Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2002-10-22-Speech-2-121"
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"en.20021022.6.2-121"2
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"Madam President, I should like to congratulate Mr Färm and Mr Stenmarck on their excellent work on the 2003 budget. It is important to remember that the budget is there to support policy decisions taken either by the Council or by the Council and Parliament jointly.
It is inappropriate to seek to use budgetary procedure as a means of shaping that policy. I am referring in particular to certain recommendations relating to agricultural and structural funds. The proposal to reduce export subsidies is both misplaced and ill judged, especially since it is aimed at forcing a policy decision, mainly a reduction in the transport of live animals. The budget is not the appropriate instrument for such policy decisions, regardless of how one might feel about the issue.
As far as the substance is concerned, we should remember that we live in a global economy, with strong competitors for agricultural trade. In the current climate of depressed prices and policy uncertainty, we are going to place our farmers at a further disadvantage. Let me assure you that, if the EU decided to ban live animal exports today, the Australians would step in and take over our markets straight away. This is an important commercial consideration that must be borne in mind.
Staying with agriculture, I share the concern of many colleagues over the proposed across-the-board reduction of EUR 275 million in agricultural spending. Clearly this proposal is out of touch with current agricultural realities. My own group has tabled a number of amendments which seek to undo some of the potential damage.
Likewise, the proposed quota of EUR 525 million in structural fund payment appropriations. As a representative of an Objective 1 region in the north and west of Ireland, I am very conscious of the benefit of every single euro invested in an effort to redress the economic and socio-economic imbalance in the Union.
In conclusion, I would welcome any improvements that could be made to the implementation rates for structural-funded programmes and projects. We must tackle this by improved forecasting of payment requirements, but I firmly reject any notion that global amounts could in any way be reduced."@en1
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