Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2008-09-04-Speech-4-046"
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"en.20080904.5.4-046"2
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"Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, Mr Ouzký, the Sixth Environment Action Programme of the European Community recognises that soil is a limited resource and is a medium that is subjected to environmental constraints. The Programme seeks to define in absolute and unambiguous terms a specific strategy for soil protection that takes into account the principles of subsidiarity and regional diversity, which everyone understands very well.
In February 2007 – and here I too am retracing history – the Council held an advisory debate on the Commission’s communication on a thematic strategy and on the proposal for a directive. In December 2007 it examined suggestions for a compromise on the directives that had been drawn up by the Portuguese Presidency, which had undertaken an enormous amount of work on this proposal, and these proposals took into account the opinion expressed by the European Parliament at first reading. Unfortunately, and in spite of the considerable efforts of the Portuguese Presidency, it was not possible to reach a political agreement at that particular time. The disagreement took various forms: some Member States questioned the very validity of the initiative, in other words the need to introduce Community regulations for soil protection; others thought that a framework directive would offer greater flexibility and would in particular help take into consideration those national policies that had already been implemented, policies that were not adequately recognised by the proposal for a directive as put forward. Since then various Member States have had time to reflect and France wishes to reopen this debate within the Council. The views of the European Parliament will naturally be a key component in our discussions and in the revival of the debate that we now want to see through to completion. We are aware of the fact that you have had to find a balance between those who did not want to infringe the legitimate powers of the Member States in the area of soil protection and those who were calling for an ambitious harmonised system of Community rules. We believe that Parliament’s opinion represents a good basis for putting together a balanced package that we can all work on.
This initiative has therefore been re-launched today, though it is too early to say whether or not it will be possible to reach an agreement within the Council, and if so when this will happen and on what basis. It would not be fair on my part to give any indications in this regard. All that I can promise you is that the French Presidency will do its best – and here I repeat myself – while at the same time taking account of the opinion expressed by Parliament, which has managed to adopt a balanced position of its own, and one that is therefore extremely valuable in this difficult discussion. At the same time we are realistic, for this is a very sensitive dossier – as everyone has seen in the course of previous discussions – and even in the best-case scenario a second reading cannot in any case take place until after the EP elections next year. We are therefore in no hurry and will take the time that is needed to reach the most consensual result possible on a subject that has in the past shown itself to be extremely complex."@en1
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