Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2011-12-13-Speech-2-581-000"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20111213.34.2-581-000"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:translated text |
"Mr President, first and foremost, this debate has demonstrated how a seemingly simple product like fruit juice can rouse such passions. As several of you have mentioned, this shows that the fruit and vegetable sector is of real value to us, that it is also seen in a positive light in terms of our health, and that we therefore have an interest in protecting and supporting this sector, as we have been doing through the common agricultural policy.
One of the best ways to support the fruit production sector is to gain and maintain consumer confidence. Following the Escherichia coli crisis this year, we saw how a lack of confidence among consumers could have a negative impact on producers. That is why I think that this directive, which we negotiated jointly and, I agree, is a good compromise, helps to strengthen consumer confidence as well as being beneficial for producers.
I would like to reassure Mr Schnellhardt, if that may help him to change his mind and to vote in favour of this directive, that this directive is fully consistent with the Labelling Directive because all the ingredients will be indicated on the label and in the name of the product, in the order of the quantities contained in the juice in question.
Therefore as you can see, it does not clash with the Labelling Directive, which indeed requires all ingredients to be listed, except that they must be listed in descending order of percentage content.
Mr Szegedi, I do not know what led you to think that the European Union forces Hungarian producers or any other European producers to uproot their trees. This has never been the case for any product and nothing forces a producer to make such a choice. I can assure you that there is nothing in the common agricultural policy or in any European decision that forces any European fruit producer to uproot their trees. Therefore, you need not be concerned, as fruit and vegetable producers will continue to receive support that will allow them to grow quality produce.
The decision, which I hope we are going to make, will help consumers to appreciate this quality. Some of you have raised the fact that a large quantity of juice is imported from outside of the European Union. What is important in the European Union is that we continue to ensure that the juices and fruits we produce succeed not so much in terms of quantity but of quality, because that is where added value lies. I think that it is important to support this, especially as we have a limited potential area for agricultural land, in any case, more limited than that of other producers around the world.
The way in which to help our producers to successfully earn a living is, above all, by helping them to grow quality produce and to realise its potential. I think that this directive will also help us to make a step in this direction.
I would like to express my thanks, once again, to Mr Perello Rodriguez, and to thank all those who have worked on reaching this compromise and on moving towards a positive decision tomorrow."@en1
|
| lpv:videoURI |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples