Blair caves in to chemicals industry

Greenpeace installs giant test tube at EU chemical industry meeting

Outrage as UK blocks EU vote on ground-breaking law

Greenpeace today reacted with shock to the announcement that Tony Blair has blocked a scheduled vote on legislation intended to protect the public from harmful chemicals. Mr Blair has used his presidency of the European Union to postpone a vote on the REACH law, designed to protect human health and the environment from hazardous chemicals. In doing so he caved into pressure from Germany's Angela Merkel, who is seeking to protect the interests of Germany's huge chemicals industry.

"If Tony Blair fails to get this law agreed by January 1st his presidency of the EU will have achieved precisely nothing," said Greenpeace campaigner Mark Strutt. "He has a chance to see this important legislation, designed to protect the public, agreed upon under his watch. As it is hes doing the bidding of Angela Merkel and the European chemical industry and putting at risk proposals to keep dangerous chemicals out of peoples bodies. People will increasingly be asking, what is the point of Tony Blair?"

The move makes it much more likely that it will be now the Austrian presidency, starting January, that guides the legislation through Brussels. In July the presidency then passes to Finland, and then to Germany in January 2007, whose new leader is implacably opposed to REACH (Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals).

"Germany asked for a postponement and we have accepted their request," a British Government spokeswoman told Reuters. She said Britain could call another meeting of ministers to reach the agreement before the end of the year, but said no decision on a date had been made.

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