Izquierdo Rojo (PSE). – (ES) Mr President, it took a hard struggle to reach a compromise within the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development. Opposing viewpoints had to be reconciled. I believe this is a valuable compromise. It represents a useful reference point facilitating full implementation of CAP reform. At the same time, it reduces the risk of agricultural production being discontinued in disadvantaged areas. I shall therefore be voting in favour of this compromise and I feel the Commission should accept it.

As regards the Commission, I think measures should be taken to ensure the Spanish financial statement does not suffer because actual production was not represented accurately. Mrs Redondo was quite right to make this point earlier.

Secondly, Commissioner, cessation of tobacco production in Granada should be deferred until the individuals involved can be offered genuine alternative jobs in agriculture.

The Spanish Popular Party has already closed down CETARSA for reasons connected with financial speculation. CETARSA was a profitable public company. I beg you, Commissioner, not to now give the region the coup de grâce through your proposal, which would turn the 2 000 families dependent on tobacco off the land.