Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2002-03-14-Speech-4-017"
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"en.20020314.2.4-017"2
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"Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, tobacco is the mainstay of the economy of large rural areas of southern Europe. Production of this crop is hardly mechanised, so it has considerable social significance and an impact on employment. Tobacco is grown on small family plots in regions classed amongst the poorest in Europe.
I shall give you an example affecting my country directly. Tobacco represents 25% of final agricultural production in the region of Extremadura. The argument linking the end of aid to tobacco and consequently the end of its production with health considerations is quite mistaken, unfair and regrettably also hypocritical. Nobody would dream of suggesting stopping the cultivation of plants used to produce alcohol through distillation because of the health problems caused by alcohol. Nobody has suggested closing down the factories manufacturing cigars and cigarettes either, or banning the sale of these products.
It is certainly the case that the withdrawal of aid would put an end to tobacco production in Europe. This would not, however, improve the health of European consumers because the gap left by Community production would be filled by imports from third countries. Anyone wishing to continue smoking could do so. What is at issue is simply commercial interest.
The only way of tackling the health issue is to pursue the approach launched some time ago by the European Union. This involves developing methods of cultivation and introducing less harmful varieties whilst also boosting information campaigns designed to reduce consumption.
The opinion of the Committee on Budgets is that agronomic research financed by the Tobacco Fund should be intensified. The European Commission, on the other hand, wishes to stop research and promote conversion, though no viable alternative is suggested.
The Commission is exceeding its competence on this issue. Its role should be to extend the aid regime, in a spirit of continuity. We therefore request the deletion of recital 5, and we believe the legal service of the Council of Ministers agrees with us on this."@en1
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