US Threatens Economic Reprisals from the WTO
if the EU Doesn't Allow GE Food Imports

US WILL TAKE EU GENE APPROVAL PROCESS TO WTO IF NEEDED
Nov. 9/99
Dow Jones
WASHINGTON -- Isi Siddiqui, special trade advisor to U.S. Agriculture
Secretary Dan Glickman, was cited as saying that the U.S. is prepared to
ask the World Trade Organization to resolve its dispute with the European
Union over gene-modified crop approvals if the two sides can't come to
agreement on their own, adding, "We need a solution and relief now on
GMOs."
Siddiqui stated that the U.S. would prefer to come to a resolution within
the next few months, rather than prolong the negotiations for years with
the working group, but the U.S.. is losing $200 million each year in corn
exports to Spain and Portugal because of delays in the E.U. approval
process for gene-modified crops, adding, "Our immediate concern is to get
a resolution to this. This is a timely issue."



U.S. PURSUES TWO-TRACK BIOTECH CROP STRATEGY
Nov 9/99
Reuters
By Doug Palmer
WASHINGTON - In a related story, Siddiqui was cited as saying that the
United States will seek negotiations in the World Trade Organization to
establish clear science-based rules for the approval of
genetically-modified crops, in case bilateral talks with the European
Union fail and that Washington was pursuing a two-track strategy for
resolving thorny trade issues involving the new generation of crops.
Earlier this month, Washington and Brussels agreed to establish a
high-level experts' group on the GM crop issue. If that initiative fails
to bear fruit over the next couple of months, the United States' second
choice would be multilateral negotiations under the WTO.
James Grueff, a biotech trade negotiator for the USDA, was cited as
saying the United States hopes the declaration that comes out of the
Seattle meeting of the WTO the week of the Nov. 29 will set the stage for
talks on approval procedures for GM crops, adding, "We think a focus on
effective approval procedures should be an important part of these
negotiations."
The story notes that Canada and Japan have made separate proposals to
establish a working group to study GM crops issues. Siddiqui sais that
remains a possible "backup plan," but the United States is concerned that
a working group could delay concrete action on the issue for years.