International

Last week we were in Brussels, welcoming visitors from animal welfare group ‘Dierenbescherming’ (Animal Protection), environmentalists from the Dutch Foundation for Nature and Environment, and consumers’ organisations, but this week we gathered in Strasbourg. While the Netherlands disappeared under a carpet of snow, Euro-MPs and their staff were stuck in the fishbowl of the European Parliament’s building complex. With thousands crammed into limited space, it’s hard not to find yourself distracted by all sorts of peripheral issues. On the other hand there is an advantage to this circus: it’s easier here to find opportunities to talk with leading officials and policy-makers. After all, they’re imprisoned here for a week as well.