatively poor rural and farming population as vital and believed that a WTO agreement was not in its best interests.
We are now seven years into the process. Peter Mandelson has left the stage after four years at the helm. I believe he failed to listen to the concerns of farmers, particularly European Union farmers, and the food industry, and dismissed their voice by claiming that the development part of the agenda was to the fore. His proposals would have decimated the EU livestock sector, not to the benefit of the developing world, but rather to the low-cost emerging economies and their large ranches and ranchers. As I said, he has now left the stage and I wonder whether he saw the writing on the wall. If he really was concerned about the development agenda, why did he not stay and complete the work?
Food security is now a big political priority. We are seeing huge fluctuations in the price of commodities. I understand that the grain market has collapsed today. We have to ask ourselves whether this is the best way of ensuring the supply of food to all consumers at reasonable prices. More importantly, we should look at our development policy, where we have failed to invest in agriculture in the developing world. Let us go for a deal but one that is fair and balanced."@en1
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