European Consumer Organisations and Political Parties demand that EU Heads of State Summit accepts outcome of Irish referendum

An alliance of seven non-governmental organisations and political parties, collectively representing citizens from all 27 European Union (EU) countries, is demanding that tomorrow’s EU Heads of State Summit accepts the outcome of the recent Irish referendum on the Lisbon Treaty. Expressing their deep concern over reports that the EU is planning to ignore the Irish “no” vote and press ahead with massive spending increases to implement the treaty’s provisions, they argue that “no” should mean “no.” Unless the treaty is abandoned and the interests of the European Union’s citizens come before those of multinational corporations, they say that public trust in the European Union and its institutions will be irreparably undermined.


Dr. Robert Verkerk, Executive and Scientific Director of the Alliance for Natural Health, said: “The French, Dutch and Irish people—against the wishes of their governments—have rejected a creep towards a more totalitarian system—one that earlier generations fought by going to war. They said “no” to increasing control by an unelected, institutional EU government on key issues like health, food and agriculture. Most of us want democratic European governments that are answerable to the people, not one that takes its cues from an oligopoly comprised of the world's largest corporations. People are not prepared to accept a system that rides roughshod over the needs of individuals, local communities and small businesses.” 


Kathy Sinnott, Member of the European Parliament for Ireland South, commented: "Only in one Member State did the people have a say about the Lisbon Treaty- Ireland. In saying No, I believe the Irish people expressed a deep felt sense that they were losing a significant measure of democratic control over areas of their lives that are important to them, like health. I believe that had other Member States allowed their people to vote, they would have similarly rejected the Lisbon Treaty and the greater control that it gave to an unelected Commission. I would like to see Europe succeed but it will not succeed unless it is a Europe of the people, by the people and for the people. For the sake of a European future, I call on Europe and its leaders to respect the Irish No vote and the will of the people it represents."


Scott Tips, President and General Legal Counsel for the National Health Federation, added: "The Treaty and proposed Constitution - as quite properly rejected by the Irish people - would create an even-more intrusive European Superstate that will crush human freedom and spirit.  Should the EU's Heads of State decide to disregard this lawful rejection of the Treaty and Constitution, then British Foreign Secretary Sir Edmund Grey's comments shall be even truer in 2008 than they were in 1914: 'The lights are going out all over Europe. We shall not see them lit again in our lifetime.'"


Paul Anthony Taylor, External Relations Director of the Dr. Rath Health Foundation and the campaign's coordinator, agreed, saying: “This treaty’s contents have now effectively been rejected three times: first by the French and the Dutch, in 2005, and now by the Irish. As such, unless the Heads of State finally face up to the fact that their citizens want Europe to be designed in the interests of its people, rather than of its multinational corporations, public confidence in the European project, and its leaders, will be permanently damaged. ‘No’ means ‘No’, and it’s time that Europe’s leaders recognized this.”


La Leva di Archimede is in favour of a Europe for the people where the voice of citizens counts. Naturally, this means that the voice of the Irish people, expressed in a referendum, should be listened to. “Had other nations held a similar referendum,” says Sepp Hasslberger, La Leva’s president, “I am sure the Irish would not be alone in having said ‘no’ to the treaty. The Dutch and the French and several others would have joined them in a ‘no’ vote. Will Heads of State deepen the democratic deficit of Europe, or will we finally see a new democratic trend?”


Louise McLean, Editor of Zeus Information Service, stated: "One of the most worrying things about membership of the European Union is its draconian legislation restricting the use of natural health therapies and supplements.  These kinds of laws make people feel that the EU Superstate is undemocratic.  We should have the right to choose and we do not want to be forced into taking dangerous pharmaceutical medicine.  The State does not own our bodies.  People in Ireland, France and the Netherlands are getting increasingly frustrated that their votes are not being accepted. A 'No' vote must mean No!" 


Henk Bosveld, spokesman for the Party for People and Spirit, said: “The Party for People and Spirit considers the structure of the present European government to be insufficiently democratic. The aim of the European government should be to become a partner of the citizen instead of a topdown thinking authority. The three “no” votes have made it very clear that citizens now have no confidence in the way Europe is governed. We demand a referendum in every country of the E.U. concerning every significant change that affects the citizens of Europe!”


The seven organisations are campaigning for citizens to have the right to vote in referendums whenever significant changes to laws affecting them are made at either national or European level. Their campaign, the European Referendum Initiative, is being backed by the Alliance for Health, Peace and Social Justice; the Alliance for Natural Health; the Dr. Rath Health Foundation; La Leva di Archimede; the National Health Federation; the Party for People and Spirit;

and Zeus Information Service.


Full details can be found at www.eu-referendum.org



CONTACTS


Alliance for Health, Peace and Social Justice


Allianz für Gesundheit, Frieden und soziale Gerechtigkeit

Stralauer Platz 33/34

D-10243

Berlin

Germany


Tel: +30 246479 200

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://www.agfg.de/



Alliance for Natural Health


Alliance for Natural Health

The Atrium

Curtis Road

Dorking

Surrey

RH4 1XA


Tel: +44 1306 646600

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://www.anhcampaign.org



Dr. Rath Health Foundation


Dr. Rath Health Foundation

Zurich Tower

Muzenstraat 89

2511 WB The Hague

Netherlands


Tel: +31 457 11 11 00

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://www4.dr-rath-foundation.org/



Kathy Sinnott MEP


"St. Josephs"

Ballinabearna

Ballinhaswsig

Co. Cork

Ireland


Tel: +353 21 4888793

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://www.wmaker.net/KathySinnott/



La Leva di Archimede


La Leva di Archimede

Rampa Brancaleone 58

00165 Rome

Italy


Tel: +39 06 63 58 84

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://www.laleva.org



National Health Federation


The National Health Federation

P.O. Box 688

Monrovia

California 91017

USA


Tel: +1 626 357 2181

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://www.thenhf.com/



Party for People and Spirit


The Party for People and Spirit

Netherlands


Email: [email protected]

Website: http://www.mensenspirit.nl



Zeus Information Service


Email: [email protected]

Website: http://www.zeusinfoservice.com



EDITORS NOTES


Alliance for Health, Peace and Social Justice


The Alliance for Health, Peace and Social Justice (AGFG, according to its German initials) is a political party founded in 2005 by people from the natural health movement in Germany. We believe that the issue of health – and, especially, that of ill health – cannot be fully appreciated unless one examines it in its wider, political, context. Our name comes from our belief that we cannot achieve health for all unless we are able to build a planet of peace and social justice that is based upon a healthy relationship between mankind and nature. For this reason, our current priority focuses upon defending mankind and nature against the genetic manipulation of plants and seeds. Towards this goal, we have recently initiated a campaign for a European Referendum on GMOs.


Alliance for Natural Health


The Alliance for Natural Health (ANH) is an international, non-governmental organisation based in the UK and founded in 2002, that works on behalf of consumers, doctors, health practitioners and natural product suppliers worldwide, to protect and promote natural healthcare, using 'good science' and 'good law'. The ANH's objective is to help develop an appropriate legal-scientific framework and environment for the development of sustainable approaches to healthcare. Within this setting, consumers and health professionals should be able to make informed choices about a wide range of health options, and in particular those that relate to diet, lifestyle and non-drug-based or natural therapies.


Dr. Rath Health Foundation


The Dr. Rath Health Foundation is a non-profit organisation dedicated to improving human health on a global scale through research, education and the defence of patients' rights to choose natural health therapies. The scientific discoveries of its founder, Dr. Matthias Rath, a pioneer in natural health research, offer major breakthroughs in the natural approach to heart disease, cancer and other health concerns. His vision, backed-up by his extensive research, has unleashed the potential of controlling these diseases through natural means. As a result, the Foundation has been instrumental in promoting natural health education and people's health rights throughout the world.


La Leva di Archimede


La Leva di Archimede, an association for freedom of choice and correct information, represents natural health enthusiasts, consumers, health professionals and distributors of natural health products. La Leva was founded in 1998 and has worked to protect access to nutrition-based prevention and natural healing in Italy. We provide information through our popular multi-language websites and co-ordinate our actions with similar associations in other countries. We believe medical reform is long overdue. Profit-driven pharmaceutical control of medicine and reckless pollution of the environment have reduced our freedom to choose and have led to widespread poor health despite huge public health spending.


National Health Federation


Established in 1955, the National Health Federation is an international consumer-education, health-freedom organisation working to protect individuals' rights to choose to consume healthy food, take supplements, and use alternative therapies without government restrictions. With consumer members all over the world, and a Board of Governors and Advisory Board containing representatives from 7 different countries, the Federation is unique as being the only consumer health-freedom organisation in the world to enjoy official observer status (able to speak out for health freedom) at meetings of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, the highest international body on food standards.


Party for People and Spirit


The Party for People and Spirit is a new Dutch political party that was founded in March 2008. It believes that a new dimension in politics - based on a deep realization of unity, wholeness and inspiration - is now a political necessity. The party aims for solidarity, cooperation and openness, and considers that only deep understanding, genuine concern and open minds can lead to decisions and solutions that place the wellbeing and happiness of citizens as a central objective. It wishes to see the advent of a new form of politics that views the citizen as a partner and, as much as possible, connects with not only their material, social, emotional and spiritual needs, but also with nature.


Zeus Information Service


Zeus Information Service came into being in February 2003. Its purpose is to help unify the Worldwide Health Freedom movement – people and organisations who believe in the value of natural health therapies and want to continue using them. Subscribers receive free Zeus News bulletins containing important articles from the global press and top websites – on Health Freedom, Alternative Medicine, Homeopathy, Pharma, Environment, GM Food, Vaccines and Politics. The subject of health is extremely wide ranging and Zeus presents articles on a host of key subjects affecting it.