News Releases
Showing: June 2009
Here you can find an archive of all the news items that have been on this website as well as any comments, polls or surveys.
Cu-cumbersome laws on fruit and veg to be scrapped
Posted,6/30/2009 1:00:00 PM
European Commissioner earns her celery
E-borders plans should be dropped
Posted,6/30/2009 10:00:00 AM
Plans are impractical and intrusive
Cu-cumbersome laws on fruit and veg to be scrapped
Posted,6/30/2009 12:00:00 AM
A decades old political hot potato for the European Commission will finally be repeeled tomorrow when the EU lifts its ban on wonky fruit and veg, Neil Parish MEP, Conservative chairman of the European Parliament's agriculture committee, said today.
E-borders plans should be dropped
Posted,6/30/2009 12:00:00 AM
Plans to collect the records of everyone who enters and leaves the UK - under the so-called 'E-borders' scheme - are impractical, intrusive and could lead to chaos at our ports and international rail stations, Philip Bradbourn MEP, Conservative Vice-chairman of the European Parliament's justice and home affairs committee, warned today.
Mobile phone chargers agreement welcomed
Posted,6/29/2009 10:00:00 AM
Single charger to be in place next year
European Commission goes backwards on recreational anglers threat
Posted,6/29/2009 10:00:00 AM
Anglers would be forced to register fish caught against their national quota
European Commission goes backwards on recreational anglers threat
Posted,6/29/2009 12:00:00 AM
The European Commission seems to have ignored the European Parliament and reintroduced draconian proposals to force recreational fishermen to count their catch against each country's EU quota, Struan Stevenson MEP, Conservative fisheries spokesman in the European Parliament, warned.
Mobile phone chargers agreement welcomed
Posted,6/29/2009 12:00:00 AM
The European Commission's agreement with mobile phone manufacturers to introduce a single charger from next year has been welcomed by Conservative consumer spokesman, Malcolm Harbour MEP.
Scooter tax: UK government should show moral leadership
Posted,6/29/2009 12:00:00 AM
The UK representative at the EU's Customs committee should oppose plans to retain a 10 percent import duty on mobility scooters when it votes on the matter this Wednesday, Syed Kamall MEP, Conservative international trade spokesman, said today. Currently the customs code classifies mobility scooters as 'motor vehicles for the transport of persons' rather than 'carriages for disabled persons', therefore attracting a 10 percent import duty. The European Commission has proposed that the classification continue, but campaigners including Professor Stephen Hawking have called for the scooters to be recognised for what they are. The British government has said it is intending to support the commission, citing global customs practice. However Dr Kamall has called on the government to oppose the move. He said: "Mobility scooters are clearly only used by disabled people and they are an expensive piece of equipment for many disabled and elderly people to afford. We should be doing everything within our power to make them cheaper, not to put them out of the reach of people who need them for their independence. "Rather than taxing the disabled and elderly more, the government should be standing up for the most vulnerable in society. "The British government and the EU should show moral leadership and attempt to change this warped global practice, rather than hiding behind it. The EU's trade policies are too often distorted against businesses and consumers and nothing illustrates that better than this tax."
London MEPs call for Jason Fowden to be freed
Posted,6/26/2009 12:00:00 AM
Two London Conservative Members of the European Parliament - including one of Greek-Cypriot descent - have written to the Iranian Ambassador to the EU, demanding the release of Jason Fowden, a Washington Times reporter and dual British/Greek national, who was arrested as he attempted to leave Iran last week.