Yorkshire brewers are a big hit in Brussels

Yesterday I was delighted to attend a reception organised by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), and the British Beer Club in the European Parliament of which I am Chairman.

Some 60 beers from across the North of England were on display, and I am delighted to say that the lion's share were from Yorkshire. The Black Sheep brewery, Coors, Great Heck brewery, Morissey Fox brewery, Tiger Tops brewery, Wold Top brewery, the York brewery and the Yorkshire Dales brewery all brought their beers sample.

While the event was very well attended, with a number of Labour and Tory MEPs (though a distinct lack of any Liberal Democrats) it was particularly interesting to see three different classes of UKIP MEP at the event: ex-UKIP, suspended UKIP and a couple of remaining UKIP members (and equally surprising to see so many of them in Brussels but beer at least attracted them in a way that parliamentary debates rarely do!).

Although the reception itself was a fun and convivial occasion, there are several serious issues at the heart of the event. The British pub industry is in difficulties, not least because of the increasing availability of very cheap alcohol sold in supermarkets and corner shops, a practice which, apart from driving many small brewers out of the market, irresponsibly encourages binge drinking and damages the reputation of the drinks industry as a whole.

The All-Party Beer Group at Westminster, chaired by my local colleague, Selby MP John Grogan, has conducted a lengthy and detailed inquiry into the future of pubs and brewers in Britain and has just published its Community Pub Inquiry. One of their recommendations is for the introduction of a differential between the tax levied on draught beer and that on packaged beers. Consequently, John and the group will be meeting with the Commission today to discuss this and other ideas.

Last night's event should also serve as an eye-opener to our brewers of the massive export opportunities in other European countries. If you go into your local, you will probably find several Belgian beers available: yet only a few years ago, most of these beers were sold only locally in parts of Belgium. They have since managed to take full advantage of the common market and sell across Europe. British brewers have not yet managed this, despite the exceptional quality of many of our beers and, as was amply demonstrated last night, the sheer quantity and wealth of choice. Let's hope that last night which, in addition to British MEPs, researchers and lobbyists, was also attended by several Belgian and Dutch MEPs and drinks industry representatives, will help to change this.

Following on from this month’s earlier decision by the European Commission to take legal action against Apple’s iTunes brand for their discriminatory practices against British consumers, the EU has again this week demonstrated its relevance for consumer protection.

Last week, the EU released figures showing a large increase in the number of dangerous goods withdrawn from sale across Europe. Children’s toys now form the biggest category of banned products, the vast majority of which were made in China. Products banned thanks to ‘Rapex’, the EU’s new rapid alert system, include a Superman figure that contained poisonous high-lead paint, a teddy bear which a child could take apart and choke on the parts and a skin cream that contained a fungus which presents a serious bacteriological risk.

Elsewhere, the EU handed out fines to three brewers for breaking competition laws. Heineken and Grolsch, two brands popular in the UK, along with Bavaria were fined by the European Commission for stifling competition by colluding to fix prices. Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes said the brewers had “carved up” the market between them, adding that such behaviour was “unacceptable.” Heineken has been fined €219m, Grolsch €31.7m and Bavaria €22.9m.

There will no doubt be some readers out there who like a drink or two, there may even be some who have woken up cursing the activities of the night before, wondering just what exactly it was that left them in such a state.

Well, the obvious answer is too much alcohol but sometimes it is the other ingredients that can cause a headache. Soon, thanks to the European Union, drinkers will be able to discover exactly waht goes into their beer and wine.

The Telegraph reported this week that: “The Government is backing European Union proposals to force drinks companies to reveal hidden chemicals used in beer and wine.

“Commonly used chemicals in cheap beer can include betaglucanase, used to speed up brewing and propylene glycol alginate, added to help maintain a beer's head, even after months on a shelf”.

As the President of the British Beer Club in the European Parliament I applaud this news, which again shows the EU’s commitment to helping consumers make informed choices on products they wish to buy.

It is also a move which should help benefit smaller British brewers whose traditional methods typically include less chemicals than mass-market beers and lagers.

Bottoms up!