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Verbatim report of proceedings
Tuesday, 23 September 2003 - Strasbourg OJ edition

Presentation by the Council of draft general budget - 2004
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  Goodwill (PPE-DE). Mr President, a number of amendments to the budget were adopted by the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Policy. A main objective was to restore or increase the budgets of the agencies on which we rely to carry out statutory and other tasks set by Parliament, namely those of the European Medicines Evaluation Agency, the European Environment Agency and the fledgling European Food Safety Authority. New tasks are continually being delegated to these agencies and it is vital that they are adequately resourced.

Secondly, once again we expose the hypocrisy of a European Union that pays lip-service to health promotion by combating smoking-related diseases but continues to pour EUR 1 billion per annum into subsidising the production of low-quality tobacco, much of which is exported to developing countries. How can this be justified?

Lastly I turn to CAP reform. European Union and US farmers are subsidy junkies and although the agreement does not spell an end to this transatlantic addiction, it may be a step in the right direction. We applaud moves from direct aid to aid linked to environmental objectives, but we know very well that many environmental directives are not being complied with. For example, the Nitrates Directive, despite being 13 years old, is only being complied with in two Member States. Does Commissioner Fischler foresee individual farmers, regions or Member States having their cheques cut back because of this non-compliance? Are we only paying lip-service to a link between the CAP and a cleaner, better environment?

 
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