Archived press release

Gm trade war - who decides what we eat?

14 May 2003

Friends of the Earth today urged the European Union to staunchly defend the public's right to exercise choice over GM-food, following the announcement yesterday that the United States has filed a complaint with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) over Europe's de-facto moratorium. And if the UK Government does not strongly defend the EU case, it will render the UK's own public debate on the future of the GM food meaningless [1].

The process for dealing with WTO disputes is complex and slow [2] but a consultation period will stretch over the summer, with Europe not due to make its first written submission until November [3], leaving the dispute hanging not only over the UK's public consultation, but also the WTO Ministerial in Cancun, Mexico, scheduled to take place in September. And the secretive nature of the WTO dispute resolution process will mean that public concerns will not be voiced and cannot even be considered.

If the US is successful, the dispute panel ruling is binding and the EU will be forced to either alter its policy toward GM crops or face economic sanctions across a range of sectors [4].

Friends of the Earth is concerned that the US action, almost certainly a result of pressure from the biotech industry, could remove the public's right to choose on GM food.

Friends of the Earth Policy and Campaigns Director Liana Stupples said:

"The Bush White House and American business interests should not have the right to make decisions about what people in Europe get to eat. But the current WTO system means that this could be the case. The British Government and the European Union must act to defend our right to eat what we choose.

"The British public do not want GM food and they have made this clear time and time again. The United States has become the bully in the world playground, forcing through the big business agenda at the expense of democracy and people power. This action against the EU could be just the first assault on consumer rights."

Notes

[1] The Government's Public Debate on GM is due to be launched on Tuesday 3^rd June with regional events in Birmingham 3rd June, Swansea 5^th June, Taunton 7th June, Belfast 9^th June, Glasgow 11^th June and Harrogate 13^th June.

[2] A full Friends of the Earth briefing on the WTO Disputes Mechanism is available at www.foe.co.uk/resource/briefings/wto_disputes_res_mech.pdf (PDF†) /from the press office at Friends of the Earth.

[3] EU Commission timetable for complaint:

Filing of request by US Mid May

Consultation 60 days Mid July

Request for establishment of Panels immediate

Establishment of Panel +/-45 days End August

Appointment of Panelists 20 days End September

US 1st written submission 3 weeks Mid October

EC first written submission 2 weeks Early November

[4] Previous cases have included the so-called banana wars, where the US threatened more than US$500 million worth of unilateral trade sanctions on EU products, including Scottish Cashmere sweaters , bath products and batteries

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust