Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2011-09-28-Speech-3-333-000"
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"en.20110928.22.3-333-000"2
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"Mr President, Commissioner, Mr Sawicki, the number of poor and unemployed people in the European Union continues to rise. More than 43 million Europeans are threatened by food poverty. The situation is critical. Today, six Member States want to put an end to the food aid programme with no replacement solution: Germany, Sweden, Denmark, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and the Czech Republic. Admittedly, the Court of Justice of the European Union has made a ruling and we have to respect it. Nevertheless, Commissioner, in June 2011, Parliament called on you, on the initiative of the Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance, and you made appropriate proposals in order to protect the programme.
The Verts/ALE Group is ready to work with you on long-term solutions; however, given that millions of people depend on this scheme, we cannot allow the food aid budget to be reduced by three-quarters. This is absolutely urgent. If nothing is done before the end of the year, the food banks will be lacking almost EUR 300 million, and there is no guarantee that the national governments will be able to step up to bridge that gap. This is therefore a real question of solidarity between people. We cannot allow a minority of irresponsible governments to deprive millions of Europeans of their food aid, because this is first and foremost a matter of survival.
The fight against poverty and malnutrition also requires a reform of the common agricultural policy (CAP). We need to make fundamental changes to our production methods in order to bring food production closer to the people, particularly the poorest, who also have a right to a healthy, balanced diet.
Only a truly sustainable CAP can guarantee that fewer Europeans will need food aid in the future. The Council needs to see reason, and let those in need have recourse to this vital aid.
I am addressing the future Danish Government in particular, who will be responsible for taking over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in January. They need to see reason. Will it take hunger riots in Europe in order for us to realise the urgent need to change our way of thinking? When it comes to saving the banks, the Council finds solutions, but when it is a matter of saving the food banks, nobody is interested.
Parliament spoke some strong words last time, when we said that human beings are more important than finance. It is high time we reasserted that. In any case, Parliament will be extremely vigilant, and we will not hesitate to renew our call in a constructive manner."@en1
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