Switzerland.Naturally.
Berlin, 17.01.2008 - Federal Councillor Doris Leuthard | Opening ceremony of the International Green Week Berlin
Commissioner Fischer Boel,
Minister Seehofer,
Regional ministers
Mayor Wowereit,
Mr Sonnleiter,
Mr Hosch,
Grüezi Berlin.
Beautiful countryside, smooth chocolate, tasty cheeses, fruity wines and fine specialty meats - where can you find all of this?
In Switzerland naturally!
Surrounded and challenged by powerful and dynamic European competitors to spur us on, the Swiss economy has had to be innovative, specialising and diversifying its markets.Only in that way can Switzerland secure its share of the increasingly global markets.
And we have been successful - in the agricultural field, too.
Switzerland has much to offer, and not only worldfamous cheeses: We have the highest vineyard in Europe at 1,378 metres above sea level. We grow rice and tea in canton Ticino. Saffron is not only grown in the Orient, but also in the Valais. We are presenting a selection of our specialties from all 26 cantons here in Berlin at the world's largest agrifood industry trade fair.
Switzerland is known worldwide for its "Swissness". "Swiss Premium" is synonymous with quality, reliability, precision, care and trustworthiness.
We honour our promises. This naturally also holds true for Swiss foods. Our products stand out not so much in terms of quantity, but due to their exclusiveness and quality. The fact that we make the world's finest chocolate is also well known; we would hardly be the champion chocolate eaters that we are otherwise! Brand experts have pointed out that our "small-scale originality" serves as the basis for this success. As a small country with no raw materials to speak of, Switzerland has to:
- stake out a premium position on global markets,
- uphold its traditional reliability and be innovative at the same time,
- and it has to know the international markets if it wants to continue to play a central role in the future.
This motivates and mobilises the Swiss to adopt an open-minded, flexible, creative and innovative approach. These attributes are naturally also reflected in our food industry. For this reason we can confidently appear here in Berlin with the logo: Switzerland.Naturally!
While state support was initially fairly high, we have in recent years moved to improve the competitiveness of the entire sector with our modern and innovative agriculture policy. Guaranteed minimum prices, state price support and milk quotas were abolished, and export subsidies for agricultural commodities will be abolished.
We demand a lot from our farmers, but we also appreciate their work. We will therefore continue to support them in the future although no longer in the form of classic market intervention and subsidies, but through direct payments for defined services, such as maintaining the cultural landscape or biodiversity.
After all, our beautiful valleys and well tended mountain pastures are a magnet for countless guests from all over the world. And anyone who has the opportunity to enjoy products produced in this maintained environment will be getting true added value: natural, healthy and of high quality.
Our farmers take care of nature and their animals. Production in Switzerland is natural and sustainable. The farming and food sectors are committed to ensuring quality and safety because they are convinced it is right. In turn, they enjoy the trust of consumers.
Transparency, declarations of origin and production methods play a large role, as does animal health. The legal framework also serves as a guarantee for above averagely high environmental standards and transparent consumer information, when compared internationally.
It is in this vein that we intend to continue.
Firstly, because we want to offer consumers high-quality and healthy products.
Secondly, because we want to continue to bolster our farmers and food industry and make them internationally competitive. That's why the federal government is also interested in establishing comprehensive free trade in agricultural products with the EU.
Thirdly, because untouched rural space is likely to become an increasingly important locational factor in global competition for Europe and Switzerland.
Therefore, as Swiss minister of agriculture here at the ‘world agricultural summit' in Berlin, I'm looking forward to getting a feel for the markets, but also to emphasising just how important I consider European cooperation and joint political commitment for the European agricultural model to be.
Events of recent months in particular have shown us that in the face of challenges including climate change, water scarcity, exhaustible farmland, a growing world population and threatened biodiversity, our vision of a multifunctional and sustainable agrifood industry is the only conclusive answer.
However, this vision is a politically demanding process, considering that all these demands need to be balanced out. We in Switzerland are convinced that future success for companies in the Swiss agrifood industry can best be achieved by making this policy forward-looking and pro-active, and by making creative use of market opportunities.
Our products and our political framework respond to the needs of citizens and the issues that concern them now more than ever:
- Where does this product come from?
- How was it produced?
- Who produced it?
In Switzerland, you know what you're getting.
For now though, I would warmly like to invite you to join us at a little reception with products from Switzerland.Naturally.
If I have managed to whet your appetite, and I very much hope that is the case, please come and visit us at the Swiss stand, or even better visit us in Switzerland!
Thank you very much. I wish you all and our agrifood industry every success. I hope that visitors to the fair will enjoy the experience of sampling products from Switzerland.Naturally.
Check against delivery !
Publisher
Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research
http://www.wbf.admin.ch
