Consumer

As of today (Friday 1st July) the cost of using your mobile abroad - mobile 'roaming' - within the EU will become cheaper as part of an EU initiative to gradually reduce the cost of making and receiving calls on a mobile when overseas.

The Editor

Financial Times

Dear Sir

You report that taxi regulator John Mason at Transport for London is considering mandatory classes on customer service for London's (in)famous black cab drivers ('London's black cab drivers face lessons in when to turn off the constant rabbit' March 6th).

I think Mr Mason is bringing forward April Fool's Day! The charmingly idiosyncratic nature of London cabbies' pronouncements on life the universe and politicians are to be treasured. If not they are usually easily silenced either with a mere request or by not rising to the bait!

Members of the European Parliament have already forced mobile phone companies to lower call prices while abroad. Now holidaying Brits will benefit from new European rules to cut the price of SMS texting. These will come into force on July 1st - just in time for the summer holidays.

British holidaymakers have been charged around 41p per text while other European mobile users paid 4p for the same service. But MEPs insist that the cost of texting home from the Continent should be cut to a maximum of around 10p a message. Receiving texts will be made free of charge. The changes will also restrict how much phone companies can charge for internet use from mobiles as well as lowering still further the costs of calls abroad.

London Liberal Democrat MEP Sarah Ludford said:

London's LibDem Euro-MP Baroness Sarah Ludford is calling on the government to use new EU rules on GM food to let consumers but also voters decide.

Thanks to Liberal Democrat amendments to legislation EU member states have the power to take action to avoid cross-contamination by GM crops and the European Commission has just published guidelines. Sarah is calling on the government to make maximum use of them:

"I would frankly prefer to see no commercial growing of GM crops. But if it happens wide separation of crops through buffer zones combined with strict implementation of EU rules on labelling and traceability is the minimum necessary for consumers to have the real choice to avoid GM food."

Air passengers who become victims of overbooking by airlines will receive increased cash compensation according to new legislation set to be approved by the European Parliament tomorrow.

The new rules will also mean that cash payouts will be provided to those facing flight cancellations. They have been strongly welcomed by Sarah Ludford MEP:

"This is a real step forward for air passenger rights. Flight cancellation overbooking and delays are responsible for blighting thousands of holidays and trips each year. This legislation will mean that all airlines will have to face up to their responsibilities to their passengers and play by a single set of rules."

Eurosceptics thought they had scored a hit with claims that a new EU regulation would lead to smoky bacon-flavoured crisps disappearing from the shelves and cause "havoc" in Britain's food industry. The hit was shown to be a myth however since the new rules will help food manufacturers and protect customers from harm.

London Euro-MP Sarah Ludford said: "This is the EU doing the job for which it was created laying down rules so that trade can take place freely while also ensuring that health risks are eliminated. It's a mundane but sensible approach that should be welcomed not criticised."

London Liberal Democrat Euro-MP Baroness Sarah Ludford is calling on the European Commission to outlaw the practice by large food processors highlighted on BBC TV's Panorama programme of adulterating chicken with protein derived from pork and beef so it holds more water and thereby boosts profit. She said:

"The addition of proteins derived from beef and pork waste to cheap chicken is a disgusting process and a fraud on consumers. I am outraged that the only reaction of our own Food Standards Agency and the European Commission is 'more labelling'. In fact most of the adulterated meat is sold to the catering industry so the consumer never sees the label."

In a move being welcomed by London's LibDem MEP Sarah Ludford the European Commission is breaking the carmakers' monopoly on sales and services in bid to end rip-off car prices in the EU the world's second-largest car market.

Commenting Sarah Ludford said: "From October 2003 the carmakers' lucrative monopoly on servicing and spare parts will end and the motor industry's stranglehold on the distribution of their cars will end by October 2005. That means that car dealers will soon be able to sell a wide range of cars under one roof and source them from the Continent."

"Mario Monti the European Commissioner for competition has made the right decision. The move will be especially good news for British consumers as we suffer most from the very highest car prices in Europe."

The European Parliament has voted a strict new law on the labelling of GM food products which will mean much better information for consumers.

London's Liberal Democrat MEP Baroness Sarah Ludford has welcomed the result although she voted to go even further than the majority supported.

"I am delighted that the pro-GM lobby did not succeed in dissuading the European Parliament to abandon its tough approach to ensuring shoppers have the choice not to buy GM foods. Labelling means consumers can refuse to buy GM if they have health worries or - as in my case - are deeply concerned about the environmental and ethical consequences of GM crop-growing."

Baroness Sarah Ludford Liberal Democrat MEP for London is calling for the European Parliament to reject an EU Directive on 'food supplements' which would impose unnecessary restrictions on the sale of vitamins minerals and herbal remedies.

"I intend to vote against this over-the-top Directive which would treat vitamins like medicines by imposing a scientist-approved list of substances that could be sold as well as 'purity criteria'. But compared to prescribed drugs which have major risks of side effects vitamins and herbs are generally safe."