Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2010-10-20-Speech-3-726"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20101020.28.3-726"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:translated text |
"Madam President, I must say that I fully understand what they are going through in Pakistan, but I would also say that this decision is tragic for Europe and, particularly, for some countries that are already experiencing serious difficulties, such as Portugal, Spain and Greece.
For example, the textiles and clothing industry represents 11% of Portugal’s total exports, 22% of the manufacturing industry; 80% of production for some products even takes place in Portugal. Perhaps, then, this 80% spread across the 27 Member States means little to the European Commission, but it means an enormous amount to Portugal.
Europe cannot demand extremely damaging – but understandable – measures to control public audits and to fight the deficit, and, at the same time, take decisions that hurt the productive heartlands and capacities for wealth and job creation of those very same countries.
I must say too that this decision is also an incomprehensible attack on the normal market rules. I do not advocate any form of market protectionism, but I demand the strict defence of its proper rules: the rules of a market that is healthy and fair.
Please understand that this decision will make it possible for products manufactured in Pakistan to come on to the European market, and with production costs below those possible for our companies simply because the same conditions are not required of them during production; humble apologies, but I call that unfair competition. It is unfair competition because Pakistani companies do not have social costs relating to their workers, they do not have environmental costs, they are not particularly concerned with combating the child labour that goes on there, and they do not have equivalent restrictions on the use of primary materials for reasons of public health.
I would even ask: how is such a radical decision possible without a report being tabled first that exactly details its negative impact on the various Member States?
Nevertheless, I could venture some consequences right now, and those consequences are the closure and collapse of companies in the European Union, particularly in Portugal, and increased numbers of unemployed. It is good for you to fully understand this, because there will come a time when someone has to be responsible for it.
If, in the end, we can assume – as some surely will – that this proposal is inevitable, please at least give a bit of forethought to some things that are not yet under consideration. For example, the establishment of a tariff rate quota, which is provided for in the case of ethanol, but not in that of textiles. The waiver should be for a maximum of one year because aid is temporary. Believe me; no European company will survive three years in direct competition with Pakistani companies.
Madam President, I am finishing now: lastly, a provision is needed on primary materials, so that Pakistan does not block European companies’ access to such materials to benefit from this production itself."@en1
|
| lpv:videoURI |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples