Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2009-09-14-Speech-1-147"
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"en.20090914.25.1-147"2
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"Madam President, Commissioner, I was very pleased to see you here and hear you speak. I consider that what you said also answers the letter which we sent to you on the second day of the fires in which we set out a proposal for common action in southern Europe to prevent and fight fires, together with certain other detailed proposals.
I should also like to add that I am delighted to see that all the MEPs from the Greek parties and the Spanish party have responded to our call for a joint presence in the European Parliament and joint efforts to plan a European strategy to deal with natural disasters.
Commissioner, it would appear that climate change results in fires and floods and is now a major structural phenomenon, because the fires and floods we are witnessing are a structural phenomenon.
We must not think along medium-term and short-term lines. We need to lay the foundations for a long-term strategy. That is why the governments of the Mediterranean states should unite in efforts to convince our northern partners of the need for the mechanism you referred to, both within the framework of subsidiarity and within the framework of solidarity.
I understand, Commissioner, that you are having problems from northern Europe as far as subsidiarity is concerned. I hope that the phenomenon of natural disasters will only affect southern Europe, but I greatly fear that climate change is proceeding at such a pace that we may have natural disasters – of a different kind – in northern Europe. So you were quite right to propose that we plan this strategy to prevent and deal with natural disasters.
For the time being, we have this small unit based in Corsica. It worked well this summer. The Commissioner for the Environment urgently needs to develop and support this unit in his recommendation on this matter, both to the Commission and to the Council. I would call on MEPs from the southern countries to cooperate with their governments and to support the recommendations made by Mr Dimas to both the Commission and the Council, as this is to the advantage of all the countries in the south.
I have seen the motion for a resolution by the European People’s Party (Christian Democrats) and I agree with it. I am delighted that they have moved this resolution. I would add something else to this motion for a resolution by the PPE. With climate change as the beginning and fires and floods as the result, the Commission should place particular emphasis at the Copenhagen conference on preparing a strategy to prevent and deal with natural disasters, determine the budget needed to cover the prevention and avoidance of natural disasters and therefore strengthen this exemplary EU forest fire tactical reserve unit.
We expect to see the European strategy to prevent and deal with natural disasters, as a top priority, very high up on the agenda for the Copenhagen conference."@en1
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