Brussels, 14/05/2003 (Agence Europe) - European reactions to the American decision to challenge the embargo on GMOs in Geneva were not long in coming. The American approach is "legally unwarranted, economically unfounded and politically unhelpful", the European Commission says with regret. The process aimed at adopting European regulations to scientific and international developments - also necessary for restoring consumer confidence - is on the point of being finalised, Commissioner David Byrne recalls. Pascal Lamy, responsible for trade policy, wonders what the United States' motivation really was in taking a "so-called moratorium" as a target. "The fact is that the EU has authorised GM varieties in the past and is currently processing applications", in the context of a regulatory system that complies with WTO rules, i.e. which is "clear, transparent and non-discriminatory". In his view, there is no matter that the WTO should examine. Margot Wallström, Environment Commissioner, calls upon the parties to the debate which is "already difficult" in Europe saying "we should not be deflected or distracted from pursuing the right policy for the EU".
In Parliament, the Greens/EFA denounces the American assault against EU legislation and its approach to prevent production and sale of GM seeds and foodstuffs. They thus set off the "mother of all trade wars" likely to cause the collapse of the multilateral institution, but, whatever the outcome, this dispute will not make GMOs more popular in Europe and could demonstrate that something in the GMOs as well as at the WTO is not quite right, Ms Lucas, Ms Breyer and Ms Evans said.
Friends of the Earth accuses the Americans - who joined forces with Argentina and Canada, both large-scale producers, as well as Egypt in the hope of reaching a free trade agreement with the United States later this year - of wanting to block the decisions of other countries to protect their environment, their public health and their social norms. The hour of truth has perhaps sounded for the future of GM foodstuffs in Europe and the future of transatlantic trade relations, as under powerful pressure from biotechnology firms such as Monsanto and the large farmers of the National Corn Growers' Association (NCGA), the US Administration is determined to use secret, biased and undemocratic WTO procedures to bulldozer the attempts of other countries to fix minimum environmental, social and health norms, the NGO says. Europabio, which represents the biotechnology industry, says for its part that it understands the frustration of EU trade partners, while some of the Fifteen are still seeking reasons not to allow safe biogenetic products to be imported.