Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2011-04-07-Speech-4-080-000"
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"en.20110407.5.4-080-000"2
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"Mr President, we raised several warnings during the debate on trade agreements on agricultural produce between Morocco and other Mediterranean countries, such as Egypt and Israel. We warned that if these were concluded, they would further increase the pressure faced by farmers in the EU to lower production prices, especially in countries like Portugal, and exacerbate the additional difficulties in disposing of their products. We condemn the liberalisation of trade in fruit and vegetables, which are typically Mediterranean products, as this would lead to large supermarkets stocking lower priced products, which are often exempt from the same rules and standards as those imposed on farmers in the EU. We would like to point out that the liberalisation of trade for agricultural produce promotes models of intensive production for export which favour big agribusiness at the expense of small and medium-sized farming, family farming, and supply for local and regional markets. All this has negative consequences on the sovereignty, security and quality of food, and on the environment.
This situation was the reason for our warnings, which the Commission has regrettably ignored, and is continuing to do so. It has ignored the need to defend the interests of EU producers, ensuring fair prices for production and business continuity, especially for small and medium-sized farming. Moreover, we now know that the Commission also ignored the report by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), which denounced irregularities in the importing of tomatoes from Morocco, in a report acknowledging the impact of these imports on lowering tomato prices in the EU market. Not content with this, in the new agricultural chapter in the Association Agreement with Morocco, the Commission has decided to further increase tomato imports to the EU.
When will this liberal fundamentalism, which sacrifices everything to the interests of a few major European corporations and multinational exporters, finally be curbed? How does the Commission intend to make amends to European producers for the damage that it has clearly caused them? We will leave you with these questions."@en1
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