Many POPs we are told cause endocrine system defects, immune system dysfunction, reproductive abnormalities and developmental problems in humans.

The monitoring scheme established by Decision No 3052/95/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 December 1995 establishing a procedure for the exchange of information on national measures derogating from the principle of the free movement of goods within the Community has proved largely unsuccessful in that its implementation has not provided the Commission with sufficient information to identify sectors where harmonisation might be appropriate. Nor has it brought about a rapid resolution of certain free-movement problems.

Even if there exists a valuable amount of monitoring and reporting on fundamental rights by different international and European actors, there are still problems, for instance because these reports do not cover all Member States or they cover different time periods of they do not relate to Community law.

The EU anti trafficking policy must be based on a clear picture of the actual extent of the problem at EU and global level.[lxv] But precise figures are not available,[lxvi] and law enforcement data, although important, are not sufficient.[lxvii] In 2003, the Council invited the Commission and the Member States to promote measures to set up a monitoring system on human trafficking in order to provide updated data through the continuous and regular collection from the competent national authorities.[lxviii] Taking into account the 2003 ...[+++] Statistics Action Plan[lxix] and Eurostat data in the area of migration[lxx] which cover aspects of the phenomenon, the first step for a coherent statistical system is to systematically collect and analyse data - disaggregated by age, sex and other relevant aspects[lxxi] - from different sources based on common guidelines at a central place at the national level.

Some said that if you default, there are many quirks in the system to be dealt with.

Mr. Duff Conacher: Not a negative option vote either, although we do have problems with our voting system, which Democracy Watch is also concerned about.