Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-06-13-Speech-2-085"
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"en.20000613.10.2-085"2
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"Mr President, the Maaten report on today’s agenda has lead to this interesting debate. However, we must not forget that our business here is politics, which is quite a different matter from merely sitting here listening to technical arguments or pressure from the varies lobbies such as Philip Morris or the large multinationals: we should be thinking about the future of Europe!
In my opinion, the Maaten report, which is certainly technically sound and lays down appropriate parameters, represents a move towards the political will to protect the right to health, a right which must be protected and guaranteed for each and every European citizen. It is, in effect, all part of the realisation throughout the world that smoking is harmful, and we have the figures to prove it.
Having established that, we can then discuss any other justifications we may wish to. Smoking is harmful and we must use the Maaten report to regulate tax reductions, labelling and the other initiatives proposed in the report which are certainly, for the time being, important but not decisive
measures.
I feel that the main point to be stressed is the need to create a ‘non-smoking’ culture. Last century, smoking was part of the culture. It was important and provided a sense of security. Now, however, we have to turn that culture on its head. Of course, we must also stress the freedom of each one of us, of all citizens, to choose, and in this case I hope that we will choose the freedom not to smoke, freedom which, however, does not hide the harmful results and dangers of smoking itself. On the other hand, I also have to consider the 400 000 workers and the 150 000 or so tobacco growers of the tobacco industry. In this past century, we have succeeded in changing nuclear energy into something different, into clean energy. It would seem absurd not to be able to change or contribute to the transformation of such industries into equally productive industries which will develop economically and socially in the future. It would be completely absurd, especially at the dawn of a new millennium, in an era in which man landed on the moon, if we do not manage to bring about a change in this industry or to provide accurate information regarding the genuine harm caused by smoking.
Well, in my opinion, we have two main tasks: we must endeavour to provide accurate information and give everybody the chance to choose whether to smoke or not, and I hope that they will choose not to – my own family has suffered bereavements through this – and, at the same time, we must bring about a change of culture in the relevant industries."@en1
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