Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-06-12-Speech-2-049"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20010612.3.2-049"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spoken text |
"Mr President, food safety and public health are rarely out of the headlines and are key political priorities for all of us in Europe. Today's proposal aims to clarify the EU-wide general principles of food law and I would like to compliment the rapporteur, Mr Whitehead, both on his excellent report and on the consensual style with which he has carried out his duties in the Committee on the Environment. I also welcome Commissioner Byrne.
The integrity of a European food authority will be based on independence and strong scientific leadership in the field of food safety. We must be able to trust those who set out to advise us: Farmers, fishermen, food manufacturers, processors, retailers, government, consumer advisory groups, scientists and ultimately the food safety authority. We must be able to trust them.
It is essential that we have a body of science as a reference point, whether we are consumers, policy-makers or even contributors to the food chain, and that we know what is an acceptable balance between risk prevention and informed consumer choice. It is all about balance.
I would like briefly to refer to some of amendments that I have tabled to this Commission proposal and I hope they will be accepted here. When we talk about the requirements for food safety it is imperative that we also talk about the responsibility of food producers for this food chain. The Commission has omitted from the legislative text the key first link in the food chain: the farmer or the fisherman. I have tabled Amendment No 72 to Article 40 which deals with responsibility of farmers for food safety and adds a
defence for phenomena over which farmers have no personal control, for example natural disasters and major environmental pollution. This is not, however, to diminish the primary role of farmers in ensuring the safety of their produce.
I also firmly believe that for the FA to have the confidence and backing of the people of Europe it is imperative that it operates and communicates in a wholly transparent and independent manner. Risk communication will be a key element of the FA. One only has to look at the BSE inquiry in the UK and the Lord Phillips report which stated that breakdown in risk communication was a major factor in exacerbating the crisis there. I have tabled Amendments Nos 147 and 148 to Article 39 in an effort to ensure that the authority explains its scientific risk assessments to this House, to consumers, to businesses and the academic community. The authority should also meet regularly with the Commission and the Council in order to explain the risk assessments to these bodies and help them make more informed risk management decisions.
In conclusion, in relation to risk management, the measured and proportionate use of the precautionary principle is a key principle when Europe deals with food scares. I welcome the Commission's balanced proposals on this issue."@en1
|
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:unclassifiedMetadata |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples