Brussels briefing
Supermarkets and food processors have signed up to a voluntary code of conduct to play fair with our food.
But food producers — farmers — have refused to sign as they want legislation to protect them against the kind of exploitation many are suffering now.
Fine Gael MEP Mairead McGuinness said a legally enforceable code is needed to get rid of food producers’ fear factor where they feel pressured to cut their prices below cost or pay for shelf space for fear of being de-listed.
“This is bad for business and its is also bad for consumers — but it is the reality in the food supply chain,” she said.
The proposed abolition of the Seanad has implications for Ireland’s membership of the EU, independent MEP Marian Harkin has pointed out.
For instance under the Lisbon Treaty if the Dáil was persuaded to change the country’s much-prized corporation tax rules for instance, the Seanad could step in.
And the Seanad also has an equal vote with the Dáil in the ‘yellow card’ system operating in the EU where a European Commission proposal can be halted if one third of member states parliaments agree.
Ms Harkin points out in the past two years over 1,300 pieces of legislation were implements through statutory instrument with little or no discussion by the oireachtas. Little wonder then tha the EU takes the country to court so often for bringing in EU legislation incorrectly.
Improve its role, rather than discard it, she says.
While Ireland limps back to some kind of growth and expects to exit its bailout — or bail in as the Ballyhea group led by Diarmuid O’Flynn, pictured, told MEPs — some euro saints are falling from their pedestals.
Finland — whose prime minister insisted that Ireland would have to pay for its debt sins — has said that its government deficit will breach EU limits while the Netherlands, is unable to meet its deficit targets.
A Nigerian man married to an Irish women in Britain with two children had his application for a permanent right of residence refused by the British home secretary on the basis that he was living in the country for five years continuously.
The problem is that he spent part of this time as her majesty’s guest, in jail. The issue was referred to the European Court of Justice and next month it will issue a first legal opinion.
It was asked to decide whether periods of imprisonment count towards the five years and if the various periods of residence can be added together to make up the five years.
Efforts to get citizens interested in deciding their futures are well under way in Brussels with the European Parliament launching the campaign for next May.
The site http://www.debatingeurope.eu/ might be interesting for some — you can register and vote for the various political groups and pose questions they put to leading EU figures.
You can check how they voted across 15 key legislative issues that went through the parliament, including nuclear power, tax and maternity leave on: http://www.myvote2014.eu/en/their-vote/meps
A few years ago the European Commission convinced the electronics industry to streamline its chargers and try to have the same model for all devices ranging from mobile phones to cameras.
It has been moderately successful but it is now being reviewed.
Munster MEP Sean Kelly points out there are more than 30 different chargers in use across the EU, generating over 51,000 tonnes of electric waste a year.
One universal type of charger would save the consumer money, and cut waste, he said.
Research Commissioner Máire Geoghegan Quinn pictured, has become entangled in one of the most divisive international situations on the planet — Israeli settlements in Palestinian territory.
It was thought some of her multi-billion research budget would contribute to the settlements — contrary to an EU agreement.
A host of former foreign ministers and EU dignitaries including former Taoiseach John Bruton and former trade Commissioner and banker Peter Sutherland wrote to Ms Geoghegan Quinn and the EU hierarchy a stiff letter, warning them of the dangers.
The nuclear energy industry has taken a beating recently with the accident in Japan exposing the real dangers and encouraging more countries to rule out nuclear.
The industry has to convince the EU’s competition authorities to allow it. The Commission is due to discuss the issue next month but some people have already been convinced, with energy commissioner German Gunther Oettinger recorded as telling EU nuclear regulators the rules should be changed to allow taxpayers money to support nuclear power stations.
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