Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-10-12-Speech-3-148"
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"en.20051012.15.3-148"2
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"Mr President, I would like to focus on how I think we, as Europeans, should put our own house in order.
First of all, on trade, it is essential to end the subsidies to farmers in Europe which keep prices low and squeeze African commodities out of our markets, as well as the export subsidies that allow cheap food to be dumped in Africa. High tariffs, keeping out African goods, need to be cut, but African countries need time before opening up their markets. They do not have in place those safety nets, which we might have, to protect their workforce.
In addition, we need to urge Member States to sign up to the UN Convention on Corruption. Member States should be held responsible for corrupt practices by their own staff and agents. That does not appear in the report and I think it is something that Member States like my own should be urged to sign up to.
Since 9/11 there has been a tightening up on corruption, but it is still not treated with the same seriousness as terrorism or drugs. It also necessary for Europe to stop encouraging the brain-drain from Africa. This is not on the report either, but it makes an enormous difference, particularly in health services in Africa.
Finally, I turn to the arms trade, which nobody has mentioned. The arms and mines which are killing thousands of people and have done so in Africa over generations were mostly made in the Soviet Union. As we know, however, they are traded, dealt with and circulated around Europe. They are based in Europe. We must, as Europeans, do far more to control arms brokering and the transit trade which takes place from our own continent.
These are responsibilities that we must take as Europeans and we must not try to place the onus of responsibility simply on Africans."@en1
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