Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-06-13-Speech-2-157"
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"en.20060613.24.2-157"2
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".
Mr President, Mr Adamou has compiled an excellent report. It demonstrates that we take the threat of a bird flu pandemic seriously and that there is no time to sit back and take a wait—and-see approach in case one does break out, for then it will be too late. I am also pleased that, along with the parliamentary committee, he has taken on board a few of my suggestions, such as urging the Council to empower the Commission to take crisis measures within 24 hours in the event of a pandemic breaking out. I should like to add three comments.
In the first place, the Commissioner was right to say that we have been warned. We can therefore expect a possible pandemic at some point. We will then need a strategy for the European institutions, because in the case of a pandemic, travel restrictions may also affect major international meetings. It will therefore become more difficult to meet in Brussels or Strasbourg, never mind in both. We have not really given this enough consideration yet. I have written to President Borrell on this matter, and he has replied to assure me that the services will be looking into this, and this was followed by a deafening silence.
The second point concerns the promotion of better cooperation between the Member States. I am glad that the Commissioner insisted on this so passionately, because according to a report that was recently published in the medical journal
even if Member States are properly prepared for an outbreak of a flu pandemic to start with, they are completely oblivious to the plans of the neighbouring countries and do not, therefore, benefit from mutual harmonisation and cooperation. If in the case of a crisis, Germany, for example, were to decide as part of its strategy to close its border with the Netherlands, then the Netherlands might want to know about this. This is just one example.
It is really beyond me why the public health ministers recently decided against creating an emergency supply of antiviral drugs. We already know that we will face a shortage of those drugs in the event of an outbreak, and a European supply could then prove the answer. I congratulate the Commissioner on responding to this in a way that was sharp, tough and public. I am right behind him on that.
Finally, such measures as, for example, the placing of disinfecting mats at airports are, of course, useful if they are taken the world over, but the biggest problem during a pandemic will be travel. One of the aspects that must be considered is that, for example, the media will want to travel to crisis areas and back and can, as such, also be a source of infection. It might not be a bad idea if we, looking at our own situation, were to give this some thought and explored ways in which this could be resolved, without, obviously, putting the freedom of the press at risk."@en1
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