Grayling has today released the first results from its new global quarterly survey of in-house communications professionals, Grayling PULSE, in which over 1200 communications professionals participated worldwide. The objective of PULSE is to provide valuable data and insights upon which communications professionals can respond to, better plan and benchmark their organisation’s approach to communications activities and their own internal PR resources.

The European Parliament’s conference of presidents today decided to block negotiations with Council on a number of legislative files in the justice and home affairs area and the EU budget for 2013 (2). The decision comes in response to last week's decision by home affairs ministers to exclude the European Parliament from the decision-making process (co-decision) on a key legislative file on the evaluation of Schengen (1). Commenting on the decision, Greens/EFA co-president Dany Cohn-Bendit said:

During a debate on proposed updating legislation on the labelling and content of baby foods and food for people with special medical needs, Portuguese GUE/NGL MEP Alda Sousa criticised the lack of readily available foods for people with health-related dietary needs.

When they are available, "these foods are considerably more expensive", she said, while stressing the fact that these "special needs are vital needs and it is not normal that there are people who can afford them and those who cannot."

(Brussels, 13 June) FoodDrinkEurope, the European representative body of the food and drink industry has published its 2011 Annual Report.

2011 was a challenging year for Europe as a whole. In spite of tough times, the food and drink industry, the largest manufacturing sector in Europe managed to achieve positive results. This year’s annual report details FoodDrinkEurope’s activities in 2011 on competitiveness, diet and nutrition, food safety and science and environmental sustainability.