Proof That Green Groups Recruited As Fifth Column Against Palm Oil Despite EU Trade Commissioner's Denial

Online, March 28, 2011 (Newswire.com) - In an interview with the Business Times recently, EU Trade Commissioner, Karel de Gucht denied that "the European Union is using environmental non-government organisations as a "fifth column" to help it achieve its Renewable Energy Directive (RED) which places palm oil for biofuel at a disadvantage."

He argues: ""RED is a result of a legislative decision between the council and parliament. We're advancing sustainability in palm oil especially biofuel but it is not restricted to palm oil only."

"We're not putting restrictions on the exports of palm oil to the European market - we're simply giving advantage to palm oil that is produced in a sustainable manner," says de Gucht.

Mr de Gucht did not explain how palm oil is any less sustainable than the EU's home grown edible oils and biofuel feedstock, rapeseed and sunflower. After all palm oil only occupies less than 0.22% of the world's agricultural land and yet produces 30% of the world's edible oil!

In the Incorporated Society of PalmHugger's view, the irresistible conclusion can be drawn that it is the crop's inherently high yield and productivity that makes palm oil such a threat to the EU's home grown edible oilseeds (whose poor yields of less than 10 times that of palm oil renders them uncompetitive on a level playing field) that has spawned these surreptitious attacks against it. That the EU would resort to such flimsy modus operandi to rein in palm oil in favor of its home grown oilseeds reminds Palmhugger of the gang who can't shoot straight, except that this is no laughing matter as it affects the livelihoods of millions in South East Asia who depend on palm oil for a livelihood!

"We're not supporting NGOs for doing that (attacking the palm oil industry) but we're also not restricting them. Of course, they try to influence what is happening in the European Parliament but they are entitled to do so, on their own behalf," he said.

What de Gucht failed to mention is that the EU is funding these NGOs to the tune of close to 70% of their annual funds. If not for 2 very diligent and eagle eyed researchers, Caroline Boin and Andrea Marchesetti, all these would have remained concealed and the EU could have merrily continued its devious attacks against palm oil! In their well researched report entitled "Friends of the EU,"
(see: http://www.policynetwork.net/accountability/publication/friends-eu) Ms Boin and Marchesetti concluded that the EU, through its environmental ministries and commissions is involved in funding up to 70% of the operating budgets of environmental NGOs such as FOE Europe.

De Gucht declined to comment on British Member of European Parliament Roger Helmer's allegation that the EU provides more than 60Million Euros to these NGOs, saying it was the position and view of an individual MEP out of a total of 750, as if the might of numbers make their actions right! (Helmer should be commended for his bravery and convictions in pointing out that the European Commission alone had provided what amounts to an antip-palm oil slush fund to these pressure groups through a cleverly disguised programme called LIFE+). Helmer points out that such funding implicates the EU in creating barriers to trade for agricultural products from developing countries.

De Gucht finished his interview on a conciliatory note, pointing out that "we expect countries to respect our requirements... and in the long run, trade between both the EU and Malaysia will be served by high environment standards."

In the view of the Incorporated Society of PalmHuggers, whilst the EU Trade Commissioner is entitled to ask countries to respect the EU's requirements, the EU has to ensure that these requirements are not unfair and covert artificial trade barriers erected to protect its home grown edible oilseeds in violation of WTO rules! THE END

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