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US STEPS UP PRESSURE ON GM FOOD

16 Jan 2002

US THREATENS PUBLIC'S RIGHT TO CHOOSE ON GM FOODS

A key WTO document obtained by Friends of the Earth show that the United States is putting increasing pressure on Europe to weaken its proposed laws on GM foods and crops. The document is the US's response to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) over EU proposals to improve the safety testing of GM foods and to widely increase consumer choice and information.

The United States complains that the current proposals

• will be “more trade restrictive than necessary”
• should not include animal feeds even though most GM crops are fed to farm animals
• should re-define all food crops as “genetically modified”
• allow Member States to have the final say leaving “substantial room for political interference” and that “individual member states will continue to be able to hold the approval process hostage to political concerns.”

A recent EU opinion poll showed that 94.6% of citizens stated that they want the right to choose about GM foods.

Commenting, Friends of the Earth food campaigner Adrian Bebb said:

“The Bush Administration is trying to take away our right to decide on GM food. The public has made it very clear that they want proper labelling and proper testing for GM foods. The proposed EU laws are at least a step in the right direction. The US wants to weaken these laws to protect the likes of Monsanto and American agri-business. European countries must refuse to bow to this bullying. European citizens demand the right to choose.”

In recent months the US has threatened more than 6 countries world-wide who are trying to implement strict GM regulations.

The US response can be found at
www.foeeurope.org/press/US_official.htm

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