Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-01-13-Speech-2-301"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20040113.13.2-301"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:translated text |
"Madam President, Commissioner, Mr Nobilia, I am most grateful for the very pleasant and productive cooperation over recent years. I am pleased that in this final phase, we have been able to reach agreement on seven important compromise amendments, and I can tell you that after critical appraisal, the Group of the European People’s Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats will support all seven amendments.
Personally, I am very pleased that we are able to maintain national measures on detergents. In your country, for example, there are already substantial bans in place on the use of phosphates, as there are in mine. I think this is the right approach, because it means that countries wishing to take this further will not now be prevented from doing so; nor will they actually have to turn the clock back. Instead, they can retain their current successful standards. I think this sends out a positive signal for environmental policy, and an especially positive signal for the enlargement of the European Union. The amendment with the five-year period – the experts know what this is – will remain, but on the whole, my group will support the three years in the compromise.
I also think it is important that this regulation genuinely strikes the right balance as regards derogations, and I am pleased that there are virtually no derogations on the implementing obligations. I am also pleased that in other areas where, knowing that derogations are necessary, we have been courageous enough to provide them, namely for smaller manufacturers of specialised detergents for industrial use, which after all have had to seek out a niche market where general detergents are not used, such as hospitals and industrial kitchens. I think that we have been successful here in weighing up all the various aspects of sustainability – environmental, economic and social.
About ten years ago, the mountains of foam on our rivers were the trigger for amending the legislation on phosphates in water. We have genuinely moved a step forward. I am very pleased that we are no longer adopting an ‘end of pipe’ approach by focussing on water purification processes but are establishing innovative rules in Europe on the initial discharge of substances. What is more, we are doing so not only with the heavy hand of the law, Alexander, but by adopting innovative approaches in order to encourage our companies to continue their work here. I think this approach has been successful.
One point that applies to us all remains unresolved. The legislator can impose conditions only on quantities and products; he cannot regulate the use of washing powders and detergents. If the same amount of washing powder is used for one kilo of laundry as for five kilos, this is where the real environmental pollution arises. There is still a great deal of work to be done here to raise awareness among Europe’s consumers, and I include myself in that."@en1
|
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples