'VIEW FROM BRUSSELS': 'Shameful' attempts to discredit MPs
Given that the future rules on food labelling will have a huge effect both on consumers and industry, it was no surprise that the recent debate over food labelling involved intense lobbying.
The new rules affect many different groups, as well as industry: farmers, restaurants, SMEs, retailers, consumer organisations, animal-rights activists, health insurance companies, member states – all of them will be affected.
For politicians, it is important to hear the concerns of all affected groups. Unfortunately, in some media our contact with some lobbyists over the food labelling issue was equated with venality – an allegation that ignores how important it is for lawmakers to consult all groups that would be affected.
As MEPs, we have to deal with a variety of complex issues that might affect 500 million Europeans. But the only information we have at hand when starting work on an issue is the draft law by the European Commission. Receiving background information from experts who will be affected by new laws is crucial to assess the feasibility of future legislation.
Of course, it is important to keep necessary distance from lobbyists. Having been an MEP for more than a decade, I have learned to differentiate between false tears and legitimate concerns, and I attach high importance to drafting my amendments myself.
I am also convinced that lobbying activities must be transparent. The Commission’s two-year-old lobbyists’ register is part of this. For my part, I have published all the contacts I have had with so-called ‘lobbyists’ on food labelling on my homepage.
At the same time, however, we have to counteract the shameful allegations that MEPs are in hock to industry. The attempts to discredit MEPs because they opposed mandatory ‘traffic-light’ food labelling is a dishonest campaign that ignores the two-thirds-majority against colour coding.
Furthermore, our critics must answer the question of why mandatory guideline daily amounts (GDA) labelling – a system developed by ‘big industry’ – has actually been adopted due to the support of a left-wing coalition including Social Democrats, Greens and communists.
by Renate Sommer MEP, rapporteur on fool labelling in the European Parliament
29th July 2010 by Renate Sommer MEP
