Delivering business from red tape
07 September 2006
During both Question Time this week in the European Parliament and in a debate on eco-labelling of fishery products, MEP Jim Allister spoke out against increasing entanglement of small business in EU red tape.
In the course of the fisheries debate the Ulster MEP urged that the most the EU should do is set minimum, manageable standards required in eco-labelling of product, but that the operation of the scheme should be voluntary and private, rather than EU controlled and regulated.
In the course of the debate Mr Allister said:-
"The principle of eco-labelling is sound. The danger is that when EU bureaucracy and red tape gets to work, the system which emerges will be unwieldy and excessively burdensome, not to say expensive. The fishery sector suffers enough already from EU stipulations and restrictions. So, the most that the EU should do is set minimum requirements to be met by voluntary eco-labelling schemes. Thus, I part company from those who support a single Community scheme with what is termed "ambitious criteria", but which to the industry might seem more like more excessive regulation.
Fundamentally, we are looking for good traceability and proof of sustainable practices; such can be assured by setting sensible and manageable minimum standards. We do not need another array of regulations or army of inspectors. We need sometimes to temper utopian environmental and other demands with business reality."
Earlier at Oral Question Time the DUP MEP had clashed with Commissioner Verheugen on his claim that the EU was in fact cutting red tape for small business. Responding, Mr Allister said:-
"Commissioner, without seeking to be unkind, is it not fair to say that the Commission’s record on cutting red tape has been very high on promise, but very low on delivery? Indeed it is not without significance that though you promise us a recital in written form of some examples, you have not been able today in your substantive answer to give a single example of realistic cutting of red tape. The experience in my constituency is that businesses see no sign of it. They find themselves more and more burdened in circumstances where it is seriously impeding their competitiveness."
Commenting, Mr Allister said:-
"This Commission has been promising since it came into office 2 years ago that it wished to help business and cut back on bureaucratic demands. Frankly, it has not happened. Every month we are asked to vote for more not less regulation. We need a thorough audit of the existing EU regulation and its ruthless reduction, instead, despite the promises, we are getting more, not less red tape."
