Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/1999-12-15-Speech-3-220"
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"en.19991215.9.3-220"2
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"Madam President, Commissioner, Mr Monti has just told us that the criticisms made of those who sought dialogue were unfounded. I fully share this point of view.
At this stage in the debate, I want to mention the three parties in this affair, with the first clearly being the British Government. We should congratulate the efforts towards dialogue made on both sides of the English Channel. The efforts made on the British side since the start of the BSE crisis to improve the situation and food safety should be welcomed. Part of the task has been completed but only part. I would cite as proof the rumour that parents are still being told that beef is not on the menu in British schools. Confidence has clearly not yet been totally restored. The action taken by France with others and against others must help to definitively resolve this crisis.
The second party in this affair is my own government. What principle has France sought to promote? The answer is the much-vaunted and much-discussed precautionary principle which we are collectively seeking to define. We are also trying to ensure essential food safety which cannot be sacrificed to the market logic.
You may imagine that it is easy to pander to public opinion. I believe that the decision taken by my government was a decision to be made by politicians and this is how a government must act. I agree that governing means making choices, and so my government has made its choice. What would all your governments have done if, following an expert opinion, your national agencies had indicated that there was still a risk? The political authority must choose, so this is what my government has done. It has taken a political decision based on an assessment of the risk.
On the subject of agencies, I wish for one thing. We should have at our disposal the expertise of a proper European agency so that in the future the conditions for conducting this type of debate will be better.
I must inform the previous speaker that we do apply the precautionary principle in France. Have you noticed that, following the opinion of the French Food Safety Agency, we have withdrawn some cheeses because of the cases of listeriosis? You will remember that we had five points in the negotiations. We are now satisfied on three of these points but we still need guarantees on the other two.
Others before me in this debate, like Mr Graefe zu Baringdorf and Mrs RothBehrendt, have said this. Is there any sense in testing if we do not understand its effective implementation and the application of its results? This is what we demand of you, Commissioner.
I am aware that behind the fight being conducted by France there is also a fight going on in the interests of the British and the whole European Union.
Today in this debate, Commissioner, you are our partner in dialogue and we have four demands to make. Firstly, you must face up to your responsibilities. My country did not happily enter into its current position of being condemned and hauled up before the Court of Justice."@en1
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