EU politics

I am about to completely loose any faith into the political system of the European Union. I still believe that the basic idea about the Union is pretty good but the politics behind it amaze me yet again.

The Commission of the EU recently authorized import of maize 1507 for use in animal food.

I am not so much against the decision itself since I don't see a large risk if it is neither cultivated nor used for human food. But the fact that this decision has been taken while the member states of the EU are still evenly divided between rejection and acceptance of genetically modified food is amazing.

The commission apparently has the right to decide as long as the ministries of agriculture are yet undecided.

I am back to the same problem the I had when I tried to follow the news on software patents. I simply have no clue how decisions are taken in the EU. I do have a better overview over the different bodies that form the government of the union now. But I am still helpless when it comes to predicting the possible outcome of the decision process.

At some point during the discussion on software patents I made the effort of reading through a lengthy description of the "workflow" of a new law. Reality did not even come close to that. There seem to exist a number of rather interesting, unwritten laws that are only known to the politicians involved in the process.

As a citizen of this union I simply wish to be able to understand how new laws are being generated. I would like to know how I could try to influence decisions that touch topics I am interested in. I acknowledge that this is also not an easy task in German politics. But I have at least the feeling that I know the general directions while I am completely lost concerning the EU.

And it is not possible to simply say "I don't care". The laws made by the EU are in general applicable everywhere throughout the union. Even if Germany reject GMOs, the company selling maize 1507 can enforce the law by appealing to a court.

In addition to my confusion I have the general feeling that the large companies are somehow much nearer to the process than any of the organizations that actually care for social concerns.

Would be nice to know if the constitution would have changed anything if it would have come into being.

Posted at: 22:42 | Permalink | category: /english/personal/news/science