Sir, Regarding ‘Brussels outlines vision for ‘fairer’ EU farm policy‘: The European Commission’s Communication on the future of the Common Agricultural Policy sets separate objectives of social cohesion, economic health and environmental sustainability. Our association fully shares these objectives. Together with the 19 participants from 14 member states and highly diverse backgrounds who attended our [...]

Sir, Regarding ‘Relief as drug ‘advertising’ plan ditched‘: As a student at a university in the United States, I think it would be in Europe’s best interest to allow prescription drugs to be advertised. The US is one of two countries that allows this and it has proven to be very beneficial. All of the [...]

Sir, Regarding ‘Farm reform: Following the money trail‘: I fail to understand how and why no-one is really aiming at real reform of the CAP. I think genuine reform is obviously needed. Why are people discussing the future like a mere repetition of the past? Paulo Casaca

Sir, Regarding ‘Food industry wins battle on ‘traffic light’ labels‘: CIAA’s [Confederation of the Food and Drink Industries of Europe] €1-billion campaign to promote the GDA [guideline daily allowance] labelling system was clearly a key element in its political strategy to combat other, stricter labelling options, which it feared would damage sales of unhealthy food, [...]

Sir, Regarding ‘EU to overhaul GM crop approval system‘: The European Coordination Via Campesina is dismayed at the proposal of the European Commission to restructure decision-making processes between the EU and member states, which will result in more GM crops being grown and used in Europe. The Commission’s proposal to allow countries to implement strict [...]

Sir, Regarding ‘Parliament starts debate on Consumer Rights Directive‘: The first half of the year has passed under the auspices of consumer protection and consumer rights: starting with the European Parliament’s hearing with national parliaments on the Consumer Rights Directive at the end of February, followed by the European Consumer Summit 2010 at the end [...]

Sir, Regarding ‘European Parliament paving way for tougher anti-piracy rules‘: Last week’s European Parliament vote in favour of a tough approach to fighting online theft signalled much-needed support for thousands of creative artists across the EU. Effective protection of online property is fundamental to ensuring that innovation and creativity are able to flourish in the [...]

Sir, Regarding ‘EU eyes increased role for organic farming‘: I have been involved with improving the quality of water that is used for the production of food for over a decade. Once the quality has been improved, pathogenic diseases tend to be much less without the use of chemicals – just by using oxygen. Clive [...]

Sir, Regarding ‘Controversy mounts over EU biofuels fall-out‘: The Standing Committee of the Bern Convention (the Council of Europe Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats), worried that the increase of biofuel cropping systems may lead to cultivation escapes of invasive taxa with subsequent negative effects on native biological diversity, adopted advice [...]

Sir, Regarding ‘EU weighs proposals to break GMO deadlock‘: The process of GMO invasion in Europe can be clearly observed in articles and statements of public figures. More and more we are told that we have to deal with GMOs, that we have to submit to progress in science, that we have to do it [...]