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In a plenary vote, the European Parliament today adopted a report by Monica Macovei MEP (PPE), deciding that the approval of the European food agency’s 2010 budget will be postponed. Also, a strong resolution was adopted denouncing the conflicts of interest that have plagued the agency. A similar decision was taken on the approval of the 2010 budget of the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

Brussels, 9 May 2012 – Campaigners today condemned the latest revolving doors case at the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) after the chair of the management board Diana Banati was asked to resign after accepting a post as the head of the food industry lobby group ILSI Europe [1]. EFSA said that the post was “incompatible” with her role as chair.

It was a great experience to observe the extraordinary level of preparation for 'EU in Crisis' conference in Brussels provided by CEO and TNI - with all draft final papers, speakers memos and other important info put in the participant folders and web. As a trade union member, and an activists for social rights and environment from Lithuania and thus Eastern Europe I got broad perspective about general EU social movement situation, networks and corporate lobbing monitoring think tanks and what direction the main players in this area suggest all of us to move.

Activists, campaigners, trade unionists and individuals joined together to call for a halt to the EU's Austerity Treaty at the two-day EU in Crisis conference, organised by Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO) and the Transnational Institute to mark CEO's 15th anniversary.

Activist and writer, Susan George emphasised the anti-democratic nature of the austerity agenda, which has been imposed without debate or electoral support.

During the crisis in Greece, there has been a tendency to look inwards within national boundaries, despite the need to move beyond them. This tendency has ebbed and flowed. Often it has felt like the “6 pack” governance rules or the fiscal compact that have brought permanent disastrous changes to the EU’s institutional landscape, are one step removed from the immediate concerns of rapid social and economic disintegration.

Statement from the conference organised by Corporate Europe Observatory and Transnational Institute on the 5-6th of May.

The Austerity Treaty – or the so called Fiscal Compact - if implemented, would pose a direct threat to the welfare state across Europe and be a major obstacle to redistributive, progressive and socially just economic policies in the future. It also represents the latest attempt to turn economic policy into a technocratic endeavour outside of democratic control, with unelected bureaucrats in a powerful, decision making role.

Brussels, Monday 7th May – A new pan-European network committed to opposing the European Union's Austerity Treaty was launched today at the end of a two-day conference on the EU crisis [1].

Some 300 people from across Europe joined the two day event in Brussels to discuss the EU in Crisis – analysis, resistance and alternatives.