Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2011-05-11-Speech-3-483-000"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20110511.31.3-483-000"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:translated text |
"Madam President, Commissioner, honourable Members, today’s debate is a good occasion for me to present the Presidency’s observations on the recently held conciliation on the proposal for a regulation on novel foods. It is also an excellent opportunity for the Presidency to learn Parliament’s opinion on this important issue.
Our European institutions have suffered a major collective failure. There is no other course but to learn from this experience in a constructive manner based on professional criteria. It is in this spirit that I turn to you today. I have come not only to speak but also to listen to you.
I would like to begin by emphasising that the Presidency genuinely regrets that your institution and ours, the Council, were unable to reach agreement. This is all the more true because both the Presidency and the Council attributed great importance to this proposal. This was an unrivalled opportunity for us to update the European Union regulation in an area which directly affects us all: food. There was a real chance for the European Union to show how it contributes in a tangible manner to making the lives of European citizens better. The proposed regulation would have been a particularly good means of answering disputed questions on food from cloned animals by tightening the provisions of the 1997 regulation. The 1997 regulation provides that such food products can only be marketed after an authorisation procedure. In contrast, as a result of the recent conciliation procedure, a clear, albeit temporary, agreement was reached. All parties agreed that the marketing of food from cloned animals must be completely prohibited. Furthermore, this ban would have come into effect immediately after the regulation entered into force. If the conciliation had been successful, we could now be jointly welcoming an imminent ban on the marketing of food from cloned animals. This prohibition could have entered into force as early as the end of this month. Unfortunately, this was not to be. In the light of the failed negotiations, we may be apt to blame each other. At the same time, it is our common interest and duty not to give in to this inclination but to seek a solution together. Although the conciliation procedure has come to an end, the needs and expectations of European consumers have not altered at all, and therefore I am pleased to note that we have another chance to make progress. It is up to us to restart this process as soon and as effectively as possible. We must do our utmost especially to ensure that what we have agreed in the negotiations to date is not lost.
At third reading, we have reached the point where, in principle, we have agreed on an immediate ban on food from cloned animals. We must not allow this agreement in principle to be lost. Likewise, we must protect the major advance made in relation to engineered nanomaterials and traditional food from third countries as well as similar, important issues. I believe that what we eat is important to all of us, and the kind of nourishment our children and grandchildren grow up on is even more important. I would like to take this opportunity of thanking the Commissioner and his organisational units for the hard work they have done over the last few months. I also welcome the fact that the Commission – as it has unofficially informed us – is working on drafting a new proposal at an accelerated pace, striving to preserve as many elements of the provisional agreement reached during the recent negotiations as possible in the new legislative proposal. The Presidency guarantees its support to both the Commission and Parliament, and hopes that an opportunity to adopt this new proposal will arise as soon as possible.
Madam President, honourable Members, we are aware that the Commission has little room for manoeuvre. After all, it is the task of the Council and Parliament as the two colegislators to find a solution which satisfies the needs and expectations of European citizens through joint efforts. In the light of all this, I look forward to your views with truly great interest."@en1
|
| lpv:videoURI |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples