Examination of Witnesses (Questions 520
- 522)
WEDNESDAY 1 APRIL 2009
MR ANASTASSIOS
HANIOTIS
Q520 Chairman:
Would I be right in saying that effectively you have not come
to a view that the application of the Pesticides Directive as
currently imposed would have a long term harmful effect on the
ability of Europe's agriculture to meet the kind of output increases
that we referred to earlier?
Mr Haniotis: No, we have not come
to this conclusion.
Q521 Chairman:
I just want to go back to one subject before we close. We saw
some examples in certain countries when we had the commodity price
spike and supply problems that we discussed earlier of taking
action, for example in the case of Argentina, not to export any
of their grain products, and there were various sorts of tactics
taken by various countries to defend their own agricultural interests.
If we were in a situation where, for example, in Europe there
was a major crop failure and Member States started to take highly
protectionist action which was contrary to the requirements of
the single market, is the Commission of a view that it would ensure
that those barriers to the free movement of what agricultural
goods remained in the Community were sustained, they were kept
in operation; in other words that you could not at times of difficulty
see Member States protecting their own and not bothering about
their wider responsibilities?
Mr Haniotis: This is our role
and our obligation to make sure that the rules that we have, which
include the single market, are respected.
Q522 Chairman:
Good. Mr Haniotis, thank you very much indeed for your very clear
and well-stated evidence and for the various papers that you have
submitted. It has given us an extremely valuable insight to the
European dimension of this because clearly in terms of UK agricultural
policy and food policy it has to be seen in the context of our
European obligations, and for that we are very grateful indeed
for you coming this afternoon to talk to us, for providing us
with the information you have and also for the further facts that
you are going to send to us. Thank you very much.
Mr Haniotis: Thank you.
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