“Ignore the cold”, Tameside MEP tells Governments

Cold weather may make it easy for people to deny that the world is growing warmer, but a Tameside Euro-MP says that governments should pay no notice. Chris Davies has welcomed the outcome of the UN’s climate change conference in Cancun, and wants Britain to press the European Union to set more ambitious targets for reducing CO2 emissions.

Chris, the Liberal Democrat’s environment spokesman in the European Parliament, says that the conference has given a major boost to those campaigning for binding agreements to reduce global warming emissions.

He said: “The outcome far exceeded expectations.  Although the measures agreed are nothing like enough to prevent devastating climate change the process exists to tighten them each year.

“It’s important that people realise that every single government in the world accepts that global warming represents a threat and that measures must be taken to combat it.  This is not some kind of trick or conspiracy, it’s about the future of mankind.”

Davies stressed the need for Britain to become more energy efficient and to develop a low carbon economy. “China is taking great strides forward in this respect and if we don’t do more we will find ourselves left behind,” he warned.

MEP welcomes language support for Brits in court

British citizens accused of crimes elsewhere in Europe are to gain the right to free interpretation services.

Tameside Liberal Democrat MEP Chris Davies believes that the EU measure will help ensure fair trials and make it easier for British citizens to protect their liberty.

Said Davies, “Being accused of a crime while in a foreign country is a frightening experience for anyone but it is many times worse when you can’t speak the language.

“The EU is adding value to the role of national governments.  Free translation and interpretation is a vital safeguard to protect innocent people from having their rights trampled on in the rush to bring criminals to justice.”

Shark law needs more bite

Sharks may have a reputation for causing harm more than being harmed, but a Tameside Euro-MP says that measures to protect them need more bite. Liberal Democrat Chris Davies is campaigning to curb the practice of shark
finning from killing off some of the ocean’s largest predators.

Finning involves slicing off a shark’s fins and discarding the carcass at sea.  It is driven by high demand prices paid by Chinese buyers in order to make shark fin soup. Often the shark is still alive after being finned and either drowns, is eaten by other fish, or starves to death.

Chris says that shark numbers have in some case fallen by 90% over the past two decades and is seeking the support of his fellow  MEPs to end the practice in EU waters.

His “written declaration” is cosponsored by MEPs from France, Finland and Romania has been signed by 78 MEPs in the first few days.

Said Davies, “Not only is shark finning wasteful, it is cruel.

“Many species of shark are in real danger of extinction but they are being hunted for the sake of one body part that doesn’t even taste of very much.

“It is time we stopped letting one of the oceans most successful predators die in agony just so people can show off that they can afford shark fin soup.”

If more than 369 MEPs sign the Davies declaration by 20th December, the European Commission will have to look at a proposal to strengthen current laws and end legal loopholes that allow EU fishing fleets to fin sharks.

Rat plague fears calmed

Fears that towns and cities could be overrun by a plague of rats have been calmed after MEPs defeated EU plans to ban the use of killer chemicals. Pest control experts had warned that European Commission proposals to severely restrict anticoagulant rodenticides could lead to an explosion in Britain’s rat population.

But changes in the draft law were made after Tameside MEP Chris Davies brought together EU officials and industry advisors to discuss its implications.

And now he has helped secure the defeat in the European Parliament of attempts by Green MEPs to have the most widely used product immediately taken off the market.

The new law on the use of biocides now looks set to restrict future use of the highly toxic rodenticides to pest control professionals, but EU governments will each have flexibility to determine how the rules will be applied.

Chris Davies said the products used to kill rats were “nasty, cruel, but sometimes necessary.”

“These chemicals kill in a horrible way. If pet animals were treated like this there would be public outrage, but because the targets are rats and not cats the complaints are rare.”

The law will encourage pest controllers to try and find less cruel ways to deal with the problem of rat infestation, but if this is impossible the rodenticides will still be available.

Final details of the new law are still to be determined but the MEP said that so far it had proved a good example of the way in which the EU law-making process is supposed to work, but sometimes does not.

Tameside MEP tops the league

Chris Davies MEPTameside Euro-MP Chris Davies has emerged at the head of a ‘league table’ comparing the performance of representatives in the European Parliament.

The Liberal Democrat has spoken more often, tabled more questions, and has the best attendance record of the eight MEPs who represent the North West of England.

The figures compiled by independent organisation Votewatch.eu are based on the European Parliament’s own public records since elections were held last year.

Davies has made 34 speeches in the Parliament on subjects ranging from the need to introduce sustainable fisheries policies to the situation in Middle East, but he concentrated in particular on environmental legislation.

The second most voluble MEP was British National Party leader Nick Griffin, who spoke 14 times during the year.

Bottom of the table was Conservative MEP Jackie Foster, who spoke on just three occasions and tabled no parliamentary questions at all.

But UKIP’s representative, Paul Nuttall, claimed the record for absenteeism, being present on just 58% of the days that the Parliament was in session.

Chris Davies said that numbers did not tell the whole story but was pleased that he had topped the table.

He said: “I’m involved in the shaping of laws that will be binding on 27 countries.  A lot of work goes on behind the scenes but parliamentary debates do provide an opportunity to put ideas on record and to hold the European Commission to public account.

“Perhaps the UK Independence Party should learn some lessons.  You can’t stand up for Britain’s interests if you are not present when votes take place.”

No need for the Pied Piper

Fears that an explosion in rat and mice numbers could result from a new EU law intended to curb the use of dangerous chemicals have been calmed.

A meeting called by Tameside Euro-MP Chris Davies to give public health and safety experts the chance to explain their concerns to Brussels officials has paid off.

In a formal response to a parliamentary question, EU Environment Commissioner Janez Potonik has now promised ‘open discussions’ to ensure that rodenticides can continue for essential uses.

Davies said: “Problems such as the damage that rats and mice can do to electrical wiring in buildings had been overlooked by the Commission when it drafted its proposal. Good law making requires listening and learning.”

Time for people friendly wiring

Photo: Chris' cable spaghettiA Tameside Euro-MP wants to cut the waste of different electrical cables used to power scores if electrical and electronic devices.

Liberal Democrat Chris Davies has welcomed Brussels’ success in persuading mobile phone makers to introduce ‘one size fits all chargers,’ but now he wants the same principle applied to all electrical equipment.

He is calling on the European Commission to press for the introduction of standard fittings in just small, medium and large classifications.

Davies said: “Our mountain of electrical rubbish wastes money and wastes resources.”

Letting us down

Tameside’s UKIP Euro-MP has been slammed for failing to turn up for a vote that could have protected Britain’s right to sell eggs by the dozen. Paul Nuttall, chairman of the UK Independence Party, has publicly attacked European Commission proposals for a new labelling law that will require food only to be sold by weight.

But a rival MEP, Liberal Democrat Chris Davies who tabled a crucial amendment intended to preserve the right to sell eggs by numbers, claims that Nuttall has failed to oppose the measure on two occasions.

Davies has furiously attacked UKIP for claiming to speak up for Britain but failing to turn up to vote. He said: “I don’t think very much of representatives who enjoy criticising others but who can’t find the time to do the job for which they were elected.

“The European Parliament has powers equal to governments in determining the final shape of EU laws. There is a serious job of work to be done and when crucial votes are taken Paul Nuttall should be in his seat to cast them.”

Chris said that the food labelling law was still the subject of debate and he was hopeful that changes would still be made, but he admitted that the defeat of his amendment made the prospects poorer.

Tameside travellers gain right to interpretation

European Union flagA Tameside Euro-MP has helped pass a new law that will guarantee people interpretation should they face questioning by police when visiting other EU countries.

Liberal Democrat Chris Davies MEP says that the measure will help ensure greater justice for all EU citizens who may not understand the accusation against them or subsequent court proceedings.

Chris said: “This increases the rights of everyone who travels in Europe. It will help curb miscarriages of justice.”

Environment victory

Chris Davies MEPNew cars are set to be greener after a Tameside Euro-MP persuaded the EU to maintain a crack down on harmful air-conditioning.

And Liberal Democrat Chris Davies is praising EU rules that have led to the creation of a welcome new chemical product.

A European law agreed four years ago says that all new types of car must from next January use a coolant in air conditioning systems that will not contribute to the problem of global warming.

At present the systems in all cars use a chemical that is 1,500 times more likely to cause climate change than carbon dioxide.

Car makers tried to push back the deadline, arguing that suitable alternative products would not be available in time.

But a lobbying campaign led by Davies persuaded the European Commission to hold firm.

Now chemical companies have developed a new product, HFC1234, that can be used without any changes being made in the design of air conditioning systems.

The MEP described the result as good for car drivers and good for the environment.

Davies said: “EU regulations get criticised a lot, but they can also create new market opportunities and drive forward innovation.”

“It is only through technological progress like this that we can overcome the threats that mankind faces on the planet.”