Banning paper rounds would be barmy - but no such thing is being suggested by the European Union.
That was the message today from West Midlands MEP Anthea McIntyre, who fears that a flurry of articles and press releases warning of a ban are confusing and potentially misleading.
She decided to speak out after a UKIP press release and several national newspapers ran stories saying "Eurocrats" had decided British paper rounds were unlawful and should be banned as child exploitation.
In fact the stories related to a report from a branch of the Council of Europe - a body which oversees the European Social Chapter and has nothing at all to do with the EU. That charter is a legally-binding international treaty dating back to 1961, of which the UK is a signatory.
The report does not demand a ban either, but comments on the time involved in some paper rounds, saying: "Allowing children aged 15 years still subject to compulsory education to deliver newspapers from 6am for up two hours per day, five days per week before school is not in conformity with the charter.”
Miss McIntyre, Conservative MEP for the West Midlands, said: "There is vastly less to this than meets the eye..from these stories at least. There is no proposed ban and this has nothing to do with Brussels - apart from that it is a really good reason to be furious with the EU.
"Some people, however, will not let the facts get in the way of a good opportunity to frighten or anger people, or to try swing the EU referendum debate their way.
"It may be in the best interests of people such as UKIP to disguise the fact this has nothing to do with the EU - but that does not help the public who want to reach a referendum decision on balanced and reliable information. Leaving would not make a jot of difference on this issue."