Liberal democrat Members of the European Parliament


Chris Davies Andrew Duff Sharon Bowles Sarah Ludford Liz Lynne Bill Newton Dunn Emma Nicholson Fiona Hall Diana Wallis Elspeth Attwooll Graham Watson Foreign Affairs and Human Rights International Trade and Development Economic and Budgetary Affairs Employment and Social Affairs Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Industry, Research and Energy Internal Market and Consumer Protection Transport and Tourism Agriculture and Fisheries Culture and Education Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Constitutional and Legal Affairs

EU Commission De-Regulates British Broadband
Sharon Bowles, 14 february 2008
The deregulation of the British Broadband industry by the European Commission was welcomed by Sharon Bowles MEP, European Economic and Competition Spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats. The move follows the request by British regulator, Ofcom, to divide the UK broadband network into three separate zones to reflect varying degrees of competition. The decision will remove regulation from 65% of homes and businesses where consumers already benefit from competition between four or more providers.

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Northern Rock: Commission will investigate possibility of state aid
Sharon Bowles, 21 january 2007
In response to this morning's announcement from HM Treasury's on a public/private sector resolution to Northern Rock, Sharon Bowles MEP, European Economic and Competition Spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats said: "The Northern Rock rescue plan raises several interesting issues. First it depends upon a bond or note being backed up by tranches of mortgages as the security - of which Northern Rock itself will have the riskiest slice. There is an obvious passing resemblance to the tranche based investments that underlie the liquidity crunch and which companies are now desperate to be rid of.

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Europarliament votes for more security on consumer credit

Diana Wallis, 16 january 2008

Today, European Parliament voted in favour of a directive that shall lead to common rules on consumer credits throughout Europe. The voted draft represents a balance between customer protection on the one hand and the concerns of the credit business on the other.
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Mortgage markets: up to member states to avoid legislation
Sharon Bowles, 18 december 2007
Commenting on the European Commission's white paper on mortgage credit proposals unveiled today, Sharon Bowles MEP, Liberal Democrat Economic Affairs and Competition Spokesperson, said:
"One hopes the member states do not repeat the mistakes of the mobile phone companies by not taking the threat of legislation seriously. The internal marker was created precisely for the reason of giving consumers genuine choice and until member states get their house order and genuinely open up and integrate mortgage markets, Commissioner McCreevy will rightly keep that option of legislation hanging over them".

Market for spare car parts finally liberalised

Bill Newton Dunn, 12 december 2007

After three years, the European Parliament has finally reached a compromise with the European Commission in its efforts to liberalize the market for automobile spare parts. Most member states have already opened the market for competition, but in mainly car producing countries consumers do not have a free choice when the mirror, door or side skirt for their car needs to be repaired. Parliament backed a compromise which will give car manufacturers five years to prepare for a liberalized market.
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Lack of UK response to equitable life report totally unacceptable
Diana Wallis, 11 december 2007

Speaking in response to the UK Parliamentary Ombudsman's further postponing of the publication of her report into Equitable Life, and the British government's continued refusal to respond to the European Parliament's resolution on the issue, Diana Wallis MEP, the European Parliament's rapporteur into the Equitable Life crisis, said: "The European Parliament carried out an 18-month inquiry and backed the resulting report with an overwhelming majority."

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Consumer credit: European parliament committe votes for more security
Diana Wallis, 11 december 2007

Yesterday night, the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) of the European Parliament voted in favour of a directive that shall lead to common rules on consumer credits throughout Europe. They will ensure a good balance between customer protection on the one hand and the concerns of the credit business on the other hand. Speaking after the vote, Diana Wallis MEP, Liberal Democrat shadow rapporteur in the Committee, said:
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UK Glass manufacturers fined millions for price fixing
Sharon Bowles, 28 november 2007
The European Commission's Competition watchdog today announced it has fined Pilkington, a leading UK's glass manufacturer, €140million for collaborating in a cartel with three other companies in 2004 and 2005. In response to this decision Sharon Bowles MEP, European Liberal Democrat Spokesperson on Competition, said: "Anyone who tries to cheat the market through price fixing should expect to be caught. The Competition Commissioner has made cartel busting a priority which has so far been very successful.
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