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Monsanto Lobbyists Banned At European Parliament

by: Hans van der Broek September 29 2017

monsanto lobbyists banned at european parliament | Breaking News

Monsanto lobbyists have been banned from entering the European parliament after the multinational refused to attend a parliamentary hearing into regulatory interference allegations. The first time MEPs have used new rules to withdraw parliamentary access for firms that ignore a summons to attend parliamentary inquiries or hearings. Monsanto officials will now be unable to meet MEPs, attend committee meetings, or use digital resources on Brussels or Strasbourg's parliament premises.

Monsanto Banned

While a formal process still needs to be worked through, a spokesman for the parliament’s president Antonio Tajani said that all major parliamentary block leaders had backed the ban in a vote this morning. "One has to assume it is effective immediately," he said.
MEPs had been incensed at a Monsanto decision to shun a hearing organized by the environment and agriculture committees, with academics, regulators, and campaigners, on 11 October. The meeting is expected to hear allegations that Monsanto unduly influenced regulatory studies into glyphosate safety, a key ingredient in its best-selling RoundUp weedkiller.

Green bottles RoundUp

Eu report on weedkiller safety copied text from Monsanto study!

"Those - Monsanto - who ignore the rules of democracy also lose their rights as a lobbyist in the European parliament," said the Green party president Philippe Lamberts. "US corporations must also accept the democratic control function of the parliament. Monsanto cannot escape this."

Monsanto Banned at European Parliament: Brussel, Strasbourg

The lobby ban will be a bitter blow to Monsanto’s advocacy campaign ahead of a decision later this year about glyphosate relicensing, 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.

Monsanto Banned at European Parliament: Brussel, Strasbourg

A Monsanto letter to MEPs said that the European parliament was not 'an appropriate forum' for discussing the issues involved. The joint hearing could be viewed as the latest attempt by those opposed to modern agricultural practices to influence and frustrate the EU scientific and regulatory process to suit their own agenda.

"We have observed with increasing alarm the politicization of the EU procedure on the renewal of glyphosate," wrote Monsanto’s vice president Philip Miller, "a procedure which should be scientific but which in many respects has been hijacked by populism."

Martin Pigeon, a spokesman for the NGO Corporate Europe Observatory, said it was "essential that parliament has been prepared to meet Monsanto’s unbelievable arrogance with real retaliation and consequences." Monsanto spends between €300,000-€400,000 annually on lobbying in Brussels, according to its self-declaration form in the EU transparency register.

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Monsanto Lobbyists Banned At European Parliament

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<header class="content__head tonal__head tonal__head--tone-news "> Monsanto lobbyists have been banned from entering the European parliament after the multinational refused to attend a parliamentary hearing into regulatory interference allegations. The first time MEPs have used new rules to withdraw parliamentary access for firms that ignore a summons to attend parliamentary inquiries or hearings. Monsanto officials will now be unable to meet MEPs, attend committee meetings, or use digital resources on Brussels or Strasbourg's parliament premises. Monsanto Banned While a formal process still needs to be worked through, a spokesman for the parliament’s president Antonio Tajani said that all major parliamentary block leaders had backed the ban in a vote this morning. "One has to assume it is effective immediately," he said. MEPs had been incensed at a Monsanto decision to shun a hearing organized by the environment and agriculture committees, with academics, regulators, and campaigners, on 11 October. The meeting is expected to hear allegations that Monsanto unduly influenced regulatory studies into glyphosate safety, a key ingredient in its best-selling RoundUp weedkiller. Eu report on weedkiller safety copied text from Monsanto study! "Those - Monsanto - who ignore the rules of democracy also lose their rights as a lobbyist in the European parliament," said the Green party president Philippe Lamberts. "US corporations must also accept the democratic control function of the parliament. Monsanto cannot escape this."   {youtube}                                             Monsanto Banned at European Parliament: Brussel, Strasbourg The lobby ban will be a bitter blow to Monsanto’s advocacy campaign ahead of a decision later this year about glyphosate relicensing, 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. Monsanto Banned at European Parliament: Brussel, Strasbourg A Monsanto letter to MEPs said that the European parliament was not 'an appropriate forum' for discussing the issues involved. The joint hearing could be viewed as the latest attempt by those opposed to modern agricultural practices to influence and frustrate the EU scientific and regulatory process to suit their own agenda. Recommended:  Monsanto, Seeds, GMOs, glyphosate: Roundup, And Lawsuits . "We have observed with increasing alarm the politicization of the EU procedure on the renewal of glyphosate," wrote Monsanto’s vice president Philip Miller, "a procedure which should be scientific but which in many respects has been hijacked by populism." Martin Pigeon, a spokesman for the NGO Corporate Europe Observatory, said it was "essential that parliament has been prepared to meet Monsanto’s unbelievable arrogance with real retaliation and consequences." Monsanto spends between €300,000-€400,000 annually on lobbying in Brussels, according to its self-declaration form in the EU transparency register. Before you go! Recommended:  Agrivoltaics Mutually Beneficial: Food, Water And Energy Did you find this an interesting article, or do you have a question or remark? Leave a comment below. We try to respond the same day. Like to write your article about poison used in agricultural activities ? Send your writing & scribble with a photo to  [email protected] , and we will write an interesting article based on your input.