US Launches Attack on Europe at WTO

national | miscellaneous | news report 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.