Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-09-06-Speech-4-222"
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"en.20010906.12.4-222"2
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".
Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, the own-initiative report on 25 years' application of Community legislation for hill and mountain farming has arrived on the European Parliament's agenda in the run up to the International Year of Mountains in 2002.
Finally, last but not least, mountain regions need special treatment in the run up to enlargement. The forthcoming International Year of Mountains is an ideal time, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, to discuss the specifics of tomorrow's proposal. You, ladies and gentlemen, by voting in favour of my report, and more importantly you, Commissioner, and the Commission, by implementing the ideas contained in it can make a fundamental contribution to this development.
Activities have therefore been planned over the coming year at international, national and local level to promote the sustainable development of mountain regions. The main objectives of the International Year of Mountains are to create awareness and increase knowledge about mountain ecosystems and their dynamics and operation, to promote and maintain the cultural heritage of mountain communities and the maintenance and sustainable development of resources in mountain regions to safeguard the quality of life of the population now and in the future. Finally, mountain regions account for about 30% of the land area and 20% of the utilised agricultural area in the European Union and 10% of the population of the EU live there.
I feel that the European Union should also use the coming International Year of Mountains as an opportunity to express the specific concerns of mountain regions and recognise mountain regions as indispensable habitats. At the same time, the quality of life in mountain regions must be maintained and protected and the constant threat of exodus must be stopped. This report is also, by definition, the European Parliament's position on the International Year of Mountains and should be seen by the Commission and the Council as our basic wish list.
Basically I call in this report, which was adopted almost unanimously by the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, for a comprehensive EU strategy for mountain regions. The report contains numerous new and, to my mind, practical proposals which I call on you to support during the coming vote.
The Commission is thus called on, first, to submit a communication this year setting out EU actions in connection with the International Year of Mountains. I think this communication should contain a comprehensive concept for the regions in question with regard to the period after 2006 and with regard to enlargement. This will, of necessity, include revising Directive 268/75 and subsequent amendments.
At the same time, I should like to clarify that the overall concept needed must take account of the principle of subsidiarity. Despite what are often similar problems and difficulties, it is a fact that even mountain regions differ in their individual characteristics, meaning that there is no universal patent solution. Common problems can be solved more efficiently by means of a cross-border approach.
My report therefore advocates an approach which takes equal account of the following areas: farming and forestry, transport, tourism, energy and water, regional planning, nature conservation and the maintenance of the common cultural heritage.
Now a few words on individual demands set out in the report. Agriculture: basically it calls for the second pillar of agricultural policy, the development of rural areas, to be extended, taking appropriate account of the contribution made by farming to the environment and the countryside and the multifunctional character of agriculture.
We need to find common problem-solving strategies in the form of regional conventions, set and update criteria and data on mountain areas and fund practical, mountain-related projects under the sixth framework programme, extend the basic infrastructure needed and provide training and further training so that the population keeps abreast of events and strengthen transport networks in mountain regions, taking account of the principle of sustainability, in order to safeguard these regions as habitats and economic areas and nature areas. This means, for example, that access roads to farms and alpine pastures must be guaranteed, while bigger roads must comply with criteria of strict eco-compatibility."@en1
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