Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-01-18-Speech-4-048"
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"en.20010118.3.4-048"2
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"Mr President, Commissioner, may I start by declaring an interest, or two interests, in this issue. I have an interest in a forestry business in New Zealand, inherited from my father, so that gives me a practical interest. More recently I visited Finland to see the forestry industry at work as the guest of CEPI, the Confederation of European Paper Industries. So you see the strong Finnish theme in this report continues even with me.
Can I welcome this communication and express my pleasure at its emphasis on the importance of this industry. Like the rapporteur and other colleagues I recognise that forestry is a very important industry, important for the economy and important for the environment.
I would like to congratulate the rapporteur on his report. In itself it has made quite a contribution towards the consumption of paper and this is to be welcomed, even if our colleagues on the Committee on Industry, External Trade, Research and Energy had to make it a little bit longer than he would wish. Better to say too much about forestry than too little.
I note with interest his reference to telecommunications and the changes in the shape of the communication industry. I happen to believe that despite all these wonderful aspects of modern technology, we will continue to need paper for our reading, because it is the medium that most people are still comfortable with and I certainly am. Also, of course, we shall continue to need timber for all the other uses to which it is put, such as in construction and other possible new uses. The rapporteur and the Committee on Agriculture draw attention to the potential for research into new uses of timber.
Can I sound one note of warning. It is a little unrealistic to ask the Commission to ensure that paper prices in Europe are competitive. I think that might be stretching the Commissioner's powers a little bit. I see he is smiling so perhaps he agrees with me.
Nevertheless, the Commission has to ensure that fair competition takes place. That is the key issue here, rather than trying to favour our industry. This is a valuable, sustainable industry, very important to the economy of Europe and to our environment, and this is a very timely report."@en1
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