Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-01-14-Speech-2-173"
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"en.20030114.5.2-173"2
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"plus issues under the new employment policy. I believe that if we make headway on some of these, then we shall have done some good.
Finally, agricultural policy in relation to these economic issues. I must emphasise that we are interested in pushing ahead with the mid-term review of agricultural policy. However, there are two strategic views on agricultural policy in the European Union. Who or what do we want to help? Production or the producers? And when anyone says we want to help producers, they mean small and medium-sized producers. As a country, we take the view that we need to help small and medium-sized producers, who are in the vast majority in Europe, and that we should not be helping large producers. This is where there is a clash of interests and we need to realise that. Agricultural policy serves varying purposes, depending on the regulations. We can improve agricultural policy and I think that farming and the countryside will benefit if we focus on small and medium-sized producers. But all this needs to be discussed with the Council. That is our view. The Union’s view will depend on the outcome of the Council’s discussions.
I should like to finish, ladies and gentlemen, by commenting on the question of what is to be done about defence policy issues and whether we are to push ahead with standard types of armaments. I mentioned that the Greek Presidency intends to put the question of coordinated efforts in technology and research to the spring council. Precisely so that we end up with standard types of armaments. We do not want Europe manufacturing all sorts of arms; we just want certain types for all the Member States and we think that this is a useful exercise, even though we believe that, at some point, we should stop arming. However, we feel that this approach will serve research and technology as things now stand.
As you said, the presidency is never an easy task. We are aware of that, but we hope to take a giant stride forward, within the framework we have outlined, which the next presidency can build on. We shall be pleased if, at the end of our six months in office, Europe is stronger, Europe has a clearer voice and Europe is more competitive and feels more secure."@en1
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