News

2nd June 2003

Labelling law threatens London's Breweries

John Bowis - Conservative Member of the European Parliament for London - visited the Conservative Club in Dagenham on Sunday 1st June, to highlight the threat to British bitter under a proposed new EU law. If passed, the new law will demand that every beer pump in every pub or club in London must be labelled 'contains fish products'. Isinglass, a fish product, has been used in the brewing process of beer and wine for centuries with not a single case of allergic reaction. EU bureaucrats have listed fish products as allergenic and beer containing this product would have to list fish as an ingredient. Breweries could only change their brewing process at great expense, and micro-breweries would be forced out of business. In the case of bitter, there is no alternative to using isinglass in clarifying beer.

John Bowis MEP, Conservative Spokesman on Health in the European Parliament, said "By visiting Dagenham today I have highlighted how absurd this proposed new EU law is. Isinglass was discovered by ancient Egyptians, who used the sturgeon to improve their drinks. A safe listing of allergenic products in ingredients is important to safeguard public health - informed labelling gives customers the freedom to choose what they eat and drink. But this is a step too far. There is no evidence that isinglass is detrimental to health - it has been used in the industry for hundreds of years."

John Bowis added, "Britain is a proud producer of good quality beer and the European Commission must ensure that this perfectly safe tradition continues and does not fall foul of a fish fallacy. The people of Dagenham who I met today - like people across London - agree with me that this is a step too far."