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Is the seed industry about to win a decisive victory in the battle over food chain control?

November 19th 2013The power of lobbies, Food and agriculture
One of the last hot topics in the European Parliament before the 2014 elections is a new set of rules on seeds marketing. This text is extremely important for all players in the food chain: seed savers, farmers and the seed industry of course, but also environmentalists, consumers and the agro-industry at large. The European Parliament has appointed a rapporteur on the issue, Italian MEP Sergio Silvestris (EPP) who is now co-hosting a dinner event with the European Seed Association (ESA), the seed industry's lobby group in Brussels.

Closing in on our seeds

June 5th 2013Food and agriculture
For the first time in their history, European institutions will reform the entire package of legislation related to seed marketing. Since seeds are the starting point for the whole human food chain, this is hugely significant. From the very start of the process this policy initiative has been an unique opportunity for large seed companies to reinforce their control over a commercial seed supply system that they already largely dominate.

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Press release

ECJ ruling on gene editing products: Victory for consumers, farmers, environment

July 25th 2018

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has confirmed in a ruling the legal status of food and feed crops derived from certain new genetic modification techniques. It gave clear confirmation that organisms from these new gene editing techniques are covered by existing EU GMO regulation.

Beyond the pale

July 12th 2018The power of lobbies, Environment

Industry lobbyists are spending millions of euros to influence an upcoming EU decision on labelling titanium dioxide – found in everyday products like sunscreen – a “suspected carcinogen”. The lobbying is led by an unregistered trade association and a public relations consultancy; nonetheless, they appear to have the ear of member states and the European Commission.

Accounting for influence

July 10th 2018The power of lobbies, Economy & finance

We pay our taxes, so why don’t corporations? The Big Four are embedded in EU policy-making on tax avoidance and this report concludes that it is time to kick this industry out of EU anti-tax avoidance policy.

Press release

EU Ombudsman unyielding on G30, demands Draghi leave lobby group

July 5th 2018

In her final decision on European Central Bank (ECB) President Mario Draghi’s membership of the Group of Thirty (G30), the European Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly has voiced disappointment about the bank’s reluctance to follow her recommendation to suspend Draghi’s G30 membership and to bar future presidents from joining the group.