SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
Members of Avaaz civic organization hold up protest signs at the Schuman roundabout in Brussels, in a demonstration against the European Commission's plans to relicense glyphosate. (Photo: John Thys/AFP via Getty Images)
For Snubbing Glyphosate Hearing, EU Parliament Bans Monsanto Lobbyists
"Those who escape democratic accountability must be excluded from access to lobbying."
Sep 28, 2017
Monsanto lobbyists were officially barred by the European Parliament on Thursday after refusing requests to participate in hearings about the U.S. corporation's efforts to influence regulations of its controversial glyphosate within the 28-nation bloc.
The ban was announced by the parliament's presidential council under rules designed to combat misbehavior by those lobbying the EU's lawmaking body. It is the first time, the Guardiannotes, that "MEPs have used new rules to withdraw parliamentary access for firms that ignore a summons to attend parliamentary inquiries or hearings."
The Greens/EFA Group in the parliament, which had requested Monsanto's removal after the biotech giant's refusal, welcomed the decision.
"This is strong democracy. Those who escape democratic accountability must be excluded from access to lobbying," said MEP Sven Giegold, financial and economic policy spokesperson for the Greens/EFA and parliament's rapporteur for Transparency, Accountability and Integrity. "If Monsanto does business in Europe, it must also face up to its responsibilities before the European Parliament."
The Guardianreports:
The lobby ban will be a bitter blow to Monsanto's advocacy campaign ahead of a decision later this year about the relicensing of glyphosate, which has been linked to cancer by one expert WHO panel.
Another deemed it safe for public use, but Monsanto's outreach to regulatory agencies in the US and Europe sparked controversy and prompted the parliamentary hearing.
Philippe Lamberts, president of the Greens/EFA, added, "Those who ignore the rules of democracy also lose their rights as a lobbyist in the European Parliament. US corporations must also accept the democratic control function of the parliament. Monsanto cannot escape this. There remain many uncertainties in the assessment of the pesticide glyphosate. Monsanto has to face the questions of parliamentarians and should not hinder the clarification process."
In response to the decision in Brussels, critics of the powerful company wondered if the U.S. would ever take such measures:
\u201cWhen will this happen in the US? EU Group Presidents to withdraw access to Monsanto lobbyists https://t.co/ODfOhtxRSi\u201d— Non-GMO Report (@Non-GMO Report) 1506611069
Join Us: News for people demanding a better world
Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place. We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference. Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Monsanto lobbyists were officially barred by the European Parliament on Thursday after refusing requests to participate in hearings about the U.S. corporation's efforts to influence regulations of its controversial glyphosate within the 28-nation bloc.
The ban was announced by the parliament's presidential council under rules designed to combat misbehavior by those lobbying the EU's lawmaking body. It is the first time, the Guardiannotes, that "MEPs have used new rules to withdraw parliamentary access for firms that ignore a summons to attend parliamentary inquiries or hearings."
The Greens/EFA Group in the parliament, which had requested Monsanto's removal after the biotech giant's refusal, welcomed the decision.
"This is strong democracy. Those who escape democratic accountability must be excluded from access to lobbying," said MEP Sven Giegold, financial and economic policy spokesperson for the Greens/EFA and parliament's rapporteur for Transparency, Accountability and Integrity. "If Monsanto does business in Europe, it must also face up to its responsibilities before the European Parliament."
The Guardianreports:
The lobby ban will be a bitter blow to Monsanto's advocacy campaign ahead of a decision later this year about the relicensing of glyphosate, which has been linked to cancer by one expert WHO panel.
Another deemed it safe for public use, but Monsanto's outreach to regulatory agencies in the US and Europe sparked controversy and prompted the parliamentary hearing.
Philippe Lamberts, president of the Greens/EFA, added, "Those who ignore the rules of democracy also lose their rights as a lobbyist in the European Parliament. US corporations must also accept the democratic control function of the parliament. Monsanto cannot escape this. There remain many uncertainties in the assessment of the pesticide glyphosate. Monsanto has to face the questions of parliamentarians and should not hinder the clarification process."
In response to the decision in Brussels, critics of the powerful company wondered if the U.S. would ever take such measures:
\u201cWhen will this happen in the US? EU Group Presidents to withdraw access to Monsanto lobbyists https://t.co/ODfOhtxRSi\u201d— Non-GMO Report (@Non-GMO Report) 1506611069
Monsanto lobbyists were officially barred by the European Parliament on Thursday after refusing requests to participate in hearings about the U.S. corporation's efforts to influence regulations of its controversial glyphosate within the 28-nation bloc.
The ban was announced by the parliament's presidential council under rules designed to combat misbehavior by those lobbying the EU's lawmaking body. It is the first time, the Guardiannotes, that "MEPs have used new rules to withdraw parliamentary access for firms that ignore a summons to attend parliamentary inquiries or hearings."
The Greens/EFA Group in the parliament, which had requested Monsanto's removal after the biotech giant's refusal, welcomed the decision.
"This is strong democracy. Those who escape democratic accountability must be excluded from access to lobbying," said MEP Sven Giegold, financial and economic policy spokesperson for the Greens/EFA and parliament's rapporteur for Transparency, Accountability and Integrity. "If Monsanto does business in Europe, it must also face up to its responsibilities before the European Parliament."
The Guardianreports:
The lobby ban will be a bitter blow to Monsanto's advocacy campaign ahead of a decision later this year about the relicensing of glyphosate, which has been linked to cancer by one expert WHO panel.
Another deemed it safe for public use, but Monsanto's outreach to regulatory agencies in the US and Europe sparked controversy and prompted the parliamentary hearing.
Philippe Lamberts, president of the Greens/EFA, added, "Those who ignore the rules of democracy also lose their rights as a lobbyist in the European Parliament. US corporations must also accept the democratic control function of the parliament. Monsanto cannot escape this. There remain many uncertainties in the assessment of the pesticide glyphosate. Monsanto has to face the questions of parliamentarians and should not hinder the clarification process."
In response to the decision in Brussels, critics of the powerful company wondered if the U.S. would ever take such measures:
\u201cWhen will this happen in the US? EU Group Presidents to withdraw access to Monsanto lobbyists https://t.co/ODfOhtxRSi\u201d— Non-GMO Report (@Non-GMO Report) 1506611069
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.