Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-02-10-Speech-2-307"
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"en.20040210.11.2-307"2
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"Mr President, Commissioner, the question of farmed salmon before us today is a genuine case study that is surely destined to be repeated many times over in years to come. As politicians we are not armed with scientific knowledge, yet how are we to address a crisis that may have far-reaching socio-economic consequences for entire sectors? How can we solve a problem that has arisen from the publication of a scientific report that casts doubt on the sanitary quality of a food product, that has been published as part of a root and branch reputation review, and that has already been widely covered in the media, thereby raising concerns among consumers? How do we distinguish between what is based on well-founded concerns, calling for the most stringent measures and protocols to be put in place, and what is based on effects that are simply due to defects in the mathematical models used or in the balance of parameters?
Having had our fingers severely burnt by previous crises, which had devastating consequences – such as the crises involving mad cow disease, and dioxin in chickens, the case before us today, evidenced by the abnormally high death rate among bees, of the danger of new and extremely powerful neurotoxic molecules, which are used to coat seeds, getting into fats and water – we are being vigilant and must continue to err on the side of vigilance. It is only by redoubling the controls, the studies, the research and the analysis that indisputable results will begin to come through to reassure consumers. The food safety authorities are there to help us in this aim, but Parliament must also give a ruling. I should also like to remind you at this juncture, as a member of the Scientific and Technological Options Assessment (STOA), that we have a novel type of body available to us in the European Parliament, the STOA panel, whose function is to provide Members of this House with aspects of scientific assessment that they may need in order to clarify the positions that our various committees are required to take. It is by no means a perfect institution, but I feel that the STOA is capable of offering us invaluable help, such as providing us, in regard to a question such as the one before us this evening, with an overall perspective and a critical analysis of all scientific studies in existence or ongoing. We must therefore not overlook this invaluable instrument."@en1
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