Robert Sturdy

May 2012 – Letter to the Editor Regarding Argentina’s Trade Protectionism

Dear Sir/Madam,

As the 30th anniversary of the Falklands Conflict has come and gone, hostility to the UK from Buenos Aires has featured regularly in the press. From diplomatic stunts at the United Nations to propaganda ahead of the Olympics,Argentina has behaved irresponsibly and erratically towards the UK.

One area of the dispute that has not gained much attention is international trade, where Argentinahas increasingly pursued discriminatory and protectionist policies directed at the UK and other major world economies. Back in 2010, the Argentine Internal Trade Secretary Guillermo Moren, ordered the country’s supermarkets to avoid importing foreign foods if Argentine products were available. Recently Industry Minister Debora Giorgi called on 20 major businesses to stop imports from the UK by finding local alternatives. Argentina’s rogue behaviour reached new heights when President de Kirchner signed into law the nationalisation of the majority share of the YPF Oil Company, owned by the Spanish company Repsol.

 The European Union has said it does not intend to get involved in the Falklands dispute and the Conservative Party has fully support this policy – indeed our Government has been clear that it would prefer to keep economic relations with Argentina separate from the wider political issues concerning theIslands. However, as trade is an exclusive competence of the EU and Argentina has threatened the interest of other EU member states, it is time for the EU to intervene on behalf of UK and European companies.

The Commission has made numerous statements strongly criticising Argentina and has hinted at a dynamic response but it has yet to take concrete action. Thus far the response has been for the EU, the United States and 10 other countries to write to the WTO expressing their concerns and to begin building a case against Argentina to take before the WTO.

I have welcomed these measures, but in recent weeks I have written to the European Trade Commissioner on two separate occasions to demand further, more concrete action.

Now EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht says the EU will soon back up its words with actions. Sadly he has declined to specify how this will be accomplished.

I propose that the EU emulate the US, who in response to Argentina’s failure to pay more than $300 million in compensation awards in two disputes involving American investors suspended Argentina’s trade preferences under their Generalized System of Preference (GSP) scheme. A full suspension of Argentina’s GSP will ensure it does not benefit from preferential trade status with the EU.

Secondly, the EU should make it clear to the MERCOSUR trading bloc, of which Argentina currently holds the rotating Presidency, that action must be taken or the EU will stall negotiations for the current region-to-region trade deal. This will not only send a strong signal to Argentina that the EU will not accept its behaviour but it will demonstrate to the  other South American MERCOSUR members, who are also growing wearying of Argentina’s behaviour, that they must reign in their partner.

If Argentina does not get the message, the Conservatives Group in the European Parliament has urged the EU to consider expelling Argentina from the G-20. The Argentine Government must realise that it must play by the rules. It is time for the EU to get tough and hit Argentina where it really hurts, their wallets.

Your sincerely,

Robert Sturdy MEP

Vice Chairman of the International Trade Committee

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

April 2012 – Letter to Commissioner De Gucht Regarding Argentina’s Trade Protectionism

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

April 2012 – Letter from Brussels, East Anglia Daily Times

Strasbourg or Brussels?

Although the title of this section is Letter from Brussels, it could just as well be called Letter from Strasbourg. This is because the European Parliament, and therefore its Parliamentarians, spend a lot of time in both cities. Why? Because the Parliament has seats in bothStrasbourg andBrussels.

Whatever your views of the European Union, this is a highly unusual scenario. It is also one of the most common issues brought up by my constituents from across the East of England. My usual response is that the Conservatives in the European Parliament are doing all that we can to make sure that the two seats are scrapped and a single seat is chosen, but that this is a constant uphill battle.

Recently, however, much progress has been made. Over the last 12 months the European Parliament has adopted a number of  Conservative proposals that have tipped the argument in favour of a single seat. First, there was the adoption of the Conservative amendment to the European Parliament’s calendar that will see the Parliament conduct two plenary sessions in one week, effectively reducing the number of trips from 12 to 11 over the next year. Although only a small victory, its significance should not be over looked. The French Government has seen this move by the Parliament as such a threat to the presence of theStrasbourgseat that it is taking the European Parliament to the European Court of Justice.

In this February’s Strasbourg session, the Parliament voted through a key British amendment during a debate on the guidelines for next year’s budget which calls on the parliament’s authorities to review their hugely wasteful two-seat policy. This move was reinforced by a similar vote this March in Brussels (yes, votes do occur in Brussels too) which called on the Council of Ministers to take immediate action to implement their repeated demands that Parliament should have only one seat for members and officials. Even the recently elected President of the European Parliament has, for the first time, put his weight behind our campaign, although he has indicated that he favours Strasbourg over the much more spacious and practical Brussels seat.

Further significant developments have occurred outside the Parliament. In January, Denmark took over the EU Presidency and has announced that they openly support the motion of a single seat for the European Parliament. With support for our cause building and the ongoing austerity in much of the EU, I cannot see how this wasteful practice can continue.

Robert Sturdy is MEP for the East of England and Vice-Chairman of the European Parliament’s International Trade Committee. He also sits on the Agriculture and Rural Development Committee. Visit: www. robertsturdymep.com or email: rwsturdy@btconnect.com.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

March 2012 – Response from Hungarian Ministry of Public Administration and Justice in answer Mr. Sturdy’s letter to Ambassador Györkös, Hungarian Permanent Representation to the EU, regarding religious discrimination.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

March 2012 – Letter to Lord Patten of the BBC Trust

 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

February 2012 – Letter from Brussels, East Anglia Daily Times

Writing to our elected officials is engrained into the British political psyche. If we have a problem in our constituencies or want to make our voices heard, our first port of call is often our MPs or MEPs. In recent years there has been talk of a break down between politicians and the citizens that they serve, with people asking whether writing to their MEPs will actually bring about a change in direction or really make a difference. My answer would be unequivocally, that it does.

Letters and email from constituents are very important. They enable us, the elected officials, to make an informed decision by knowing what the electorate thinks on any given issue, as it not always possible to meet with constituents face-to-face on every issue that is brought before the Parliament. My offices in Cambridge and Brussels receive hundreds of correspondences from constituents every month and I aim to answer them all, even if I do not necessarily agree with the constituent.

Every so often I receive mass email or postal campaigns on a vast array of different pieces of legislation and causes, for example there are three ongoing campaigns which have seen me receive over a thousand emails in the last couple of weeks. Animal welfare is perhaps the best subscribed and the best organised of these campaigns, the RSPB alone has double the membership of the three main parties combined.  These campaigns are very useful to gauge the views of large portions of society however a delicate balance must be made as it is important that we do not simply listen to those that shout the loudest, as all too often the silent majority is overlooked. The vast majority of us relish the connection with our constituents and welcome your input, but please have patience with us, when we receive thousands of emails it is not always possible to answer immediately and sometimes it is difficult to provide personalised answers, especially with regards to mass campaigns.

Being informed is crucial to making the right decision. Hearing from interested parties, whether they are individual constituents, industrial experts or civil society groups, helps you to obtain a level of understanding that means you can vote in the interest of your constituents. Your emails and letters are very important, not only to the functioning of individual political offices but also to our political system at large. Please keep them coming.

Robert Sturdy is MEP for the East of England and Vice-Chairman of the European Parliament’s International Trade Committee. He also sits on the Agriculture and Rural Development Committee. Visit: www. robertsturdymep.com or email: rwsturdy@btconnect.com.

February 2012 – ACTA.

Dear all,

In the last few weeks I have received a large number of emails concerning ACTA. Due to the volume of emails, I may take slightly longer than usual to respond. Furthermore, it is important to note that I will only respond to those from the region I represent.

Thank you for your understanding,

Robert Sturdy MEP

November 2011 – Letter to the FT regarding EU-US Summit.

Sir – It was with great interest that I watched the recent EU-US summit held in Washington on the 28th of November

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

November 2011 – Letter to Ambassador Györkös, Hungarian Permanent Representation to the EU, regarding religious discrimination.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

October 2011 – Letter from Eurogroup for Animals, the International Fund for Animal Welfare and Four Paws.

 

 

 

 

 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

June 2011 – Letter from President Barroso regarding the Spanish Coastal Laws.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

May 2011 – ‘Coastal Laws’ in Empuriabrava, Spain – Update.

In addition to writing to the Presidents of the Parliament and the Commission, along with the Spanish Permanent Representation to the EU (see below), as of May Strasbourg session I have also signed WD 009/2011 relating to the Spanish ‘Coastal Laws’.  I hope that this helps to bring this injustice to an end for the sake of all those currently affected by the actions of the Spanish authorities.

Furthermore, as part of a Conservative campaign to protest against the Spanish government’s European property road show that began in the UK last week, I have written to local press in my constituency, the East of England, in order to raise awareness of this and similar issues. Hopefully this help to prevent people from going through the same problems that are occurring in Empuriabrava.

Yours sincerely,

Robert Sturdy MEP

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

April 2011 – ‘Coastal Laws’ in Empuriabrava, Spain

I have had an influx of letters from people all over Europe who are concerned about the actions of the Spanish government in the city of Empuriabrava.

The Spanish authorities plan to expropriate land from properties that are adjacent to water ways to create a supposed public passage way. They plan to do this by implementing the ‘Coastal Laws’ retroactively. This has led to a large number of legal properties being declared illegal.

Spanish authorities are demonstrating a serious contempt of European law and a blatant disregard to the residents of Empuriabrava. I will not stand idly by and let this happen.

I have pledged to sign a European Parliament Written Declaration calling on the relevant authorities to cease their expropriation and demanded that they respect the protection of private property, as enshrined in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.

I have also written letters to the President of the European Commission, the President of the European Parliament and the Spanish Permanent Representative to the European Union.

I hope that my actions may help to stop this injustice from continuing.

If you have been affected by the Coastal Laws please check my website regularly, as I will posting any response I receive on the matter here.

Regards,

Robert Sturdy MEP

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7th April 2010,

Dear Minister,

I am writing to you regarding the proposed changes to the East Coast Mainline timetable.  I understand that under the “Eureka” consultation brochure recently published by the East Coast Mainline Company that a number of timetable changes between London, Stevenage, Peterborough and the North East/Scotland have been suggested.

Peterborough, as a key rail interchange for the East of England, seems particularly badly affected and as an MEP for the Eastern Region I would invite you to consider the damaging effects that such timetable changes could have.  The reduction in passenger services could lead to:

•    Reduced connectivity
•    Increased overcrowding
•    Reduced attractiveness of rail
•    Increasingly poor perception of the East of England

I would be very interested to hear your views on whether the timetable changes will, by reducing the current frequency of services, have detrimental effects on commuters and businesses that use and rely on the East Coast Mainline services to and from Peterborough and Stevenage.   Furthermore, what guarantees are you able to give that they will not be adversely affected by the timetable changes?

I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.

Yours sincerely,

Robert Sturdy MEP

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

16 October 2009

Letter to The Editor, East Anglian Daily Times:

Dear Sir

I would like to commend Zoe and Shane Murphy for reopening their second pub in Suffolk in the last three months. (EADT 15 October). This is an incredible achievement, especially during this economic downturn and at a time when The British Beer and Pub Association reports that a record 52 pubs are closing every week in Britain leading to the loss of 24,000 jobs in the past year.

As chairman of the British Beer Club in the European Parliament, I not only want to promote the best of British beer, but recognise the added value our pubs bring to our communities which are fast losing all their amenities.

Socialising over a pint in the local pub is a British tradition that we should endeavour to maintain, particularly in rural areas which may have already lost its post office and has poor transport links to neighbouring towns.

I look forward to dropping by and sharing a pint with them both.

Yours faithfully

Robert Sturdy MEP

______________________________________________________________________________

30 September, 2009

This letter has been sent to the Editor of The Times following an article it published yesterday about anti-dumping measures and shoe manufacturers:

Dear Sir

Your article yesterday, “Shoemakers look for protection as retailers call for change in Brussels”, highlighted how the unnecessary and protectionist measures put in place by Lord Mandelson during his time as EU Trade Commissioner could still be doing great harm to British industry.  According to an analysis based on the Copenhagen Anti Dumping model, EU consumers and importers would lose by around £1.5bn over a five year period if measures continue in their current form, with only Portugal and Slovakia standing to benefit.  Of this the UK will lose out to the tune of an eye watering £275m.

The measures are also harmful to consumers and have done nothing to save a declining European shoe industry. It was clear from the start that such high duties would be absorbed into the supply chain, eventually hitting the pockets of consumers, particularly those on low-incomes, at a time when they are already being hit hard by recession. During times of economic downturn, we should be lifting barriers to trade to increase trade flows and stimulate competition.  These unjust measures have been in place far too long and I am keen to see an end to this debacle.

Yours faithfully

Robert Sturdy MEP

Conservative spokesman for International Trade and Vice-Chair of the International Trade Committee.

____________________________________________________________________________

2nd July, 2009

This letter has been sent by Robert to the Cambridge News regarding the new Conservative group in the European Parliament:

Some people will be aware that David Cameron has withdrawn the Conservatives from the EPP-ED and led the formation of a new group, the European Conservatives and Reformists, a move that has generated significant misinformation in the press.

Contrary to many reports I am proud to say that we will not be sitting with extremists, but instead we have joined with many mainstream parties from other member states who share our view that the EU should not continue down the path towards ever greater federal union but rather should respect the right of sovereign nations and their citizens.  The EU must become more open, democratic and accountable, this is the mandate upon which I was elected, and this is the platform which I shall follow.

Of course, the Conservatives will carry on maintaining good ties with our former colleagues, continuing to work together in areas of mutual interest, but the new group will allow me to concentrate on our region’s economic recovery, improving growth and competitiveness, reducing red tape and making sure that the EU represents value for money for Cambridgeshire’s tax payers.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who journeyed to the polls to vote on the 4th of June.  It has always been a great honour to serve the people of Cambridgeshire and I was delighted to be lucky enough to be asked to return to Brussels and Strasbourg by the electorate of the Eastern Region. I look forward to working for the people of Cambridgeshire for whom I was directly elected under the old constituency system in 1994 and for whom I shall continue to directly represent for the next five years.

______________________________________________________________________

19 March, 2009. This letter by Robert has appeared in today’s Ely Standard: