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US to force issue on modified foods
Sources: administration will bring WTO case against EU on genetically modified foods
EU health commissioner questions US plans to challenge EU ban on biofoodMoment of truth over GM as US files WTO complaint
Immediate Use: Tuesday 13th May 2003The United States administration is to bring a case in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) against the European Union over genetically modified food according to media reports today [1]. The US case may be joined by Argentina and Canada, large-scale GM producers, and by Egypt, hoping for a US free trade deal later this year. The US will argue that the current EU moratorium on the commercial development of GM foods is an « illegal » trade barrier under WTO rules. But environment pressure group Friends of the Earth is warning the move is the latest in a series of attempts by the US to block other countries' decisions to protect their environment, human health and social standards.
The move threatens to bring the full force of WTO sanctions to bear in order to force GM food into European markets regardless of the wishes of European consumers. The US is likely to attempt to prevent any effective labelling of food derived from GM ingredients.
US Trade Representative Robert Zoellick has threatened a WTO case over GM on several occasions, most recently in January this year, but is believed to have been told by the White House to back off during attempts to secure European support for the invasion of Iraq. The US Administration has been lobbied heavily to by GM companies such as Monsanto and by big US farming interests such as the National Corn Growers Association.
WTO procedures are complex and secretive, and have been heavily criticised by environmentalists and others for their pro-business bias. In particular, WTO rules are hostile to the fundamental precautionary principle. [A full Friends of the Earth briefing on the WTO disputes procedure is available from the press office].
Friends of the Earth Policy Director Liana Stupples commented:
« This may be the moment of truth for the future of GM food in Europe, and future trade relations between the European Union and United States. It is clear that this US Administration, backed by some of the richest and most powerful lobbyists in US politics, is determined to use the secretive, biased and undemocratic procedures of the WTO to bulldoze through attempts by other states to set minimum environmental, social and health standards. If this attempt succeeds, the US will force GM foods onto European markets regardless of the wishes of consumers.
The European Commission and national governments must find the courage to stand up to this outrageous piece of bullying. Decisions over the future of GM crops in Europe must not be made in the George Bush White House. Friends of the Earth will step up its GM campaign to fight this outrageous challenge to Europe's right to say no to GMOs. »
Ends
Notes
1. The FT reports today that « The US is set to announce today it will file a long-anticipated case in the World Trade Organisation aimed at forcing the European Union to lift its de facto moratorium on genetically modified foods, according to administration and congressional officials. »
AP reports that « President George W. Bush's administration has decided to bring a trade case against the European Union over Europe's ban on imports of genetically modified food, congressional officials say. »
US to force issue on modified foods.
By Edward Alden in Washington and Tobias Buck in Corfu.
371 Wörter
13 Mai 2003
Financial Times
1
Englisch
(c) 2003 Financial Times Limited. All Rights ReservedThe US is set to announce today it will file a long-anticipated case in the World Trade Organisation aimed at forcing the European Union to lift its de facto moratorium on genetically modified foods, according to administration and congressional officials.
The decision will further escalate trade tensions between the US and Europe, just days after the EU threatened to impose sanctions by the end of the year in a separate dispute over a $4bn subsidy for US exporters.
The US case will be joined by Argentina and Canada, which are also large producers of GM crops, as well as by Egypt, which is set to be rewarded next year with the launch of free-trade negotiations with the US.
The US argues that European restrictions on the approval of GM crops, adopted under pressure from European consumers more than four years ago, form an illegal trade barrier imposed without any evidence that the crops endanger human health or the environment.
Robert Zoellick, the US trade representative, said in January he was prepared to bring a WTO case but was blocked by the White House over fears that the dispute would hamper US efforts to win European support for the war in Iraq.
But with the conflict over and the White House angry over French and German opposition to military action, Mr Zoellick has received the green light to press ahead.
The administration has also faced growing pressure from Congress and agricultural lobbying groups to bring a case. Charles Grassley, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, has demanded the administration file a WTO case, saying the EU ban "has contributed to the spread of anti-biotechnology hysteria to other parts of the world."
US corn and soybean growers are among the world's largest users of genetically modified crops, and US farmers claim they are losing as much as $300m in annual sales to Europe.
David Byrne, EU health and consumer safety commissioner, yesterday described the US timing as "eccentric". He said the moratorium would be lifted by the year's end, well before the WTO can rule on the dispute.
Sources: administration will bring WTO case against EU on genetically modified foods
By MARTIN CRUTSINGER
AP Economics Writer
617 Wörter
13 Mai 2003
00:07
Associated Press Newswires
Englisch
Copyright 2003. The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.WASHINGTON (AP) - President George W. Bush's administration has decided to bring a trade case against the European Union over Europe's ban on imports of genetically modified food, congressional officials say.
These sources, who spoke Monday on condition of anonymity, said that U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick and Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman plan to brief key members of the House and Senate Tuesday to explain the administration's case.
House Speaker Dennis Hastert, a Republican, and other Republican and Democratic lawmakers from the House and the Senate were expected to attend the briefing.
"We have been told to expect good news on behalf of American agriculture," said Pete Jeffries, a spokesman for Hastert.
Hastert has been leading an effort to get a WTO case filed for a number of years, arguing that American farmers were losing millions of dollars in lost export sales.
European authorities imposed a moratorium on imports of genetically modified foods in 1998, responding to fears of European consumers about possible health risks.
In March, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Charles Grassley, a Republican, and Sen. Max Baucus, the ranking Democrat on the Finance panel, took Zoellick to task for the administration's delay in filing a WTO case.
Hayden Milberg, a lobbyist for the National Corn Growers Association, said farm groups had enjoyed strong support in Congress in their efforts to lobby the administration to bring a WTO case.
"Corn growers are very pleased that the case will move forward," he said.
Gregory Conko, director of food safety for the Competitive Enterprise Institute, said the biggest significance in a successful U.S. case would be in helping make sure that developing nations have access to genetically modified crops that have been proven effective in boosting crop yields.
He said numerous developing countries had resisted adopting high-yielding biotech crops for fear of losing important European markets.
The EU ban "poses a genuine threat to the health and well-being of people throughout the developing world," Conko said.
The administration had delayed filing a WTO case in February, when President Bush was trying to assemble as much support as possible for a war against Iraq.
Grassley said the EU's four-year ban on generally modified food was costing U.S. farmers $300 million annually in lost sales and hurting U.S. companies that had devoted significant resources to develop genetically modified crops.
These crops are used extensively in the United State to allow farmers to grow more disease resistant products such as corn and soybeans.
Zoellick himself had called the EU ban "immoral" back in January, saying that European countries had started to pressure other countries not to accept genetically modified foods, including African nations suffering with famines.
The administration contends that there is no scientific evidence that the crops pose any health risks.
Farm products that have been genetically modified to make them more resistant to insects or disease have been grown commercially in the United States for years. The amount of U.S. soybean production that has been genetically modified reached 68 percent in 2001; about 30 percent of the U.S. corn crop is genetically modified.
A U.S. case against the EU on genetically modified foods would add to a growing list of trade frictions between the United States and Europe.
The WTO ruled U.S. tax benefits for corporations that have been ruled illegal; European officials said last week that if Congress does not make progress in getting rid of the law, it would impose penalty tariffs on up to $4 billion in U.S. exports to Europe.
EU health commissioner questions US plans to challenge EU ban on biofood
273 Wörter
12 Mai 2003
Agence France-Presse
Englisch
Copyright (c) 2003 Bell & Howell Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved.CORFU, Greece, May 12 (AFP) - The European Union's health commissioner on Monday described a reported US plan to challenge an EU moratorium on genetically modified foods as "eccentric," noting that the EU was taking steps to lift the restrictions.
"The timing of this seems to me to be a little eccentric," Commissioner David Byrne told AFP during an informal meeting here of EU agriculture ministers.
"It seems to me to be a strange decision to take at this time in view of the fact that we are now in the last stage of putting in place our legislation which will enable us to resume authorizations" of genetically modified food, he said.
A senior US official has said the United States by mid-June at the latest will likely register a complaint against the EU moratorium with the World Trade Organization in Geneva.
In 1999, seven members of the European Union, citing health concerns, imposed a moratorium on authorizations of new genetically modified organisms until the adoption of EU-wide legislation on the labelling of such foods.
The EU took a step toward lifting the moratorium, which US farmers say has harmed exports, near the end of 2002 when ministers approved new legislative measures.
The legisalation must now be approved by the European Parliament, which is expected to debate the issue in July.
Bryne said he would be "very, very surpised if this ever reaches (dispute settlement) panel level at the WTO because I believe at such a time the moratorium will be history."
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