Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-03-09-Speech-2-397"

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"Mr President, I join my fellow Members in their criticisms of the Commission’s proposal for tobacco, but I will also try to explain why I am rejecting it with regard to the reasons set out in its favour. One female Member even referred to savings for the Community agriculture budget but it will have quite the opposite effect, since European manufacturers will have to buy tobacco from third countries leading to increased costs, lower employment and larger deficits of the Community trade budget. The conversion idea, already rejected by many, including here, and which I do not support either, might be a possible solution for other crops, but certainly is not for tobacco. There are no suitable, economical alternatives because tobacco is grown on small holdings. The possible crops are Mediterranean ones, which are already ring-fenced by Community production quotas and bans. In support of tobacco, though, is its highly cost-effective production. An hour’s work on tobacco costs the Community budget EUR 5.7. To give a comparison with other crops, durum wheat costs EUR 21.4 and corn costs EUR 12.8. The fight against cancer really is an untenable reason. Indeed, the possible elimination of European tobacco in order to contribute to the fight against cancer is totally irrelevant. Moreover, already today, as has been pointed out, 80% of the tobacco consumed in Europe is imported. On the other hand, the Commission has been more sensible with regard to olive oil. The proposal it has tabled in this regard is undoubtedly acceptable, especially if it is perfected by maintaining the commitment to give the Member States broad leeway to decide the extent of decoupling, which in any case is already acceptable as the 60/40 ratio determined by the committee. And the States must be given other opportunities to intervene in terms of quality too."@en1

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