Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-04-03-Speech-2-183"
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"en.20010403.8.2-183"2
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"Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, I will be quite frank: I am not happy about the fact that we are adopting yet another resolution. I think that the situation for everyone concerned is far too serious for us simply to be carrying on with politics as usual. Please do not misunderstand me: I certainly would not wish to prevent the dreadful situation of farmers and rural communities from being given the attention it deserves at European level, quite the contrary. But I am afraid that if this discussion is not addressed seriously, it will simply create even more uncertainty among our citizens. The tragedy faced by the farmers needs more than headlines. The survival of a profession is at stake. Although the farmers currently receive up to 30% less for their cattle, a kilo of beef costs just as much, if not more, than before. And this is the case even in my own Member State, which fortunately still has no cases of foot-and-mouth disease or BSE. The situation in the regions where there have been outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease is critical. It is not only the farmers who are affected; it has an impact on everyone in these rural areas, including tourism and thousands of jobs.
I should like to take this opportunity to express my sympathy to the farmers and the rural communities who are suffering as a result of this disease. I hope that everyone understands what damage this is doing to farmers, and that years of work will be required to rebuild these herds.
Let me say a few words about vaccination policy: I support the emergency vaccination measures in order to prevent the virus from spreading. But we must not give people the impression that the animals are healthy as a result of vaccination, and that we do not need to cull them. I believe that we must continue to cull if we wish to regain our disease-free status.
I also hope that the Commission, but above all the Member States, fulfil their responsibilities. I notice time and again that throughout the European Union, there are still no disinfectant mats at the airports. This hygiene problem is a matter of acceptance in the Member States."@en1
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