Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/1999-12-01-Speech-3-190"
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"en.19991201.16.3-190"2
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"Mr President, Commissioner, allow me first to congratulate my colleague on her first report. I should like to include a few thoughts in my contribution which, I believe, not only deal with a purely technical matter but also offer a basic starting point, in that I think we should take a much more global approach to agricultural policy from the outset.
European agriculture, and we all support a European agricultural model, must be configured so that farmers throughout Europe have a chance of survival. Agriculture and the whole of rural society must be viable, so that the generations which follow us inherit a habitat that is intact. This means that farming must be possible both in favoured areas and in disadvantaged and climatically exposed regions and peripheral areas. One of the remarkable features of our agriculture is its multi-functionality in the rural society and it must be configured so that farmers find optimum conditions for all manner of crops.
One of the outstanding features of Europe is its variety and I am referring here not only to the variety of regions and cultures but also to the variety of products and foodstuffs which make Europe unique. Farmers make a huge contribution to the cultural identity of a region or a country because the products cultivated, the primary production, colours not only the cuisine but also the customs and philosophy of life of the people down through the generations.
It also gives us close ties with our homeland. Without regional roots from which to develop, there can be no foundation and no basis for the future. Traditional cuisine, which has developed from regional crops, and these crops must of course be suited to the climate, is a delight to the palate, both of the local people and of anyone who enjoys trying different foods. It is precisely this wealth of local and regional specialities which is unique to Europe and it must be preserved because it is a treasure trove which compares with no other region in the world. Europe, I say it again, is and must remain in the future distinctive, famous and loved.
So I ask you: have you ever been to southern Europe and tasted the tomatoes which flourish there? They are distinctive. I think that we should ensure within the framework of European agricultural policy that these tomatoes can continue to be cultivated, harvested and processed in these regions. Suitable regulations must be laid down so that, when there are crop failures, there are also reasonable, flexible quota arrangements and a non-bureaucratic approach. One thing must be made clear at the same time, however, and that is that all these actions must go hand in glove with strict control and monitoring measures. I think that this would be a positive starting point for numerous sectors in the future."@en1
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