Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-09-04-Speech-2-319"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20070904.28.2-319"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:translated text |
"Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, it is a fact that harmful and risky alcohol consumption has a considerable health, economic and social impact. It is, however, also a fact that alcohol forms part of the European cultural heritage and the majority of Europeans take a responsible attitude to it. So we do not want to condemn alcohol as such or lay down new laws. What we want to do is to focus on groups at risk and risky situations. A young person who drinks him or herself into oblivion, a pregnant women who damages her unborn child because of alcohol consumption, or a drunken driver who puts himself or others in danger: it is in precisely those areas that we need to act.
This report provides an excellent basis for doing so. It is balanced, targeted and includes all stakeholders: Member States, the alcohol industry, retailers, the catering industry, doctors, schools and parents. It clearly demarcates the various powers. The Member States are the main players. The EU only has a supporting role. Its task is to collect data, point to well-established procedures and draw up and support information campaigns. It is up to Member States to improve the implementation of existing national legislation. What, after all, is the point of strict youth protection legislation if it is not observed and if offences go unpunished?
We also recommend a 0.00% limit for young newly-qualified drivers and professional lorry drivers. The alcohol industry should undertake to refrain from directing alcohol advertising at young people. My Group is not, however, in favour of obligatory warnings on alcoholic beverages, which is why I ask you to support the draft amendments deleting provisions to that effect from the report.
It is well known, and surveys confirm it, that warning labels have no effect in this case. On the contrary, people need to be informed as early as possible about the dangers of alcohol abuse. We must inform and we must convince, rather than prescribe and prohibit. I think we have reached the point where we must realise that we are the representatives of the people, not their educators. I thank Mr Foglietta, the rapporteur, for the close collaboration."@en1
|
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples