Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-10-20-Speech-1-062"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20031020.4.1-062"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:translated text |
"Mr President, in the wake of the fires which ravaged Portugal last summer, laying waste more than 10% of the country, it has become increasingly obvious that the disaster could have been avoided, to a great extent, by means of effective prevention measures. It brings to mind the old proverb, ‘prevention is better than cure’. During his visit to the regions affected by the fires, Commissioner Barnier himself drew attention to this consideration. It has become abundantly clear that we need monitoring systems, but above all that we need to guard against the causes of woodland decline. Only by studying the causes and their effects will we be able to mount a relentless campaign to fight the fires. The prevention measures, therefore, aim to reduce the size of the affected areas, fight the causes of fire and monitor our forests. The European Union cannot content itself with monitoring the fires and taking action after the disaster has occurred. What is needed is a real prevention policy. The task, then, is not to impose unwanted measures on Portugal, but rather to devise tangible, robust courses of action that are compatible with the national forestry strategy currently being devised.
I would argue, therefore, that prevention should form an integral part of the Forest Focus programme, regardless of the regulation on rural development. When dealing with an issue as important as forests, one of Europe’s treasures, one cannot consider skimping on a few pennies. With a view to financing these prevention measures, therefore, I have already proposed increasing the amounts in the European Union’s general budget, by means of the financial perspective for the period up to 2006. No preventive measure can truly come into operation unless it is supported by adequate financial resources.
Finally, I could not end this speech without congratulating the rapporteur, Mrs Redondo Jiménez, for the sensitive manner in which she has dealt with what is a most delicate issue for Portugal."@en1
|
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples