Linkohr (PSE), draftsman of the opinion of the Committee on Industry, External Trade, Research and Energy. – (DE) Madam President, I, too, would like to thank the rapporteur for his excellent work and I hope that one reading will suffice.

I would like to concentrate on just one thing, namely sinks. I disagree on this point. I have just returned from a trip to South America as part of an official delegation. Surprisingly enough, they have been looking very closely at this Linking Directive, at any rate in some of the ministries, and I was repeatedly told how important it is for them that sinks, in other words forestry, should be included. I can see why. If we included forestry, it would be an extraordinarily great help not least in fighting poverty in those countries, or in creating alternatives to drugs in places where they are cultivated.

I would also like to mention that just under a year ago France concluded an agreement with Colombia which did include forestry; there is therefore a conflict between Parliament and the Council of Ministers that we will not survive in the long term.