Get your facts straight!

5.12.30pm GMT Mon 24th Jan 2005

The EU has launched a new website to help East Midlands people cut through the euromyths and newspapers deliver the truth to their readers.

The future of marmalade, smoky bacon crisps, yoghurt and model railways have all been threatened by Brussels, according to recent national newspaper articles. In fact none of these will be banned, but that does not seem to stop newspapers from printing such stories.

The 'Get Your Facts Straight' website has criticised most British national newspapers for incorrectly reporting the EU's work, with The Sun and The Mail coming top in getting the story wrong.

East Midland MEP Bill Newton Dunn claims there are a number of reasons for the widespread misreporting of the EU.

"Some newspapers simply do not understand how the EU works but others have a deliberate agenda to portray the European Union in the worst possible light."

One reason for misrepresentation of EU law is the over-zealous interpretation by the London government, local authorities or trade associations.

For example a local authority in Wales incorrectly interpreted an EU law on the disposal of animal by-products as a ban on butchers giving bones to dogs.

Other reports, for example a story about the EU banning DIY electrical work, confuse the EU with other unrelated European organisations.

That "edict" was actually a set of voluntary electrical standards adopted by a non-EU body, made up of organisations from 28 European countries, including the British Standards Institution. It is a matter for national governments if they wish to legislate to enforce these standards.

Although the website is intended for journalists, MEP Bill hopes the public will use it too, even if newspapers continue to twist the facts.

"Publishing this information is a step towards countering myths and distortion spread by the eurosceptic press but a lot more needs to be done.

"If we can't have an informed debate about bendy bananas or the banning of DIY how can we have one about big issues like the euro or the European constitution?"

Notes to editors

The 'Get Your Facts Straight' website is at:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/dgs/press_communication/facts/index_en.htm