Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-06-13-Speech-2-079"

Predicate	Value (sorted: default)
rdf:type	lpv_eu:Speech2
dcterms:Date	"2000-06-13"^^xsd:date2
dcterms:Is Part Of	lp_eu:Manufacture, presentation and sale of tobacco products (continuation)2
dcterms:Language	"fr"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.20000613.10.2-079"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:2000-06-13-Speech-2-0802
lpv:speaker	lp:Jean-Louis Bernié2
lpv:spokenAs	unknown; Chasse, Pêche, Nature, Traditions (1999-07-20--2004-07-19)3 member; Delegation for relations with the People's Republic of China (1999-09-28--2002-01-14)3 substitute; Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Policy (1999-07-21--2001-07-01)3 member; EMPL (1999-07-21--2001-07-01)3 member; EDD (1999-07-20--2001-07-04)3
lpv:translated text	"Mr President, we are right to be worried when ideology oversteps the limits of the law and merrily tramples individual freedoms underfoot to the point of advocating a tobacco-free Europe. It is only totalitarian regimes that attempt to regulate the happiness of their citizens. Nonetheless, the aim of this directive proposing to harmonise legislation on tobacco products is actually to oppose tobacco by every means possible, including those that are the most questionable on legal grounds. The Commission is effectively misusing EC Treaty Article 95 which stipulates that the object of the single market may be sufficient justification to undertake approximation, but the Commission is justifying its action on the grounds of public health and consumer protection, which are covered by EC Treaty Article 152, and this authorises only encouragement and not actual harmonisation. What are we to think of this crude misuse of Articles 95 and 152? What are we to think of the rejection voted by the Committee on Legal Affairs and the Internal Market? What then will be the use of this committee and, indeed, of the European Union’s legal consultants? What are we to think of the unemployment unavoidably generated by this directive which, in eliminating all subsidies to production, will toll the knell for the tobacco sector? This affects one million jobs in Europe. In France, 40 000 small producers are scraping a living thanks to this additional activity which is extremely labour-intensive. What are we to think of a Europe which, according to the power of lobbies and special interests, permits the addition of vegetable fats to chocolate, authorises the use of GMOs and imposes restrictions liable to jeopardise the sale of local products on the markets and now to threaten tobacco production, even though it is perfectly legal? As you will have understood, we shall be voting against this directive. Is it too much to ask that Articles 95 and 152 be respected? All we are asking for is a minimum of subsidiarity and a modicum of tolerance."@en1

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