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PARALLEL TEXTS L'Europa, terra di promesse per il settore della carne Inglese tratto da: http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=SPEECH/12/419&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en Italiano tratto da: http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=SPEECH/12/419&format=HTML&aged=0&language=IT&guiLanguage=en Data documento: 06-06-20121 | Europe, land of opportunity for the meat sector | L'Europa, terra di promesse per il settore della carne | 2 | Dacian Cioloş, | Dacian Cioloş, | 3 | European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development - World Meat Congress/Paris | Commissario europeo per l'Agricoltura e lo Sviluppo rurale - Congresso Mondiale della Carne / Parigi | 4 | Ladies and Gentlemen, | Signore e signori, | 5 | I should first of all like to thank you for inviting me to speak at this international conference. | Due parole, innanzitutto, per ringraziarvi dell'accoglienza che mi avete riservato in questa sede internazionale. | 6 | I will take advantage of this opportunity to voice both Europe’s concerns about the meat sector and its vision for the future. | È per me una preziosa opportunità che mi viene offerta di presentare a questa assemblea internazionale la visione europea sul settore della carne. | 7 | I should, in particular, like to thank Joseph Daul, with whom it is always a pleasure to discuss livestock farming, the future of the industry and the future of our livestock farmers and our farmers in general. | Vorrei ringraziare in particolar modo Joseph Daul, con cui ho sempre avuto piacevoli scambi di opinioni sull'allevamento, sul futuro delle nostre filiere, degli allevatori e degli agricoltori in generale. | 8 | I can assure you that the livestock-farming sector is high on our agenda, and not just in the context of discussions on the future of the common agricultural policy. | Posso assicurarvi che l'allevamento è un settore per il quale ci stiamo mobilitando, e non solo nel quadro delle riflessioni sul futuro della Politica agricola comune. | 9 | The meat sector is high on the agenda because it is a sector marked by contrasts and at the crux of the many challenges for the future of the agricultural sector. | Se ci mobilitiamo a favore del settore della carne, è perché è un comparto caratterizzato da forti contrasti, all'incrocio di numerose sfide per il futuro del mondo agricolo. | 10 | On the one hand, world meat consumption is growing consistently as a result of demand from the emerging counties and has increased by 6% over the past five years. | Da un lato, il consumo di carne nel mondo è in costante aumento per la spinta dei paesi emergenti: +6% in cinque anni. | 11 | On the other, consumers in the developed countries are being bombarded with negative reports about the impact of allegedly excessive consumption. | D'altra parte, però, ai consumatori dei paesi sviluppati vengono rivolti messaggi negativi sulle conseguenze di un presunto consumo eccessivo. | 12 | In the latter countries, per capita consumption is stagnating. | E infatti, in questi paesi, il consumo pro capite rimane stazionario. | 13 | On the one hand, livestock farming, and in particular extensive cattle, sheep and goat farming, helps preserve natural biodiversity and maintain the landscape, conserve grassland, thereby combating climate change, and maintain biodiversity, all key issues for Europe. | Da un lato, l'allevamento - in particolare quello bovino, ovino e caprino estensivo - contribuisce alla salvaguardia della biodiversità naturale e alla cura del territorio, alla conservazione di prati e pascoli e quindi alla lotta contro i cambiamenti climatici, problematiche cui la società europea è particolarmente sensibile. | 14 | On the other hand, however, criticisms are voiced of the environmental impact of certain types of livestock farming, in particular as regards the question of water and changes to land-use. | Dall'altro, viene criticato l'impatto ambientale di certi tipi di allevamento, in particolare riguardo alla questione dell'acqua o dei cambiamenti d'uso dei terreni. | 15 | While some regions are taking full advantage of the growth of the emerging markets, others are finding it hard to cope with the competition. | Mentre alcune regioni si avvantaggiano pienamente della crescita dei mercati emergenti, altre hanno difficoltà a reggere la concorrenza. | 16 | Contrary to what is sometimes said, Europe is no longer a ‘price setter’, as it has been in the past. In fact, the opposite is true. Following the successive CAP reforms, Europe has become a ‘price taker’. | Contrariamente a quanto si sente dire talvolta, l'Europa non ha più, come in passato, un ruolo determinante nella formazione dei prezzi. Anzi, con le successive riforme della PAC, è diventata "soggetto passivo" dei prezzi. | 17 | This is the reality and it poses a challenge for our farmers, because they must, at the same time, meet the specific needs of European society and seize the opportunities offered by the world market. | Si tratta di una realtà e, in quanto tale, di una sfida per i nostri allevatori, i quali devono rispondere alle attese specifiche della società europea e, nel contempo, cogliere le opportunità offerte dal mercato mondiale. | 18 | Another contrast: sheep and cattle are often farmed in Europe’s vulnerable regions. It is often the only farming activity (and sometimes the only economic activity) possible. | Un altro contrasto è dato dal fatto che, in Europa, l'allevamento ovino e bovino si identifica spesso con le regioni fragili, dove spesso rappresenta l'unica attività agricola possibile (e talvolta l'unica attività economica). | 19 | Side-by-side with this in the meat sector are regions that are well integrated into global commercial circuits and regions that have based their development on creating highly competitive meat sectors. | All'interno della filiera carne, questo tipo di allevamento si trova a fianco di regioni perfettamente integrate nei circuiti commerciali mondiali e che hanno fondato il loro sviluppo sulla creazione di filiere estremamente competitive. | 20 | In both cases, whole segments of the regional economy are based on livestock farming. | Nell'uno come nell'altro caso, intere fasce delle economie regionali poggiano sull'allevamento. | 21 | Europe is proud of this and wants to preserve the considerable potential this represents. | L'Europa ne è fiera e intende preservare questo potenziale considerevole. | 22 | But these contrasts pose challenges for all producer countries. | Tali contrasti rappresentano tuttavia delle sfide per l'insieme dei paesi produttori. | 23 | We must meet the challenge of food security, responding to growing demand, while respecting the distinctive natures of the different regions and the strong cultural identities linked to meat production and the environment. | Dobbiamo rispondere alla sfida della sicurezza alimentare - soddisfare una domanda crescente - e, nel contempo, rispettare i territori, l'ambiente e le marcate identità culturali legate alla carne. | 24 | Europe is well placed to meet these conflicting challenges: production and sustainability, thanks notably to the efforts made over recent years to move towards a more market-oriented agricultural policy; | L'Europa è in buona posizione per conciliare tra loro queste sfide - produzione e sostenibilità - segnatamente grazie agli sforzi compiuti negli ultimi anni per orientare maggiormente la nostra politica agricola verso il mercato; | 25 | thanks to the efforts we shall continue to make to reform the CAP, with improved exploitation of ‘greener’ agricultural practices; | nonché grazie agli sforzi che porteremo avanti con la riforma della PAC per promuovere pratiche agricole più "verdi"; | 26 | and, finally, thanks to our considerable capacity for research and innovation. | e, infine, grazie alla nostra considerevole capacità di ricerca e d'innovazione. | 27 | But if Europe is well placed (I shall come back to this), this must be part of a coherent, international approach, as regards both our bilateral and our multilateral relations. | Nonostante le buone potenzialità dell'Europa (su cui tornerò più avanti), occorre procedere in questo senso nell'ambito delle nostre relazioni bilaterali e multilaterali, attenendoci ad un'impostazione internazionale coerente. | 28 | The first challenge is, of course, the Doha Round. | Il primo elemento da prendere in considerazione è, ovviamente, il ciclo di Doha. | 29 | As you know, there is not much progress at the moment. | Come ben sapete, ci troviamo in una fase di stasi. | 30 | A multilateral agreement could provide a boost to world agriculture, as long as it takes into account the reality of vulnerable rural areas throughout the world. | Un accordo multilaterale potrebbe spingere in avanti l'agricoltura mondiale, a condizione che tenga conto della realtà delle zone rurali fragili, in ogni parte del mondo. | 31 | More often that not, livestock farming is a crucial activity in these areas. It is one of a range of essential but vulnerable rural activities. | In queste regioni spesso predomina l'allevamento, che pur essendo una delle attività rurali essenziali, resta fragile. | 32 | And so meat is often a critical product, and this must be recognised. | Pertanto, la carne è spesso un prodotto sensibile che va riconosciuto come tale. | 33 | This holds for both multilateral negotiations and bilateral negotiations, which have taken on increased importance in recent years. | Ciò vale sia per i negoziati multilaterali sia per quelli bilaterali, che negli ultimi anni hanno assunto una maggiore importanza. | 34 | In both cases, negotiations must take account of the need for social, environmental and economic sustainability. | In entrambi i casi, i negoziati devono rispettare criteri di sostenibilità sociale, ambientale ed economica. | 35 | With the SPS Agreement reached during the most recent round of multilateral negotiations, progress was made on health and plant-health standards. | Nell'ultimo ciclo di negoziati multilaterali, l'accordo SPS ha rappresentato un passo avanti in materia di norme sanitarie e fitosanitarie. | 36 | The standards apply to all products and are based on solid scientific arguments.They aim to protect consumers, animal and plant health and the environment. | Si tratta di norme applicabili a tutti i prodotti, fondate su solide argomentazioni scientifiche e miranti a tutelare i consumatori, la salute degli animali e delle piante e l'ambiente. | 37 | I am doing my utmost to ensure that these standards are met. Under no circumstances must they be misused to create trade barriers. | Tengo ad esercitare la massima vigilanza sull'applicazione di tali norme, affinché non vengano sviate per creare ostacoli agli scambi. | 38 | Since the beginning of my mandate, I have taken great care to ensure that commitments are fulfilled. I can ensure you that I shall continue to monitor these issues closely, together with my colleague, John Dalli, Commissioner for Health. | Il rispetto degli impegni presi mi sta particolarmente a cuore sin dall'inizio del mio mandato e posso assicurarvi che resterò vigile su questi aspetti, insieme al mio collega John Dalli, responsabile per la salute. | 39 | But there are political, societal and ethical choices to be made. This must also be recognised. I am thinking, in particular, of the question of animal welfare. | Occorre tuttavia tener conto anche di scelte politiche, etiche, di società.Penso ad esempio alla questione del benessere degli animali. | 40 | It is not about misusing the rules to create some sort of tariff barrier. On the contrary, it is about listening to society and responding to its concerns. | Non si tratta di creare surrettiziamente chissà quale barriera tariffaria, bensì di ascoltare le esigenze della società e di rispondere alle sue preoccupazioni. | 41 | Furthermore, these concerns are less and less restricted to Europe, but are increasingly being expressed the world over. | Esigenze e preoccupazioni che, del resto, sono sempre meno circoscritte all'Europa e sempre più diffuse in ogni parte del mondo. | 42 | It is true that on the issues of animal welfare and environmental standards, Europe is often a trailblazer, with very specific commitments. | Vero è che l'Europa è molto spesso all'avanguardia in ambiti quali il benessere degli animali o le norme ambientali, dove sono stati assunti impegni concreti. | 43 | These commitments have a cost for producers. | Questi impegni implicano un costo per i produttori. | 44 | However, whereas the standards adopted increasingly reflect the expectations of society as a whole, they are not sufficiently taken into account in international negotiations, although I welcome the discussions on this subject that have taken place at the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). | Tuttavia tali norme, pur rispondendo ad aspettative della società sempre più globali, non vengono prese sufficientemente in considerazione in sede di negoziati internazionali. Il mio plauso va peraltro ai dibattiti in corso su questi argomenti nell'ambito dell'Organizzazione mondiale della sanità animale (OIE). | 45 | Lastly, whether it is the excessive volatility of world prices, which have a very direct impact on livestock farmers, particularly those who are heavily dependent on imports to feed their livestock, or increased health risks linked to climate change and increased trade, all these issues show the need for farmers, including livestock farmers, to strengthen cooperation and dialogue at a global level (G20-FAO). | Infine, sia che si tratti dell'eccessiva volatilità dei prezzi mondiali, che colpisce direttamente gli allevatori, soprattutto quelli che dipendono pesantemente dalle importazioni per l'alimentazione degli animali; sia che si tratti della propagazione dei rischi sanitari dovuta ai cambiamenti climatici e all'espansione degli scambi, tutte queste problematiche dimostrano la necessità, per agricoltori e allevatori, di rafforzare la cooperazione e il dialogo a livello mondiale (G20-FAO). | 46 | Trade also needs to be developed. | Occorre altresì sviluppare gli scambi. | 47 | Europe will continue its efforts in this direction, building on what has been achieved recently, in particular with South Korea. | L'Europa andrà avanti su questa strada, come ha già fatto, ad esempio, con la Corea del sud. | 48 | We are working on other agreements, because Europe’s has strengths that need to be put forward and enable it to meet global demand. | Stiamo preparando anche altri accordi, poiché l'Europa ha tutte le carte in regola per essere presente sulla scena internazionale e per rispondere alla domanda mondiale. | 49 | We are perhaps the world's largest importer of agricultural products and agri-foodstuffs, which shows how open Europe is. | Siamo forse il primo importatore mondiale di prodotti agroalimentari, il che conferma del resto l'apertura dell'Europa. | 50 | We are also the biggest exporter, and we want to develop markets, not only by being competitive, but also through promotional measures and backed by my personal commitment, as Commissioner, to supporting our exporters. | Siamo anche il primo esportatore, e affermiamo la nostra volontà di sviluppare nuovi mercati, non solo grazie alla nostra competitività, ma anche con lo strumento della promozione e con il mio impegno personale, in qualità di commissario, a sostegno degli esportatori europei. | 51 | This is what I was doing in China last year. | È quello che ho fatto in Cina l'anno scorso. | 52 | I am returning to China tomorrow and shall then be visiting South Korea and Japan, bearing the values of the European agricultural sector, our strengths as regards food safety, quality and know-how. | Domani parto di nuovo per la Cina e da lì mi recherò in Corea del sud e in Giappone, per portare laggiù i valori della filiera europea, le nostre carte vincenti della sicurezza sanitaria, della qualità e della competenza professionale dei nostri produttori. | 53 | The public authorities must help the sector to overcome the challenges it faces and listen to public expectations. | I pubblici poteri devono aiutare il settore ad affrontare le sfide e ascoltare le richieste dei cittadini. | 54 | This is what we want to achieve with the reform of the CAP. | È quello che vogliamo fare con la riforma della PAC. | 55 | First of all, a short digression: not enough is made of the fact that the CAP has changed. | Innanzitutto, permettetemi di aprire una breve parentesi: non si insiste abbastanza sul fatto che la PAC è cambiata. | 56 | Much has already been achieved over recent years. And this has had a very direct impact on the livestock-farming sector, with, for example, minimal use being made of mechanisms such as export refunds and private storage aid. | Molto è già stato fatto in questi ultimi anni, e il settore dell'allevamento ne ha fatto l'esperienza diretta, ad esempio ricorrendo in misura del tutto marginale a strumenti come le restituzioni all'esportazione o gli aiuti all'ammasso privato. | 57 | They have been replaced by safety nets, which no longer impact on the markets but are instead triggered only in the event of a very serious crisis. | Questi strumenti sono stati sostituiti da reti di sicurezza che ormai non influenzano più il mercato, ma intervengono solo in caso di crisi gravissima. | 58 | As I was saying earlier, Europe is now a ‘price taker’, open to and influenced by the world. | Come dicevo all'inizio, l'Europa è diventata "soggetto passivo" dei prezzi, aperta sul mondo ed esposta all'influenza del mercato mondiale. | 59 | We are more market oriented - this is the reality. | Oggi siamo molto più orientati verso il mercato, è un dato di fatto. | 60 | But our aim is also to fulfil society’s expectations and to recognise and maintain a strong meat sector in Europe. | Ma abbiamo anche l'ambizione di rispondere alle attese della società, di riconoscere e mantenere in Europa una filiera carne salda e dinamica. | 61 | This is essential to food security, the sound management of our natural resources and the development of our regions. | Essa rappresenta un elemento importante della sicurezza alimentare, della buona gestione delle risorse naturali e dello sviluppo del territorio. | 62 | Without, of course, calling into question this market orientation and in the context of our international commitments, we have high ambitions for the meat sector with the reform of the CAP. | Senza rimettere in discussione l'orientamento al mercato e nel rispetto dei nostri impegni internazionali, la riforma della PAC ripone grandi ambizioni nella filiera carne. | 63 | We wanted both to recognise the positive role played by livestock farming and to encourage livestock farmers. | Abbiamo voluto riconoscere il ruolo positivo dell'allevamento e, al tempo stesso, incoraggiare gli allevatori. | 64 | It is an essential factor in the ‘greening’ of agriculture and the promotion of permanent grassland. | Si tratta di una dimensione fondamentale dell'"inverdimento" e dell'importanza attribuita ai pascoli permanenti. | 65 | I should also like to take this opportunity to stress that the Commission has shown its commitment over recent weeks to ensuring that this instrument is not only effective, but also clearly applicable, including in livestock farming. | D'altronde, ne approfitto per sottolineare che, in queste ultime settimane, la Commissione ha manifestato la propria volontà di far sì che questo strumento sia non solo efficace, ma anche agevolmente applicabile, tra l'altro all'allevamento. | 66 | We are not dogmatic, but I also want to stress that the reform of the CAP, as it applies to livestock farming, does not stop at environmental issues. | Non ci arrocchiamo su posizioni dogmatiche. Vorrei però sottolineare che, per quanto riguarda l'allevamento, la riforma della PAC non si ferma all'aspetto "verde". | 67 | Other issues are just as important: | Vi sono anche altri orientamenti, altrettanto essenziali: | 68 | - More support is needed, with more and better targeted direct aid for young farmers during the early years to help them take over from the previous generation, something that is a major challenge in the meat sector. | - un sostegno più giusto, con aiuti diretti meglio calibrati e più elevati nei primi anni, per aiutare i giovani agricoltori a subentrare nell'azienda, in quanto il ricambio generazionale nella filiera carne rappresenta una grossa sfida; | 69 | - The possibility for EU Member States to provide greater support for less-favoured areas, which are often also livestock farming areas. | - concordare un sostegno più cospicuo alle zone svantaggiate, che spesso sono appunto aree dedite all'allevamento; | 70 | - Instruments to reinforce the structure of the different sectors (producer groups). | - gli strumenti atti a favorire la strutturazione delle filiere (organizzazioni e associazioni di produttori). | 71 | We must move towards a new form of market management, giving producers more freedom of action and ensuring better coordination between the public authorities and those working in the sector. | Dobbiamo incamminarci verso una nuova forma di gestione dei mercati, fondata su una maggiore capacità di azione dei produttori stessi e una migliore articolazione tra il ruolo dei pubblici poteri e quello degli operatori. | 72 | The aim must be not to undermine the market-oriented approach but to ensure the smooth operation of the agri-food sector. | Non si tratta di rimettere in discussione l'orientamento al mercato, ma di garantire il buon funzionamento della filiera agroalimentare; | 73 | - Maintaining effective market stabilisation instruments with very clear incentives to develop agricultural insurance mechanisms and mutual funds. | - il mantenimento di strumenti efficaci di stabilizzazione dei mercati, chiaramente mirati a incoraggiare lo sviluppo di meccanismi assicurativi e di fondi di mutualizzazione; | 74 | - And, finally, an increased effort to better communicate, to better highlight quality, in particular by re-examining our meat promotion policy. | - infine, uno sforzo accresciuto in materia di comunicazione e valorizzazione della qualità, in particolare attraverso una riflessione sulla politica di promozione. | 75 | I should like to add that we want to make an unprecedented effort to promote research and innovation under the CAP. | Aggiungo che intendiamo dispiegare uno sforzo senza precedenti, nell'ambito della PAC, a favore della ricerca e dell'innovazione. | 76 | Livestock farming will be given the importance it deserves. | Il comparto zootecnico vi occuperà un posto d'onore. | 77 | I should like to conclude on a matter that affects and worries us all, as crisis follows crisis. I am talking about animal health. | Vorrei concludere su un punto che ci riguarda e ci preoccupa tutti, crisi dopo crisi: quello della salute degli animali. | 78 | Without entering into details on this issue, on which I work closely with Commissioner Dalli, I want to say that, in my opinion, the main way of ensuring proper animal health is by ensuring the environmental and financial health of our farms and regions. | Senza entrare nei dettagli della questione, sulla quale lavoro in stretta collaborazione con il commissario Dalli, vorrei dirvi che la prima rete di sicurezza per garantire una buona salute degli animali è, a mio avviso, la salute economica ed ecologica dei nostri allevamenti e territori. | 79 | This also constitutes a preventive policy for managing health risks. | Anche in questo consiste una politica preventiva di gestione dei rischi sanitari. | 80 | We must create the conditions to make this possible. | Dobbiamo creare le condizioni perché ciò sia possibile. | 81 | This is our aim. | Questa è la nostra ambizione. | 82 | Finally, I can say that Europe has high ambitions for the meat sector. It is too often attacked and is not shown the respect it deserves. | In conclusione, posso dirvi che l'Europa nutre una vera e propria ambizione per il settore della carne, troppo spesso criticato e non abbastanza rispettato. | 83 | Not enough is said of the extremely difficult work farmers do, day in and day out. | Il difficile lavoro che compiono ogni giorno gli allevatori passa spesso sotto silenzio ed è poco conosciuto. | 84 | Not enough is said of the economic, environmental and social benefits the sector brings to society as a whole. | Non si parla abbastanza delle ricadute economiche, ecologiche e sociali positive di questo settore per l'insieme della società. | 85 | Not enough praise is given. | Se ne dovrebbe parlare di più. | 86 | In any case, I, as European Commissioner, fully support the European meat sector, as does the Commission and we are determined to promote its development and respond to the positive signals coming from the markets. | Ad ogni modo io, in quanto commissario europeo, e più in generale l'Unione europea, abbiamo a cuore il settore della carne e siamo decisi a favorirne lo sviluppo, stando attenti a cogliere tutti i segnali positivi che ci vengono dal mercato. |
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Europe, land of opportunity for the meat sector Dacian Cioloş, European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development -World Meat Congress/Paris Ladies and Gentlemen, I should first of all like to thank you for inviting me to speak at this international conference. I will take advantage of this opportunity to voice both Europe’s concerns about the meat sector and its vision for the future. I should, in particular, like to thank Joseph Daul, with whom it is always a pleasure to discuss livestock farming, the future of the industry and the future of our livestock farmers and our farmers in general. I can assure you that the livestock-farming sector is high on our agenda, and not just in the context of discussions on the future of the common agricultural policy. The meat sector is high on the agenda because it is a sector marked by contrasts and at the crux of the many challenges for the future of the agricultural sector. On the one hand, world meat consumption is growing consistently as a result of demand from the emerging counties and has increased by 6% over the past five years. On the other, consumers in the developed countries are being bombarded with negative reports about the impact of allegedly excessive consumption. In the latter countries, per capita consumption is stagnating. On the one hand, livestock farming, and in particular extensive cattle, sheep and goat farming, helps preserve natural biodiversity and maintain the landscape, conserve grassland, thereby combating climate change, and maintain biodiversity, all key issues for Europe. On the other hand, however, criticisms are voiced of the environmental impact of certain types of livestock farming, in particular as regards the question of water and changes to land-use. While some regions are taking full advantage of the growth of the emerging markets, others are finding it hard to cope with the competition. Contrary to what is sometimes said, Europe is no longer a ‘price setter’, as it has been in the past. In fact, the opposite is true. Following the successive CAP reforms, Europe has become a ‘price taker’. This is the reality and it poses a challenge for our farmers, because they must, at the same time, meet the specific needs of European society and seize the opportunities offered by the world market. Another contrast: sheep and cattle are often farmed in Europe’s vulnerable regions. It is often the only farming activity (and sometimes the only economic activity) possible. Side-by-side with this in the meat sector are regions that are well integrated into global commercial circuits and regions that have based their development on creating highly competitive meat sectors. In both cases, whole segments of the regional economy are based on livestock farming. Europe is proud of this and wants to preserve the considerable potential this represents. But these contrasts pose challenges for all producer countries. We must meet the challenge of food security, responding to growing demand, while respecting the distinctive natures of the different regions and the strong cultural identities linked to meat production and the environment. Europe is well placed to meet these conflicting challenges: production and sustainability, thanks notably to the efforts made over recent years to move towards a more market-oriented agricultural policy; thanks to the efforts we shall continue to make to reform the CAP, with improved exploitation of ‘greener’ agricultural practices; and, finally, thanks to our considerable capacity for research and innovation. But if Europe is well placed (I shall come back to this), this must be part of a coherent, international approach, as regards both our bilateral and our multilateral relations. The first challenge is, of course, the Doha Round. As you know, there is not much progress at the moment. A multilateral agreement could provide a boost to world agriculture, as long as it takes into account the reality of vulnerable rural areas throughout the world. More often that not, livestock farming is a crucial activity in these areas. It is one of a range of essential but vulnerable rural activities. And so meat is often a critical product, and this must be recognised. This holds for both multilateral negotiations and bilateral negotiations, which have taken on increased importance in recent years. In both cases, negotiations must take account of the need for social, environmental and economic sustainability. With the SPS Agreement reached during the most recent round of multilateral negotiations, progress was made on health and plant-health standards. The standards apply to all products and are based on solid scientific arguments.They aim to protect consumers, animal and plant health and the environment. I am doing my utmost to ensure that these standards are met. Under no circumstances must they be misused to create trade barriers. Since the beginning of my mandate, I have taken great care to ensure that commitments are fulfilled. I can ensure you that I shall continue to monitor these issues closely, together with my colleague, John Dalli, Commissioner for Health. But there are political, societal and ethical choices to be made. This must also be recognised. I am thinking, in particular, of the question of animal welfare. It is not about misusing the rules to create some sort of tariff barrier. On the contrary, it is about listening to society and responding to its concerns. Furthermore, these concerns are less and less restricted to Europe, but are increasingly being expressed the world over. It is true that on the issues of animal welfare and environmental standards, Europe is often a trailblazer, with very specific commitments. These commitments have a cost for producers. However, whereas the standards adopted increasingly reflect the expectations of society as a whole, they are not sufficiently taken into account in international negotiations, although I welcome the discussions on this subject that have taken place at the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). Lastly, whether it is the excessive volatility of world prices, which have a very direct impact on livestock farmers, particularly those who are heavily dependent on imports to feed their livestock, or increased health risks linked to climate change and increased trade, all these issues show the need for farmers, including livestock farmers, to strengthen cooperation and dialogue at a global level (G20-FAO). Trade also needs to be developed. Europe will continue its efforts in this direction, building on what has been achieved recently, in particular with South Korea. We are working on other agreements, because Europe’s has strengths that need to be put forward and enable it to meet global demand. We are perhaps the world's largest importer of agricultural products and agri-foodstuffs, which shows how open Europe is. We are also the biggest exporter, and we want to develop markets, not only by being competitive, but also through promotional measures and backed by my personal commitment, as Commissioner, to supporting our exporters. This is what I was doing in China last year. I am returning to China tomorrow and shall then be visiting South Korea and Japan, bearing the values of the European agricultural sector, our strengths as regards food safety, quality and know-how. The public authorities must help the sector to overcome the challenges it faces and listen to public expectations. This is what we want to achieve with the reform of the CAP. First of all, a short digression: not enough is made of the fact that the CAP has changed. Much has already been achieved over recent years. And this has had a very direct impact on the livestock-farming sector, with, for example, minimal use being made of mechanisms such as export refunds and private storage aid. They have been replaced by safety nets, which no longer impact on the markets but are instead triggered only in the event of a very serious crisis. As I was saying earlier, Europe is now a ‘price taker’, open to and influenced by the world. We are more market oriented - this is the reality. But our aim is also to fulfil society’s expectations and to recognise and maintain a strong meat sector in Europe. This is essential to food security, the sound management of our natural resources and the development of our regions. Without, of course, calling into question this market orientation and in the context of our international commitments, we have high ambitions for the meat sector with the reform of the CAP. We wanted both to recognise the positive role played by livestock farming and to encourage livestock farmers. It is an essential factor in the ‘greening’ of agriculture and the promotion of permanent grassland. I should also like to take this opportunity to stress that the Commission has shown its commitment over recent weeks to ensuring that this instrument is not only effective, but also clearly applicable, including in livestock farming. We are not dogmatic, but I also want to stress that the reform of the CAP, as it applies to livestock farming, does not stop at environmental issues. Other issues are just as important: - More support is needed, with more and better targeted direct aid for young farmers during the early years to help them take over from the previous generation, something that is a major challenge in the meat sector. - The possibility for EU Member States to provide greater support for less-favoured areas, which are often also livestock farming areas. - Instruments to reinforce the structure of the different sectors (producer groups). We must move towards a new form of market management, giving producers more freedom of action and ensuring better coordination between the public authorities and those working in the sector. The aim must be not to undermine the market-oriented approach but to ensure the smooth operation of the agri-food sector. - Maintaining effective market stabilisation instruments with very clear incentives to develop agricultural insurance mechanisms and mutual funds. - And, finally, an increased effort to better communicate, to better highlight quality, in particular by re-examining our meat promotion policy. I should like to add that we want to make an unprecedented effort to promote research and innovation under the CAP. Livestock farming will be given the importance it deserves. I should like to conclude on a matter that affects and worries us all, as crisis follows crisis. I am talking about animal health. Without entering into details on this issue, on which I work closely with Commissioner Dalli, I want to say that, in my opinion, the main way of ensuring proper animal health is by ensuring the environmental and financial health of our farms and regions. This also constitutes a preventive policy for managing health risks. We must create the conditions to make this possible. This is our aim. Finally, I can say that Europe has high ambitions for the meat sector. It is too often attacked and is not shown the respect it deserves. Not enough is said of the extremely difficult work farmers do, day in and day out. Not enough is said of the economic, environmental and social benefits the sector brings to society as a whole. Not enough praise is given. In any case, I, as European Commissioner, fully support the European meat sector, as does the Commission and we are determined to promote its development and respond to the positive signals coming from the markets. |