Food

Agribusiness lobbying in Brussels involves biotech, food, animal feed, agrofuels and pesticide producers targeting decision makers to weaken regulations or to get subsidies. You can find CEO's work on food and agriculture here or visit our specific page on the EU's food safety authority (EFSA).

EFSA

EFSA: conflicts of interest on board

23.02.2011

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is responsible for assessing and communicating food safety in the European Union, for everything from genetically modified organisms (GMOs) to pesticides. However EFSA has recently been criticised because its scientific assessments of new GM crops and pesticides rely almost exclusively on corporate research data. Some EFSA experts have also been accused of being too close to the food and drink industry .

EU's Zero Tolerance on GM under fire

25.01.2011

A recent draft Commission proposal to change the legislation governing genetically modified (GM) foods and feeds has revealed that the Commission is giving in to a long-standing combined demand from the biotech, food and animal feed industry to break down the so-called ‘zero-tolerance policy’ regarding contamination with non-authorised GM food and feed.

Séralini wins libel case on GMOs

19.01.2011

Leading French researcher on the impacts of GMOs Gilles-Eric Séralini has won the court case against Marc Fellous of the Association Française des Biotechnologies Végétales (AFBV) for libel. Fellous was convicted to the symbolic fine of 1 euro for damages. Many people showed up on 17 January in front of the court in Paris. Corinne Lepage, MEP, said “When a whistleblower moves from the defensive to the offensive, this is now bearing its fruits.”

Climate

More EC secrecy agrofuel certification

15.12.2010

The European Commission continues its secrecy regarding the accreditation of voluntary schemes under the Renewable Energy Directive (RED). At least eleven voluntary agrofuel accreditation schemes are currently seeking approval - but the EU Commission has refused to release details of which schemes and companies are involved. In October, CEO, ClientEarth, Friends of the Earth and FERN have sent the Commission an access to document request demanding full and ongoing disclosure of both the names and the content of these schemes.

Industry Appointment to EFSA challenged

29.11.2010

Campaigners have today written to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Commission challenging the appointment of an industry expert to the public body. The official complaint argues that a senior figure and expert in risk communication should not have been appointed to the agency because of her close links to industry [1].

EFSA

Is Big Food Shaping EFSA Policy?

29.11.2010

Public relations expertise developed by a food-and-drink-industry-funded think tank seems to be being promoted by the European Union’s food safety agency, following the appointment of a food industry insider. The PR strategy on dealing with risks has even been included in official guidelines. Recent cases of former Commissioners going through the revolving doors into lobbying jobs have raised questions about conflicts of interest.

Pesticide industry - the future of bees

16.11.2010

Industry “experts” are undermining an EU review of the regulations of pesticides and putting Europe’s bee population further at risk, according to new research from the European Beekeeping Coordination and Corporate Europe Observatory published today (Tuesday) [1].

The report comes ahead of a vote by MEPs (23rd – 24th November) on a resolution requiring independent research into bee mortality and a revision of EU rules governing risk assessments of bees' exposure to pesticides [2].

GM soy damages health and environment

23.09.2010

Wednesday 22 September, 2010

Contact:
Nina Holland, nina@corporateeurope.org, tel + 32 497 389 632
Dr Andres Carrasco, co-author, University of Buenos Aires, acarrasco@fmed.uba.ar, mobile +54 9 11 6826 2788, land line +54 11 5950 9500 ext 2216

GM food tasting: Farmers or EuropaBio?

13.07.2010

The Farmers Biotech Network GM Food tasting event,reported on by Corporate Europe Observatory recently, was not paid for by the farmers network, CEO has learned, but by EuropaBio.

Letter on Industry Food Round Table

13.07.2010

After Commissioner Janez Potocnik's very weak reply to the letter sent by Food and Water Europe, CEO and other organisations, the organisations replied back again, stressing the demand for the EC to withdraw from the "European Food Sustainable Consumption and Production Roundtable (SCP Roundtable).

Read the letter here.

A 'tasty' GM food event in Brussels?

30.06.2010

A peculiar pro-biotech event took place in Brussels. A 'farmers network' gave Brussels the chance to sample some genetically modified (GM) cuisine at an event in the upmarket Renaissance Hotel on 28 June, just across the road from the European Parliament. Lucky Brussels?

High time for CIAA to come clean on its lobbying

23.06.2010

CIAA's €1-billion campaign to promote the GDA 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, such as the 'traffic light' system.