PalenQ

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/24/wo...rule.html?_r=0

Ah the EU once again under fire for some seemingly idiotic ruling they had passes but after the fire storm of criticism it elicted now rescinded.

It's all about olive oil and its integrity - the new rule would have banned the serving of olive oil in cruets or dipping bowls but instead require it to be served only in the original bottle with a screw top on it - this to make sure the olive oil restaurant customers are eating comes from certified EU producers and not some cheaper substitute.

Britain of course was the loudest complainer with even David Cameron saying about the rule "it should not even be on the table" - 'immediately apologizing for the wordplay.'

Ah the EU economies are tanking and this is what they are worried about?

Gordon_R

... and this has what to do with travel? I thought this sort of trivia was reserved for the so-called lounge.

bilboburgler

The frightening thing is this is the first piece of logic out of Brussels in over 5 years. They seriously need to get their act together, seen front of Economist today?

ribeirasacra

PQ: Your posting is dated the 24 May and this bit of news posted on the 23 May say it has been withdrawn:
http://www.france24.com/en/20130523-...olive-oil-jugs
So old news.
Gordon: This has a lot to do with travel as if this law had been implemented it would affect every restaurant in Europe.

hetismij2

The law has been withdrawn, as ribeirasacra says. It would have been unenforceable anyway.

ira

Hey PQ,

Bureaucrats are hired to do a job.

They have to justify their salaries.

A long, long time ago someone in one of the Danish Ministries decided that there were too many kinds of breakfast cereals and suggested that there be only one, generic, brand of corn flakes, rice krispies, etc.

It was nip and tuck for a few days.

BigAleinstein

I beleive olive oil in dipping bowls for bread is an American invention.

flanneruk

"Ah the EU economies are tanking and this is what they are worried about?"

The measure was designed - at the request of EU olive oil producers - to discourage the use of non-EU olive oil

The poster getting himself riled up at this comes from the US. Where no-one opposes or ridicules the billions of dollars of American taxpayers' money squandered in absurd protections for American farmers.

Yet it purports to be a democracy. I suggest the poster studies the progress of the current Farm Bill, gently winding its way through the US Congress, picking up more and more treaty-defying, carbon-emitting, money-wasting suggestions for abuse of taxes on the way. http://farmpolicy.com/2013/05/21/far...onomy-tuesday/ is a good place to get a quick overview of the staggering, if involuntary, bounty the US taxpayer pours on the country's uncompetitive farmers.

And explain to us why in Britain and Germany we have national leaders publicly denouncing such misuse of public money. Together with a properly critical press, getting such nonsenses repealed overnight - which is what happened to the olive oil lobby's absurd protectionism

In America, the loudest noise is always from politicians wanting their slice of their gravy train. The silence from the useless Obama administration is as deafening as ever.

bilboburgler

Flanner you are almost getting me going on "aid" for the hungry that turns out to be money to US farmers to grow food so the local economy is destroyed leading to more hunger. But I'll bite my tongue.

WeisserTee

"In America, the loudest noise is always from politicians wanting their slice of their gravy train."

As opposed to the UK, where all politicians are selfless charity workers.

PalenQ

I have the exact same opinion as flanneruk has - exactly and many Americans do too just the lobbyists that corrupt democracy are too much to overcome - yes we have an oligarchy not a democracy and I'm not sure the UK is any better of- most of the farmland I've seen from train windows in the UK looks like it's marginal and must get EU crop supports to be viable - heck most of the EU's farm would go belly up sans subsidies - all of French farms would go bust - talk about subsidies the EU is no better than the American's welfare for rich farmers - mainly mega agro-factory farms - many Americans think farm supports go to saving family farms but it really goes to huge corporations like Archer Daniels M and its ilk - Purdue, etc.