Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2008-09-23-Speech-2-352"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20080923.38.2-352"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:translated text |
"Mr President, Mr Ó Neachtain, the Council is fully aware of the need to look for adequate and effective solutions to the problem of rising food prices. This is a complex issue, which the Commission thankfully analysed in detail in its Communication of 23 May 2008. It was on this basis that the European Council of 19 and 20 June adopted its decisions.
In the agriculture sector, the EU has already acted: we have sold intervention stocks, reduced export refunds, abolished the need for set-aside in 2008, increased milk quotas and suspended import duty on cereals. This has enabled us to improve supply and has helped stabilise the agricultural markets. However, this is not enough.
We need to continue the reform of the common agricultural policy; we must make it more market-oriented while encouraging sustainable agriculture throughout the EU and assuring adequate supply. Agriculture ministers are discussing this – in fact they may even still be discussing it today – at the informal meeting in Annecy and will report back to the ‘Agriculture’ Council on 17 and 18 November. In this context, the French Presidency is determined to strengthen the crisis management instruments in an increasingly uncertain international context and to maintain all market regulation instruments to prevent the volatility that you quite rightly mention.
The question of food prices is not just linked to agriculture; other mechanisms are at work. I am thinking for example of the fisheries policy, which has to cope with the consequences of the increase in diesel prices. On 15 July the Council adopted a series of emergency measures to encourage the restructuring of the fleets that have been hit hardest by the crisis. There is also regulation of the retail sector: the Commission is due to submit a report to the European Council next December. There are also policies concerning biofuels, which must take economic and environmental constraints into account and ensure that there is a cap on the prices of these new fuels.
As you can see, these diverse issues, not to mention those that we have already raised – in other words, development policies and procurement policies with regard to food imports – cover a wide range of policies and are high on the Council’s agenda. The European Council will examine this in October and December, and of course I will be delighted to take on the task of informing you of the results."@en1
|
| lpv:videoURI |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples