US Escalates Trade War with EU over GMOs

FRIENDS OF THE EARTH PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate release 5 May 2004

US ATTEMPTS TO FORCE FEED GM TO EUROPE
GMO trade war escalates

Brussels - The US has escalated transatlantic trade tensions by pushing for
a full-blown trade dispute over Europe's reluctance to accept genetically
modified (GM) food and crops. The World Trade Organisation (WTO), at the
request of the US Government, today released the names of a panel of trade
experts that will preside over the dispute over the coming months. Friends
of the Earth Europe has accused the Bush Government of using the secretive
and undemocratic WTO to "force-feed" GM food to Europe and the rest of the
world.(1)

The USA, Canada and Argentina started the WTO dispute on May 13th 2003
claiming that the de facto moratorium on GM products in Europe was harming
the livelihoods of their farmers. But the dispute ground to a halt after all
parties could not decide who should sit on the WTO panel and the European
Commission signaled its intent to break the five-year GM moratorium.
However, after EU member states twice failed to agree to the import of two
new GM foods, the USA last week asked the WTO to select a panel of experts
and take the case further.

The WTO process is highly secretive. The composed panel will take evidence
from both sides in secret, with no official involvement from the public. It
is expected to come to a conclusion at the end of 2004. An appeal is then
likely to take place before the final verdict some time next year. If Europe
loses, it will either face severe financial penalties or be forced to allow
more GM foods onto the market.

Martin Rocholl, Director of Friends of the Earth Europe said:

"The Bush Administration is using the undemocratic and secretive WTO to
force feed GM food on the world. Decisions about the food we eat should be
made in Europe, not the White House or the WTO. The European Commission must
fight this aggressive US policy and ensure that Europe's food, farming and
environment is protected from the threats of GM food and crops"

Notes
Tens of thousands of people and international organisations with a total of
35 million members have signed objections to the US complaint calling on the
WTO to drop the case. (see www.bite-back.org)

1. The WTO panel will be made up of: Christian Häberli (Chair), Mohan Kumar,
Akio Shimizu

CONTACT
Alexandra Wandel, Friends of the Earth Europe Trade Coordinator - +32 497 90
80 68
Adrian Bebb, Friends of the Europe GMO campaigner - +49 1609 490 1163
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"Blair is giving [GM] the nod on the basis of flawed testing. If GM is sown
in our fields he will reap a whirlwind of protest." - Sarah North,
Greenpeace