| EU Vows to Fight US Over GMO Issue
January 10, 2003
Dow Jones Newswire
EU Vows to Fight if US Sues at WTO Over GMOs
by Matthew Newman
BRUSSELS -- The European Union Friday vowed
a vigorous defense against any possible U.S. suit at the World Trade
Organization challenging the E.U.'s four-year moratorium on importing
genetically modified crops.
"We would fight a WTO case and we believe
we would win it," said Arancha Gonzalez, an E.U. spokeswoman.
On Thursday, U.S. Trade Representative Robert
Zoellick slammed the E.U. moratorium, calling it "immoral" and a
"complete violation of WTO" rules.
Some U.S. officials are concerned about raising
tensions with Europe and Zoellick said Washington still hasn't decided
to file a WTO case. A high-profile trade dispute could backfire
by strengthening anti-U.S. sentiment in Europe against GM crops
and complicating U.S. diplomacy on a possible Iraq war.
The E.U. also fears an escalation. "We don't
think a WTO case will move the case forward. Rather, it will freeze
the process of lifting the moratorium," Gonzalez said.
The E.U. passed tough new GM labeling and traceability
rules last December and the E.U. parliament will vote on them this
spring. If they are approved, European fears about the potential
risks of such products will be eased and could lead to a lifting
of the moratorium. Some E.U. countries, including France and Italy,
have refused to issue new approvals until strict GM labels are in
place.
Zoellick's anger with the E.U. attitude was
sparked by a row over food aid to Africa. Last fall, famine-stricken
Zambia refused U.S. food aid that included genetically-modified
corn. Zoellick now accuses several European countries of making
economic aid to developing countries contingent on whether they
bar GM crops.
The Europeans rejected the charge. "It's a bit
far fetched to link the GM debate with hunger in Africa," Gonzalez
said. The U.S. gave African countries an unfair choice between importing
GM seeds that could contaminate their domestic crops or face starvation,
she said.
A possible solution is to provide milled grain,
which avoids any fears of contamination into environment, Gonzalez
said.
Drought-stricken Malawi, Lesotho, Mozambique,
Swaziland and Zimbabwe say they will only accept the grain provided
it is milled to prevent it from being planted, while Zambia has
imposed an outright ban.
The U.S. has said milling doubles the cost of
the grain, meaning less food for fewer people.
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