US Launches Attack on Europe at WTO
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Monday May 19, 2003 15:31
by Green Party - Press Release
The US has filed a case with the World Trade Organisation demanding that Europe scrap its ban on GMO foods.
Leinster Green Party MEP Nuala Ahern has called on the EU to defend the rights of millions of European consumers following the United States' filing earlier last week of a World Trade Organisation case demanding that Europe scrap its ban on GMO foods.
Ms. Ahern said today, "The US has scored an own goal in bringing this case to the WTO. This blatant bullying tactic is not the way to convince European consumers that GMOs are safe. It is taking a sledge-hammer to crack a nut
because, following the adoption of stringent new rules on GMOs, governments are now preparing to lift the ban. This was confirmed in a statement by Commissioner David Byrne this week."
"The EU introduced new rules late last year that would not only make sure that GM products are traceable, but would also - for the first time - give consumers the freedom of informed choice. Under these rules, all GM food would have to be
labelled. These new rules have infuriated Washington and they are now embarking on a trade war to get rid of them."
Note: In October 1998 the EU stopped approving new GMOs that would be placed on the market. A group of six Member States (France, Denmark, Italy, Greece, Austria and Luxembourg) declared that they would vote against any GMO marketing
application until further rules were put into place ensuring firstly that GM products can be traced back to their source, and secondly that all GMO-derived products are labelled.
Comments (4 of 4)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4It's genious in it's symplicity. Force Europe to drop all restrictions on GM foods, open the flood gates to American corporations buying European farms to plant GM crops. The Crops will "accidentally" crosspolinate with non GM crops and soon it will be impossible to label any crops as organic or GM free so the US intellectual property will increase in value massively in the form of patents on potatoes and grapes. because there will be no alternative.
The GM corporations might even try their hand at sueing local farmers claiming they're stealing their product when traces of the Modified genes are found in the local produce as a result of "carelessness" on the part of the GM companies.
(it already happened and was successfull in america)
According to the attitude of both Phil Angell of Monsanto and the US FDA I believe that the EU are right to resist the introduction of GMO foods.
"Monsanto should not have to vouchsafe the safety of biotech food. Our interest is in selling as much of it as possible. Assuring its safety is the F.D.A's [Food and Drug Administration] job."
Phil Angell, Monsanto's director of corporate communications, in an interview with the New York Times, October 25, 1998
"The FDA said it agreed with the study’s findings but said it should not be obliged to check [GM food testing] data on a regular basis."
USA: GM foods pose no additional risk to health - report
Just-food.com, 29 May 2002
Let's give em' one!
BOYCOTT AMERICA!
This is exactly the way the WTO (staffed by unelected appointees) is able to usurp the environmental and labour legislation of nation states. These laws, tariffs and regulations are declared 'barriers to free trade' resulting in fines and sanctions levied to force trade on the WTO's own terms. This is how globalisation is being enforced by the Big powers.
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