7 May 2003

EU Panel Blocks Genetic Exports Without Consent

Interesting that not being able to export GMOs without consent from the importing country is viewed as a "blow" by the industry:

'Europe's struggling biotech industry was dealt another blow when a European Parliament committee voted to tighten restrictions on trade  in genetically modified organisms.

"The attempt by the U.S. to exploit temporary food shortages in Africa to  force developing countries to accept GM foods demonstrates how urgently we  need such regulation," said Swedish green Parliament member Jonas Sjoestedt. "In the guise of humanitarian aid, the U.S. was, in reality,  simply trying to dump surplus GM food that nobody wants to buy." ' - Wall Street Journal
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EU Panel Blocks Genetic Exports Without Consent
From: "Dan Leskien" <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Sender: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Note: On 30 April 2003, the EP Environment Committee adopted its recommendation on the Council common positon regarding the Regulation on transboundary movements of GMOs. All amendments (except one), tabled by the rapporteur Jonas SJOESEDT (Confederal Group of the European United Left/Nordic Green Left, GUE) and by Green/EFA Members were adopted. The Committee recommended inter alia, that there should be no export of GMOs without the prior written consent of the country of import. The Commission proposal had suggested that a non-reply should not be considered as an implied consent; however, it did not say that in cases of non-reply an export should not take place. The Committee's recommendation  for 2nd reading, as adopted on 30 April 2003, is attached.

The EP plenary vote will take place in June (3-5). In the meantime, Council, EP and the Commission will try to reach a compromise which would make a third reading unnecessary.
Dan Leskien
7 May 2003

Title: Companies: EU Panel Blocks Genetic Exports Without Consent
Author: Matthew Newman
Source: The Wall Street Journal Europe
Date: 2 May 2003

Companies: EU Panel Blocks Genetic Exports Without Consent
BRUSSELS -- Europe's struggling biotech industry was dealt another blow when a European Parliament committee voted to tighten restrictions on trade  in genetically modified organisms.

Under the revised rules, no such organisms can be exported from Europe without the "formal" consent of importing countries. That can raise barriers to exports as developing countries increasingly balk at new technologies.

The full parliament will vote on the measure in June. The debate highlights  problems facing Europe's biotech industry and the deep trans-Atlantic divide over biotech.

The top U.S. trade official, Robert Zoellick, has called the European approach "immoral" and "Luddite," and has threatened to file a suit at the World Trade Organization. He was particularly incensed when famine-stricken Zambia refused U.S. food aid, out what he believed was fear of European retaliation against Zambia for accepting genetically modified corn.

Parliamentarians sponsoring the European bill said the U.S. position is immoral and imperialistic. They want to make sure that European countries respect importing countries' bans on genetically modified organisms.

"The attempt by the U.S. to exploit temporary food shortages in Africa to  force developing countries to accept GM foods demonstrates how urgently we  need such regulation," said Swedish green Parliament member Jonas Sjoestedt. "In the guise of humanitarian aid, the U.S. was, in reality,  simply trying to dump surplus GM food that nobody wants to buy."

Europe's biotech industry is already facing strong consumer backlash, with  some supermarkets refusing to carry products containing GMOs. European governments have refused for the past four years to approve new biotech products.
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Companies: EU Biotech Cos Fear New Restrictions On GMO Exports
Author: Matthew Newman
Source: Dow Jones International News
Date: 1 May 2003

BRUSSELS (Dow Jones)--Europe's struggling biotech industry was dealt another blow Wednesday when a European Parliament committee voted to tighten restrictions on trade in genetically modified organisms.
Under the revised rules, no GMOs can be exported from Europe without the "formal" consent of importing countries. That can raise barriers to exports as developing countries increasingly balk at new technologies.

The full parliament will vote on the measure in June.

The parliamentary debate highlights problems facing Europe's biotech industry and the deep trans-Atlantic divide over biotech.

The top U.S. trade official, Robert Zoellick, has called the European approach "immoral" and "Luddite," and he has threatened to file a suit at the World Trade Organization. He was particularly incensed when famine-stricken Zambia refused U.S. food aid, out what he believed was fear he believed of European retaliation for accepting genetically modified corn.

Parliamentarians sponsoring the European bill said the U.S. has the immoral  position and also called it imperialistic. They want to make sure that European countries respect importing countries' bans on GMOS.
"The attempt by the U.S. to exploit temporary food shortages in Africa to force developing countries to accept GM foods demonstrates how urgently we need such regulation," said Swedish green Parliament member Jonas Sjoestedt. "In the guise of humanitarian aid, the U.S. was, in reality, simply trying to dump surplus GM food that nobody wants to buy."

U.S. biotech company Monsanto Co. (MON) said that charge is ludicrous.  "The U.S. in no way manipulated the situation in Africa to export GMO products," said Monsanto spokesman Thomas McDermott. "It was food aid and brought safe food, consumed by millions of Americans, to people in Africa."

Europe's biotech industry is already facing strong consumer backlash against modified, with some supermarkets refusing to carry products containing GMOs. European governments have refused for the past four years to approve new biotech products.

If the European parliament gets its way, biotech promoters fear innovation and research will be further hampered in Europe, said Simon Barber, director of the Plant Biotechnology Unit at Europabio, the European association of biotech industries.  "Research is already down and the new requirements could only make things worse," Barber said, adding that European researchers may no longer be able  to export GMOs for field research, discouraging scientists from doing basic  research.