Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-07-01-Speech-2-251"
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"en.20030701.8.2-251"2
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"Mr President, the three reports which are now the subjects of a joint debate are important items of focus in our endeavours to ensure food safety and consumer welfare. I would like to thank my colleagues for their excellent work.
In the single market consumers encounter new and strange products and manufacturers on the shelves of their own familiar local shop every day, and they must be able to have complete confidence in quality control and food safety in that single market. It is regrettable that whenever the EU is proactive in setting such important standards, this is so often felt to be needless concern over details. One cause of that, of course, is the way the European press often deliberately sets out to portray things in a negative light, and disregarding the real problem at issue. The reasons for this are not political; they are to do with journalism. Stories need colour, and, unfortunately, that colour is often acquired by spreading scare stories instead of factual information.
The latest example of this is the news story about limiting the maximum amounts for PAH compounds in foods to protect consumers’ health. A totally legitimate research project carried out by the Commission has, at least in the Finnish newspapers, already developed into a scare about whether the EU is now going to ban private barbecues and our favourite summer treat, the grilled sausage. There has been continual whining about the EU meddling in everything and being overly protective, and they have been asking when the Europolice are going to start lighting bonfires piled with dangerous cookery books and whether soon we will have to eat wearing a helmet on our head, just to be on the safe side.
Unfortunately, the nation swallows whole the scare stories spread in this way without any justification, giving rise to negative feelings and resentment. For that reason it would be important if the good work done in Parliament to protect people’s health also had more vigorous support from the EU Information Centres. It is obviously necessary to provide background information early on at the preparatory stage so that the unsubstantiated urban legends about the EU do not get a chance to take root."@en1
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