Allister votes against IPPC Proposals
13 March 2009
Ulster MEP Jim Allister has voted against proposed changes to the Integrated Pollution Prevention Controls (IPPC) Directive, as the issue came before the European Parliament in Strasbourg this week.
Speaking during the European Parliament debate, Mr Allister said:
Jim Allister (NI). – “Mr President, I voted against this report because of its attempts to totally unnecessarily entwine agriculture into the huge burden of regulation which it would import. I recently met with some producers in my constituency. I saw the paperwork that has been heaped upon a particular producer because he is already within the ambit of these regulations. I shudder to think what is going to happen to ordinary producers of very modest proportions when they, too, are subjected to this huge and totally unnecessary burden of regulation.
I think it is a report that takes us very much in the wrong direction and, at the very least, I am happy that I was here to vote against it.”
The MEP continued,
“Naturally, I welcome the fact that a number of important pro-farming amendments did receive sufficient support, including an amendment which will ensure farms already covered by NVZ’s will not have to undertake additional IPPC requirements for spreading slurry off-site, which is important in the Northern Ireland context. Also, a proposal that would have meant lower thresholds for poultry units, impacting on smaller farms including seasonal turkey and free-range egg producers, was thankfully thwarted.”
“I welcome the UK Government’s support on this important issue, particularly on behalf of British pig and poultry producers. I trust this support will continue to be steadfast as the Directive goes before Council”.
ENDS
Notes to the Editor:
-MEP’s backed an amendment not to lower thresholds re. poultry units, which would have impacted significantly on smaller seasonal turkey and free-range egg producers
-A key amendment to delete nitrogen equivalency factors which will affect more than 300 UK pig farmers was rejected
-A proposal on manure spreading was a partial success in that farms already covered by Nitrate Vulnerable Zones will not have to undertake additional IPPC requirements when spreading off-site (good news for Northern Ireland)
