Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2008-05-07-Speech-3-247"
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"en.20080507.18.3-247"2
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"Mr President, whenever we discuss the EU’s agricultural policy in this Chamber, rational citizens are reminded how unreasonable it still is, in spite of certain improvements in recent years. We face continuous demands from interest groups for continued protection against foreign competition. The regime has been in force for so long that it has even distorted the way we think and talk about these issues. That is why the rapporteur is able to say the following with a straight face: ‘It is vital for Community cotton production to remain prosperous, ensuring satisfactory production levels that allow for the continued viability of the ginning industry, which accounts for 3 200 jobs in Greece and 920 in Spain.’
If we applied the same reasoning to other areas, Europe would be on the road to ruin. The truth is that Spain is a highly successful industrial country with a labour force of around 20 million people. Such a country can have no problem guiding 920 people from cotton ginning to other more productive activities. The rapporteur also has no hesitation in using phrases like ‘safeguarding a prosperous sector of Community agriculture such as cotton production is crucial.’ This is an extreme example of
. Common sense tells us that if cotton production is prosperous it does not require any support. The cold truth is that cotton production in the EU is unprofitable and should therefore be closed down. Such adaptation may be difficult and require State aid, but the support should be used for change, not to protect production which is clearly better carried out in other countries outside of the EU."@en1
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"contradictio in adjecto"1
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