Bio-collaboration analysed in Brussels
A panel of 20 independent experts from a broad range of disciplines met in Brussels on September 12 to advise the European Commission and US Government on the benefits and risks of modern biotechnology. The establishment of the EU-US biotechnology consultative forum was announced by European Commission President Romano Prodi and US President Bill Clinton following a summit on May 31. The two leaders believe that the forum will help create agreement between the two sides over the introduction of biotechnological products and prevent disputes like those over bovine somatotrophin (used to boost productivity in dairy cattle) and genetically modified crops which have affected trans-Atlantic trade relations in recent years. The forum will be discussing the health, safety, economic, food security and environmental impacts of the emerging biotechnology industry. They will also be tackling the social and ethical issues arising from developments in the field. The role of science in society, the ethics of using biotechnological products in medicine and agriculture, public perceptions of the new technology, how best to keep consumers informed, methods of risk analysis and the importance of intellectual property rights will be among the items on the agenda. Each of the experts has experience in a relevant discipline - medicine and biological science, agriculture, law, regulatory and consumer affairs, etc. They will meet at least three more times in Brussels or Washington and maintain contact via the Internet before delivering their report at the next EU-US summit on December 18. Mr Ruud Lubbers, professor of globalisation at Tilburg University and former prime minister of the Netherlands heads the 10 person European team. His co-chairman and head of the US delegation is Cutberto Garza, chairman of the US National Academies Institute of Medicine's food and nutrition board