As the holiday season dawned, our PEC was served with yet another cease and desist notice from a lawyer demanding the removal of some articles published on this site. Our response follows. True to the line, without backing down, for information without gags.
‘
Dear Colleague Good morning,
For a quarter of a century now, I have devoted myself to journalism and publishing with scientific rigor and a marked vocation for independence. And it is in keeping with such an approach to express even lively criticism of those-politicians and administrations, supply chain representatives, operators-don’t respect rules, ethics, and collective interests.
I have collected over the years various warnings from forensic area Colleagues, emergency appeals and lawsuits, and reports to guarantor authorities. As well as intimidation and retaliation–of even serious impact, on my professional activities–by individuals who thus confirmed their bad faith. This, moreover, has never distracted me from the line always taken, which is marked by ethics and legality.
I am sorry that I cannot comply with any of Your gracious requests to remove articles deemed offensive to the industry You represent. Precisely because I cannot escape from maintaining a harsh criticism, in this case of non-transparent and illicit labels. Nor do I intend to share, as you asked, the writings I addressed to the relevant authorities and distribution operators.
Instead, I hope you will express to Your Client the opportunity to correct their marketing policies, in the directions of legality and transparency. This is the only way it can shield itself from further writs and reports, which are inevitable when betraying the covenant of trust with consumers that underlies commerce. He who sows wind, let us not forget, reaps storm.
I will, in turn, be glad to collect any statements of repentance, from Your Client. This is precisely the real goal of the battleground information I bring forward. Report a critical issue, share it with readers but more importantly with the operators and agencies concerned, reflect on how best to deal with it, and adopt a consonant solution. And self-correction, though late, is always favored.
‘A dear greeting‘
Dario Dongo
Dario Dongo, lawyer and journalist, PhD in international food law, founder of WIISE (FARE - GIFT - Food Times) and Égalité.
