Archived press release

Alternative needed to secretive WTO

8 February 2006

As new opinion poll shows consumers "worried" over GM foods

Friends of the Earth today urged Europe to take the global lead and work for a new international system that prioritises human health and environmental safety over free trade rules. The call follows yesterdays draft WTO ruling that Europe's precautionary stance on genetically modified (GM) foods and crops violates trade rules. A new opinion poll, published yesterday, states that 62% of Europeans are worried about GM products in food [1].

In its draft final report on the transatlantic GM trade dispute, the WTO has ruled that national safety bans on GM products and Europe's de facto moratorium on new GM foods between 1999 and 2004 were barriers to trade. The ruling, which was sent to the EU on one side, and to the United States, Canada and Argentina on the other, is being kept secret from the public.

Friends of the Earth Europe's Trade Co-ordinator Alexandra Wandel said:

"Europe should fight this decision and push for a new global trading system that protects people and the environment from the worst excesses of industry. The WTO undermines democracy and puts business interests before the interests of the public. It should not be allowed to rule on what we eat or what our farmers grow."

"The WTO is keeping its draft ruling secret. This sums up everything that is wrong with the WTO. It is secretive, undemocratic and biased towards business interests. The WTO should be the last institution to decide what people eat and grow in the fields."

Friends of the Earth's GM Campaigner Clare Oxborrow said:

"This ruling is a direct attack on democracy. Last year European countries voted to uphold national bans on GM products, now the WTO has ruled that these bans are illegal. This dispute is a desperate attempt by the US and biotech industry to force GM foods onto an unwilling European market. But consumers will not be bullied into eating GM foods. This result will backfire and lead to even greater opposition to GM in Europe. National Governments and the European Union must stand up to the WTO and refuse to compromise on measures that protect people and their environment from GM food and crops."

In its defence during the WTO dispute the EU Commission had questioned whether the WTO was the right place to solve such disputes. "There is a serious question as to whether the WTO is the appropriate international forum for resolving all the GMO issues that the Complainants have raised in these case," it said [2].

Friends of the Earth believes that an alternative dispute settlement procedure is needed to solve trade and environmental conflicts and that international environment agreements need to be strengthened. This could be the International Court of Justice or the Permanent Court of Arbitration.

Additionally, the UN Biosafety Protocol is an international agreement already in place that deals with trade in GMOs [3].

An international campaign against the WTO dispute called "Bite-back - WTO: Hands off our food!" - is supported by 750 organisations representing some 60 million people (see http://www.bite-back.org). The "Bite Back" citizens' objection was initiated by Friends of the Earth International with the support of consumer, development and farmers' groups, trade unions, research institutes and citizens from over 100 countries.

Notes

[1] See catindex_en.html

[2] EU first written submission, Second_EU_Submission_to_WTO.pdf (PDF)

[3] Is the WTO the only way? Safeguarding Multilateral Environmental Agreements from international trade rules and settling trade and environment disputes outside the WTO. A briefing paper (PDF†) by Adelphi Consult, Friends of the Earth Europe and Greenpeace.

A special media briefing on the GM trade dispute (PDF†)

Fact sheet on GMOs and the WTO (PDF†)

FOE report: Who benefits from GM crops (PDF†), January 2006-02-07

†To view PDF files you will need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader. Visually impaired users can get extra help with these documents from access.adobe.com.

If you're a journalist looking for press information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.

Published by Friends of the Earth Trust