Commissioners regret US GMO complaint as 'politically unhelpful'
European Commissioners have described a US decision to file a complaint with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) concerning the EU's authorisation system for genetically modified organisms (GMOs) as 'legally unwarranted, economically unfounded and politically unhelpful'. The US government announced its intention to request WTO consultations on the authorisation of new GM foods and crops within the EU on 13 May. WTO rules state that the two parties have a 60 day consultation period, after which a trade dispute panel will be convened. US Trade Representative Robert Zoellick said: 'The EU's persistent resistance to abiding by its WTO obligations has perpetuated a trade barrier unwarranted by the EC's own scientific analysis, which impedes the global use of a technology that could be of great benefit to farmers and consumers around the world.' The course of action taken by the US is in response to the so called de facto moratorium on new GM authorisations in place within the EU since 1998, but Commissioner for Trade, Pascal Lamy, denies that such a moratorium exists following the introduction of new EU rules governing GM authorisations. 'The EU's regulatory system for GMO's authorisation is in line with WTO rules: it is clear, transparent, and non discriminatory. [...] The US claim that there is a so called moratorium but the fact is that the EU has authorised GM varieties in the past and is currently processing applications,' Mr Lamy said. The Commission also questioned the reasoning behind the US's decision, arguing that low sales and a lack of consumer confidence in GMOs was unlikely to be reversed by strong arm tactics. 'This US move is unhelpful. It can only make an already difficult debate in Europe more difficult,' warned EU Environment Commissioner Margot Wallström.
Kraje
United States