UPDATE 4 October: We won!! The European Parliament (EP) just rejected with an absolute majority the Commission's weak proposal on endocrine disruptors! The EP said the Commission exceeded its mandate by proposing to exempt some substances. Now, the European Commission will have to draft a new version of the text, taking into account Parliament’s input!
Hundreds of thousands of SumOfUs members helped secure this important win for public health over chemical industry profits. The battle continues against giants including Monsanto, Bayer, BASF and Co. -- but we have the momentum on our side now, and we've proven once again what we and our partners can achieve together. ✊
We've got just hours to push the European parliament to block a proposal on endocrine disruptors (EDCs) that’s a huge threat to public health.
This is a decisive moment in our fight against toxic industries such as Bayer and Monsanto, and their determination to sell products that contaminate us on a daily basis.
We have to do everything that is in our power to stop this proposal by convincing a majority of Members of European Parliament to vote against it on Wednesday 4 October.
You can directly phone your MEP to ask them to oppose this proposal! It’s quick, easy, and extremely powerful.
The best time of the day to call them are between 9AM-12.30PM and between 1.30PM-5.30PM (CET time)
Here is an example of how a conversation could start (or you can just wing it!):
YOU: Hello, I’m [Your Name], I’m a European citizen calling from [Your Country], and I would like to talk to Ms/Mr MEP, please.
(The parliamentary assistant is likely to respond that Ms/Mr MEP is not available and ask how they can help you.)
YOU : I have heard that the European Parliament is about to vote on a very permissive text from the European Commission on hormone disruptors and I would like to insist that Ms/Mr MEP votes against.
Endocrine disruptors are:
Responsible for cancers, infertility, malformations, obesity etc…
Their cost for society is estimated to be at least of 163 billion euros per year in Europe.
Three respected endocrinology societies even recently criticised the text proposed to the vote in a recent open letter.
I ask you not to give a green light to a text that prioritises the interests of industries above our health in our name.
Could you please transmit the message to Ms/Mr MEP ?
Thank you very much for taking the time to listen to my concerns. I look forward to Mr/Ms MEP taking them into account in his/her final vote!
Tips:
- Be friendly and polite - the person picking up the phone will find it hard to ignore you if you are polite.
- Don’t feel like you have to answer any specific questions if you don’t feel comfortable.
FAQs
What if they ask who asked me to call?
Tell the person that you’re a member of a global organisation called SumOfUs, which runs campaigns to keep corporations accountable. Tell them you’re calling as someone who is concerned about endocrine disrupting chemicals -- chemicals that a)interfere with the natural hormones in our bodies, b)are used in a wide variety of products, and c)are contributing to cancers, fertility problems, obesity, and many more serious health disorders.
What if they ask me if Ms/Mr MEP is my MEP?
Tell the person where you are from. Even if you’re not from the region the MEP represents, their vote will affect your entire country, so they should be held accountable to every citizen from your country.
Do I have to be an expert to call my MEP and express my concerns?
What if the person asks me a question you can’t answer?
It’s ok to say you don’t know. Or you might want to say that you will research the answer and contact them back with more information.
What if I’m not connected?
The line may be busy - sorry about that. Please do try calling again during office hours.