This is all in a week’s work for my MEP Robert Sturdy.

Please read and enjoy his latest report from Strasbourg:

R.I.P the British carrot. Yes, the nation’s third favourite culinary vegetable is quite possibly facing the chop. The big news came last week when the European Parliament voted for tough new rules governing the use of pesticides in European crop farming. The Parliament voted to support a compromise package negotiated between the Commission, the Council and MEPs with 577 in favour, 61 against and just 11 abstentions. For me, this has been one of the most important issues in my 14 years as an MEP and the vote came as a massive disappointment, not only for myself but for East Anglia’s farmers, gardeners, grounds men, consumers and everyone else who has contacted me over the past few months expressing their considerable concerns regarding this Directive.

Not only is it poorly thought through, but the EU is blindly introducing new legislation when it is unaware of its vast implications and consequences. It was for this reason that I tabled an amendment on behalf of Conservatives in the European Parliament calling for an impact assessment study to be conducted so that everyone would have been better informed as to precisely what consequences we could expect. Lamentably, the European Commission did not see this as necessary. Furthermore, my attempts to let members vote specifically on the issue of an impact assessment failed because of absurd EU administrational controls.

I must be clear and unequivocal; my top priority has and will always be removing those chemicals that are scientifically proven to be harmful to human health or to the environment. What this Directive fails to do is to strike the right balance between protecting the consumer, rural residents and farmers from the worst effects of the most harmful pesticides, while also ensuring that the right tools are available for farmers to produce safe, high quality food. Pesticides are already among some of the most heavily regulated chemicals in the EU, and I am worried that these new restrictions could lead not only to reductions in both crop yields and quality, but to a rise in food prices for staples such as potatoes, bread and broccoli, as well as the British carrot. However, there was some consolation as the strong position led by me and adopted by Conservative MEPs in Brussels and Strasbourg has significantly watered down the Directive which was first presented to us 12 months ago.

Another issue grabbing the headlines was the ongoing dispute between the Ukraine and Russia over the supply of natural gas. As the row continued, the European Commission threatened legal action against Russia. The EU, which receives large amounts of its gas through Ukrainian pipelines, has been dragged into the row as a collateral victim of Russian attempts to use its huge reserves of this vital resource as a diplomatic weapon.  This is more than simply an exchange of hot air between the two Eastern European neighbours. Russia is attempting to drive a wedge between the Ukraine, a possible future member of the EU, and Europe. This crisis has shown we can no longer rely on an unpredictable and volatile trading partner to provide us with the vital resources our economy requires. I strongly believe that the time has come for Britain to diversify its energy supplies and improve energy efficiency, something that we can all contribute to in the home.

The Czech Republic, in their new role as President of the European Council have made this a central issue of their mandate. They have set themselves an ambitious set of priorities, or the three E’s as they call them: economic improvement, energy and economic improvement. Early signs have been promising; the Czechs certainly seem to be masters of the art of diplomacy, even if their artworks have caused diplomatic fallout. Of course, the economic crisis forms a central part of their agenda, and so far they have thrown their weight behind supporting sensible measures to ensure that the slowdown is tackled. All the indications show free trade is to be championed, something that I wholeheartedly agree with, while protectionism will be shunned- we must not repeat the mistake of the 1930s that led to the worldwide great depression.

Lastly, some of you may remember before Christmas that the European Commission moved to limit the amounts of alcohol and tobacco which the so called "booze cruises" could bring back from the continent to England, something with which I was greatly disappointed. There has been another development on this front, with the Commission now encouraging the British authorities to spy on their customers who may be taking advantage of their single market rights by making such trip to the continent. The Labour government and Labour MEPs have consistently attacked cross-channel shopper and they are now treating honest people as criminals. For me this represents a waste of resources which should be deployed to tackle genuine smuggles of drugs, people and counterfeit goods.