This news follows a nosedive in relations between the EU and Argentina over recent months. In March of this year, the Argentine Industry Minister Debora Giorgi contacted 20 major Argentine businesses and called on them to prevent imports from the UK by finding local alternatives. Also in March, the EU, the US and 10 other states wrote a letter of complaint to the WTO highlighting their concerns relating to Argentina’s continuous Import Restricting Policies and Practices. Similarly, the recent nationalisation of the Spanish company Repsol, which has been cited as a major reason for the EU’s moves in the WTO, has further alienated Argentinain the eyes of the EU.

Robert Sturdy, Conservative MEP for the East of England and Vice Chairman of the European Parliament’s International Trade Committee, has been very vocal in demanding that the EU stand up for the UK against the protectionist and illegal trade practices of the Argentine Government.

Commenting on developments, Mr. Sturdy said: “I have long been a proponent of the EU taking concrete action against Argentina in the sphere of international trade and I am fully supportive of the EU’s decision to file a suit at the WTO.”

“These developments are not surprising. The EU’s recent moves at the WTO follow a long chain of non-fulfilments of Argentina’s international obligations which have been built over a number of years. Argentina must realise that it must abide by the rules, or face serious consequences.”

“It is time for Argentina to stop harassing legitimate British and European business and economic activity”

Ends 

For further information contact: Robert Sturdy MEP– robert.sturdy@europarl.europa.eu

Tel: 01954 211790 or 0032 2284 7294

or visit

robertsturdymep.com

Also quoted on Public Service Europe – http://www.publicserviceeurope.com/article/1933/eu-considering-wto-complaint-against-argentina

A full version of the letter can be seen below.

Britons now pay 40 per cent of the entire EU beer tax bill, but only consume 13 per cent of the beer sold in Europe. Beer taxes in the UK are now an astonishing 11 times higher than in the largest beer market, Germany.

Robert is backing the campaign by the British Beer & Pub Association, the Society of Independent Brewers and the Campaign for Real Ale, for the Chancellor to abandon planned +5% hike in beer duty, saving 16,000 jobs over the next three years.

According to new analysis by leading economists Oxford Economics for the BBPA:

• The beer and pub sector sustains 73896 jobs in the East of England

• This includes 21855 jobs for 16 – 24 year olds, who have been hit hard by the economic slowdown

• The sector adds £1,629.1 million to the regional economy

• The sector also contributes £773.8 million taxes to the exchequer in the region

• In total the beer and pub sector supports almost 1 million UK jobs and 46 per cent of those employed in the sector are 16 to 24 year olds

Commenting on the campaign, Mr. Sturdy said:

“These figures show how important the brewing and pub sector is in the East of England. I hope the Chancellor will take action to protect these jobs by scrapping the beer duty escalator. This will also help our much-loved pubs, the communities they serve and the important local facilities they provide.”

ENDS

For further information contact: Robert Sturdy MEP– robert.sturdy@europarl.europa.eu

Tel: 01954 211790 or 0032 2284 7294 or visit www.robertsturdymep.com

The European Parliament has adopted a resolution calling for strong action to end the use of child labour, which often denies children their right to a basic education.

Mr Sturdy is supporting efforts to create a set of industry norms for products containing cocoa. In particular, a labelling system would enable consumers to opt for goods where forced child labour has not been used in its production.

Mr Sturdy said:

“All children deserve the best start possible in life. Unfortunately too many children are failing to get even the most basic education because of their use in cocoa production.

“I believe that if we give consumers the right information, they will vote with their wallets to end child labour in cocoa production.”

ENDS

For further information contact: Robert Sturdy MEP– robert.sturdy@europarl.europa.eu

Tel: 01954 211790 or 0032 2284 7294 or visit www.robertsturdymep.com

 The dispute began in 1988 when the European Union banned imports of beef containing certain growth-promoting hormones. In retaliation, the USA and Canada imposed sanctions on EU agricultural products including mustard, sausage and Roquefort cheese. After recent negotiations between all sides it has been agreed that the USA and Canada will gradually lift their sanctions in exchange for the creation of the special tariff rate for hormone-free high-quality beef.

 Conservative spokesman on international trade Robert Sturdy MEP has long advocated this solution. The East of England MEP said:

“I fully welcome today’s news as it will bring to an end a longstanding trade dispute between the world’s largest economic powers. This move by the EU, USA and Canada is a step in the right direction and can only further our trans-Atlantic partnership.

“I hope it will lead to further dismantling of similar barriers to trade that will act as a catalyst for increased prosperity on both sides of the pond. Trade and investment barriers, something which I have addressed in a recent report of the same name, are substantial obstacles to economic growth costing the EU billions of euros a year. Action taken to remove them will be central to EU trade strategy of the coming decades and essential if the EU is to emerge strongly from the current economic crisis.”

“This is also good news for the UK because the US has announced that it is launching the process that will allow UK beef to be exported to the USA which had previously been banned as a retaliation to the EU ban on hormone beef”

Ends -

For further information contact: Robert Sturdy MEP– robert.sturdy@europarl.europa.eu

Tel: 01954 211790 or 0032 2284 7294 or visit www.robertsturdymep.com

Robert Sturdy, MEP for the East of England, has signed up to a national campaign by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) and has become a Real-Life Entrepreneur Champion. Robert signed the FSB’s pledge at the recent Going Global Conference in Cambridge that Mr. Sturdy organised to assist small and medium sized businesses in the East of England increase their trade abroad.

As a Real-Life Entrepreneur Champion Robert Sturdy has agreed to:

·       Listen to the concerns of Real-Life Entrepreneurs and champion their cause

·       Represent the interests of Real-Life Entrepreneurs on a European level

·       Recognise the many thousands of hard-working entrepreneurs that support theUKeconomy

·       Support the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) in its endeavours to get the best deal for Real-Life Entrepreneurs

Speaking at the Going Global Conference, John Walker, National Chairman of the FSB, said:

“Small businesses are vital to our economy and it is imperative we recognise their importance so I am pleased that Robert has committed to helping us in our cause. With the Government wanting the private sector to lead the recovery, we need to see policies put in place at a local, national and European level that can help businesses to grow and for more people to have the confidence to become a Real-Life Entrepreneur.”

Speaking after signing his pledge, Robert Sturdy said:

“During the tough economic times that we currently find ourselves, we must look to promote growth. Small business and the entrepreneurs that establish them are the life blood of our economy and it is essential that we do every thing that we can to assist them.”

ENDS

For further information contact: Robert Sturdy MEP– robert.sturdy@europarl.europa.eu

Tel: 01954 211790 or 0032 2284 7294 or visit www.robertsturdymep.com and www.fsb.org.uk/real-life-entrepreneurs

Previous EU rules only allowed a farmer to vaccinate if they were in a designated exclusion zone. This was because the vaccines were “live” and therefore could potentially spread the virus. The rules made comprehensive preventive vaccination practically impossible.

Now “inactive” vaccines have been developed which pose no such threat, but the EU’s regulatory framework is only now catching up. After an initial attempt to update the regulations foundered last year over technical disagreements, legislators have been in a race against time to update the rules before the arrival of warmer weather and the swarming of midges, which spread the disease.

Robert Sturdy, MEP for the East of England and Member of the European Parliament’s Agricultural Committee, said:

“This is great news for British farmers. The threat of Bluetongue, even in the UK where it is not as prevalent as other EU countries, should not be taken lightly. The disease can cause huge losses to cattle, sheep and goats herds.”

“Thankfully, after a long process of reviewing the relevant legislation, the EU has finally caught up with the pace of science.”

ENDS

For further information contact: Robert Sturdy MEP– robert.sturdy@europarl.europa.eu

Tel: 01954 211790 or 0032 2284 7294 or visit robertsturdymep.com

On the 2nd of March 2012, in the prestigious surroundings of one of the world’s greatest and oldest universities, Robert Sturdy MEP, Vice-Chairman of the European Parliament’s International Trade Committee, will be hosting a trade conference aimed at bringing together British SMEs and national and European experts, advisers and officials, to provide essential information to British companies on how to take their business to the world.

The conference will be split into three panel sessions followed by a questions and answer session. There will be an intermission for a buffet lunch which will double as a roaming session, that will provide the opportunity for the panellist and the other attendees to engage directly with one another in order for them to raise concerns, discuss experiences, and make direct contacts with policy professionals and experts.

A number of additional speakers and attendees have been confimed! Confirmed panellists now include Mark Prisk MP – Minister of State for Business and Enterprise, Dr. Syed Kamall - MEP for London, Sean McGuire - Brussels Director of the CBI, John Walker - National Chairman Federation of Small Businesses , Ray Symons - EU Affairs British Retail Consotium, Liz Basing- UKTI, Signe Ratso – Trade Strategy and Analysis European Commission, Emma Jones, Founder of Enterprise Nation and Patrick Crawford – Chief Executive of the UK Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD). For a more detailed agenda please click icon:

Registration Open Now – To register for this FREE conference, or for more information, please contact rwsturdy@btconnect.com.