Page 153 - Supplemento 2-2016 (ENG)

Tackling Environmental Crime throUgh standardized Methodologies

and Investment Partnership) issue in his speech. We do not know exactly how
all will proceed. However, there are some risks because it is unacceptable that
in a globalised world, for the sake of making a business agreement, we have to
lower the standards of rights and remedies. This is applicable both in food far-
ming and in the manufacturing business because Europe, Italy in particular,
compared to other Countries, has higher quality standards.

In food farming, for example, the importance of having precise regulations
to guarantee quality is important: typical products, traceability, quality and origin
certificates. This happens in other sectors too: for example, compared to all the
other countries in the world, in Italy we use a minor quantity of formaldehyde in
the making of chipboards. So, going back to the TTIP, when we negotiate with
other countries how do we set the standards? We have all interests in keeping high
standards and that the level of legality and of rights is adequate to support the
“Made in Italy” brand in order to guarantee and protect Italian quality: this
applies to leather, textiles, food farming, and to all our products of quality.

I strongly believe that Italy has to behave as Italy in the world and we must
invest on what makes our Country unique: quality, beauty, link with the envi-
ronment, cohesion, link with the community, green economy. Between quantity
at a low cost and quality, our Country must choose the latter, with no hesitation
whatsoever. An illuminating example can be seen in the scandal of some years
ago related to the use of methanol in some wines: this is the extraordinary
metaphor of what our country must do.

In the wine business Italy had chosen the “Guangdong” route, in other words
large quantities at a low price. Our wine was losing on the international markets; it
was often exported to be blended with fine French wines or distilled to make spirit.
While following the large quantities at low prices strategy a criminal involvement
arose. Since duty had been removed from methanol some criminals used it instead
of ethanol and sugar to produce adulterated wine. As we know, methanol in certain
quantity can kill, and in fact 21 people died, others became blind. All this happened
in March 1986 (actually many of the victims have not received compensation yet:
this shows how the mechanism of justice functions in Italy).

Obviously there was a tremendous sales slump. What was the answer to this
situation? There was a strong response from the State: within a few months all

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